What do you think?
Rate this book
James Gandolfini: The Real Life of the Man Who Made Tony Soprano
James Gandolfini: The Real Life of the Man Who Made Tony Soprano is the first biography of the actor who died, in June 2013 at age 51, widely recognized as one of the best—and most defining—actors of his generation. The book is informed by fresh interviews with Sopranos actors, HBO executives, the star’s acting teachers and coaches, his childhood friends, buddies from his days as a nightclub bouncer, and Hollywood figures including the directors of his posthumously released films. Bischoff decodes Gandolfini’s portrayal of mobsters and bad guys from his breakout role in True Romance with Patricia Arquette to the series role that made his career, including his portrayals of real people like Leon Panetta in Zero Dark Thirty. Gandolfini’s personal life--from his marriages and family interactions to his deep friendships with his fellow cast members—enriches and enlivens this book, and deepens our understanding of the star.James Gandolfini: The Real Life of the Man Who Made Tony Soprano is a fascinating look at Gandolfini’s complicated relationship to his roots, to the role that made him wealthy beyond his imagination, and to American notions of masculinity, power and fame. Even as he scaled the heights of his profession, creating a character as vivid as Carroll O’Connor’s Archie Bunker and as volcanic as Marlon Brando’s Stanley Kowalski, Gandolfini remained a reluctant celebrity dedicated more to his craft than to his career. James Gandolfini: The Real Life of the Man Who Made Tony Soprano delivers a textured, multilayered portrait of the on- and off-screen life of a complex, talented man who rose from an Italian immigrant family in northern New Jersey to join the ranks of America’s most iconic actors.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2014
40 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
May 13, 2014
I wanted to enjoy this book much more than I did, unfortunately it just wasn't very well done. You could tell it was hastily put together following James Gandolfini's sudden passing. The most annoying thing about this book is its omission of significant interviews, the author spoke to no one about JG. Every quote by a family or cast member came from some previous radio, print, or tv interview. Since the author was from The Star Ledger, I thought he might offer his own insights because the paper and JG had a relationship together, but it's empty on that front too. What's even more irritating is that the writer frequently reused the same quote- not for repetitive impact, but because he had no other ones. Ever hear of an editor? The text was pretty repetitive all around, actually. Also, sometimes his facts just seemed wrong, like an early synopsis of the film Enough Said, which did not accurately describe that movie. This is something that would have been easy to check. This was a quick, easy read (although sometimes a long, obscure vocab word would get tossed it. For instance, have you ever seen someone casually use "insouciance?"). The book spends a lot of time on the Jersey Shore and The Sopranos, so this book is probably a bit more interesting for people from there/were fans. (I am on both counts btw). This book offered nothing new, and you could have very well read all this stuff on different websites already. But, if you are a JG this would be a convenient, singular place to get basic information and anecdotes without websurfing- could be a good beach read in that respect.
March 24, 2015
If you know little about Jim Gandolfini you’ll learn a some facts that must be true (modest parents, two sisters, two marriages, school at Rutgers, bar tending and bouncing, pre- and post- Soprano film and stage roles, etc.) and many that are dubious (mooning Lorraine Bracco during filming, glass shattering episodes like destroying a phone booth).
There are amazing sweeping statements: had there been no Gandolfini Chris Christie would not be governor of New Jersey (he popularized a type) ; Gandolfini’s work ethic is like Marlon Brando’s (Gandolfini worked construction and Brando got the Stanley Kowalski role by doing home repairs in Provincetown); in 1988 "bridge and tunnel people were tolerated by Mahattanites with the forbearance shown Southerners" (was Gandolfini's moving about NYC really this style of homelessness); and pretentious out of place comments such as: “'Streetcar' is the arc of inarticulate male longing that sails through American theater in the last half of the twentieth century.”
The content is thin, so a lot is repeated. Nothing is documented. It’s like an extended tabloid article. So… why did I bother?
It was there, in the library, and the Gandolfini is intriguing. I got out of it what I put into it… a couple of casual hours riding the bus to work. This life is intriguing and hopefully a full scale thoughtful biography is in the works somewhere.
There are amazing sweeping statements: had there been no Gandolfini Chris Christie would not be governor of New Jersey (he popularized a type) ; Gandolfini’s work ethic is like Marlon Brando’s (Gandolfini worked construction and Brando got the Stanley Kowalski role by doing home repairs in Provincetown); in 1988 "bridge and tunnel people were tolerated by Mahattanites with the forbearance shown Southerners" (was Gandolfini's moving about NYC really this style of homelessness); and pretentious out of place comments such as: “'Streetcar' is the arc of inarticulate male longing that sails through American theater in the last half of the twentieth century.”
The content is thin, so a lot is repeated. Nothing is documented. It’s like an extended tabloid article. So… why did I bother?
It was there, in the library, and the Gandolfini is intriguing. I got out of it what I put into it… a couple of casual hours riding the bus to work. This life is intriguing and hopefully a full scale thoughtful biography is in the works somewhere.
August 22, 2025
I’m a big fan of James and I liked this book very much. It was the first audible book I’ve ever read and it was read by a Sopranos cast member.
July 13, 2014
I found this book an good read. As mentioned early in the book James Gandolfini was a very private person who did not do many interviews and had asked his friends to not speak about him with the press. The author Dan Bischoff does a good job of gathering together information from the few interviews that Gandolfini did do and from some of his friends from Rutgers, New York friends from before Sopranos fame and co-workers' interviews about him to write a comprehensive book. Bischoff has a quote from one of the Rutgers friends about how he should be able to discuss Gandolfini since he has passed on but it doesn't seem right because everyone in the family were always so private.
Bischoff does a good job of weaving a story together about a very private man. This is not a book that brings out all the skeletons for the world to see. Gandolfini's drug and alcohol addiction is mentioned. There are no juicy stories surrounding the drug years. The only light even shed on his drug and alcohol abuse comes from his ex-wife's interview with the New York Post's Cindy Adams at the time of Gandolfinis' divorce. There are also a couple quotes by Gandolfini from an interview he did with the National Enquirer when the news of his dependency became public.
What this book really seems to be is a man being appreciated for the things he did while he was alive that he did not want credit for at the time. His friends and co-workers discuss his charity work. Not only giving money, but going and actually doing the grunt work like spreading mulch with his thirteen year old son.
Gandolfini's attempts to move away from the Tony Soprano role is also looked at by the author and how even thought he wanted to get away from it his characters were usually all at the same common thread of being blue-collar workers. He was also producing documentaries for HBO and had done a Broadway play.
I would suggest this book for anyone that would like a look into the person that was James Gandolfini with the knowledge that this is not going to reveal any long hidden covered secrets. What you will get is a man who both enjoyed and struggled with acting. The story of a man who felt that because he was not out doing manual labor like his father that he was less of a man. A man who appreciated everyone around him and liked to show them how much without it becoming a huge story in the press.
Bischoff does a good job of weaving a story together about a very private man. This is not a book that brings out all the skeletons for the world to see. Gandolfini's drug and alcohol addiction is mentioned. There are no juicy stories surrounding the drug years. The only light even shed on his drug and alcohol abuse comes from his ex-wife's interview with the New York Post's Cindy Adams at the time of Gandolfinis' divorce. There are also a couple quotes by Gandolfini from an interview he did with the National Enquirer when the news of his dependency became public.
What this book really seems to be is a man being appreciated for the things he did while he was alive that he did not want credit for at the time. His friends and co-workers discuss his charity work. Not only giving money, but going and actually doing the grunt work like spreading mulch with his thirteen year old son.
Gandolfini's attempts to move away from the Tony Soprano role is also looked at by the author and how even thought he wanted to get away from it his characters were usually all at the same common thread of being blue-collar workers. He was also producing documentaries for HBO and had done a Broadway play.
I would suggest this book for anyone that would like a look into the person that was James Gandolfini with the knowledge that this is not going to reveal any long hidden covered secrets. What you will get is a man who both enjoyed and struggled with acting. The story of a man who felt that because he was not out doing manual labor like his father that he was less of a man. A man who appreciated everyone around him and liked to show them how much without it becoming a huge story in the press.
July 24, 2024
A decent biography about James Gandolfini. Maybe it’s just me, but it seemed like there were things that felt repeated to me over the course of the book. Also, I wish they give more in-depth about his personal life and relationships. However, I did learn some things about him that I was unaware of, which is why I gave this book 3 stars instead of 2.
December 14, 2023
If you’re from NJ or enjoyed the Sopranos, this is a great biography of the real James Gandolfini and how he compared to his notorious Tony Soprano. Learned a lot about the actor that I never knew before. Really enjoyed the audiobook read by Michael Imperioli.
July 15, 2021
While at times a little on the sycophantic side, this biography still provides quite a deep look into a deeply private man. Enjoyable! Would recommend!
January 10, 2019
It’s nice to have stories and info about James all in one place. The picture on the cover is lovely. That’s about all there is good in this book-shaped disappointment.
Entire paragraphs are copied and pasted several times throughout the book, making you feel crazy as you read the same repeated stories again and again. No new information is presented and it’s clear this book was written postmortem as a cash in on a tragedy.
James’ memory deserves better than this.
Entire paragraphs are copied and pasted several times throughout the book, making you feel crazy as you read the same repeated stories again and again. No new information is presented and it’s clear this book was written postmortem as a cash in on a tragedy.
James’ memory deserves better than this.
April 20, 2014
Whether you remember James Gandolfini from the array of character roles which got him noticed in movies like Crimson Tide, The Mexican, Terminal Velocity, Night Falls In Manhattan, The Man Who Wasn't There, Get Shorty, or True Romance, or the nearly decade-long star turn as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, he was an actor of striking intensity and realism, who went on to later film roles in such things as Zero Dark Thirty, Killing Them Softly, The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3, and In The Loop. His early death of a heart attack in Rome at the age of fifty-one cut short a career that could have continued for decades.
Dan Bischoff, an award-winning art critic for The Star-Ledger, where he has covered art and culture in New Jersey and New York since 1996, and previously been the chief political and investigative editor for The Village Voice traces the arc of James Gandolfini's life and career and paints a vivid portrait of the actor who was totally dedicated to his craft and a down-to-earth person with a regular guy attitude to stardom and its glitzy trappings. A book as unique and compelling as its subject. - BH.
Dan Bischoff, an award-winning art critic for The Star-Ledger, where he has covered art and culture in New Jersey and New York since 1996, and previously been the chief political and investigative editor for The Village Voice traces the arc of James Gandolfini's life and career and paints a vivid portrait of the actor who was totally dedicated to his craft and a down-to-earth person with a regular guy attitude to stardom and its glitzy trappings. A book as unique and compelling as its subject. - BH.
July 23, 2016
Someone writing a book about James Gandolfini might figure that the audience for his biography is a group that is comfortable with complex narrative and will pick up on small details and recall them without having them repeated every 10 pages or so. I had several such moments of deja vu as worked my way through this book. "Hey, he mentioned that already...why's he's bringing that up again?" This book suffers from the fact that Gandolfini was a private person who didn't share a lot about his life, and his friends were loyal and they refused to talk about him too, so a lot of the information the author is working with is from old, already-published interviews. I also get the impression that the book was rushed to press.
There is a part where the author ties Chris Christie's success as an overweight governor and his potential future run for president directly to "Tony Soprano" paving the way for the acceptance of an overweight-man-in-power. Dubious, to say the least.
I suppose I was hoping for another "Difficult Men," with a little more insight than, "Hey, he was a really nice, generous, talented, down-to-earth guy, and it's really awful that he died so young."
There is a part where the author ties Chris Christie's success as an overweight governor and his potential future run for president directly to "Tony Soprano" paving the way for the acceptance of an overweight-man-in-power. Dubious, to say the least.
I suppose I was hoping for another "Difficult Men," with a little more insight than, "Hey, he was a really nice, generous, talented, down-to-earth guy, and it's really awful that he died so young."
July 5, 2016
James had a slow beginning in acting. There were a few plays in his high school days. Nothing during his four years at Rutgers. He had acting gigs between being a bouncer and bar tender.
When the Sopranos began in 1999, Jim was perfect for the part. It lasted ten years.
As an actor he was larger than life. He had personal demons in private.
When the Sopranos began in 1999, Jim was perfect for the part. It lasted ten years.
As an actor he was larger than life. He had personal demons in private.
June 1, 2015
This book was displayed at our local library and I thought..."Hey, I loved The Sopranos, this might be an interesting read." Well, was I ever wrong. This book was poorly written and not enjoyable, it was a struggle to finish.
September 4, 2020
Once I started, I didn't want to put it down!
This book gave me such fascinating insight into the life and upbringing of James Gandolfini. This was a very quick read because it was all so interesting.
This book gave me such fascinating insight into the life and upbringing of James Gandolfini. This was a very quick read because it was all so interesting.
August 24, 2024
A fine biography written from the perspective of many a review of Gandolfini’s theatre and movie actor and his decade long TV career as "Tony Soprano".
A young Italian boy who grew up in Parkridge, NJ in a small, but quaint cloistered town of blue collar middle class Italians. His father was a school janitor and his mother worked in the same school as a cafeteria worker (lunch lady). He went to school and played sports and did act in one play, but struggled to memorize his lines (a struggle he had his entire acting career).
He eventually went to Rutgers University at the bequest of his mother to make her happy and majored in journalism and communication. He did act again, but only once…but what was on the horizon for Mr. Gandolfini was more than he could ever imagine.
This book reveals with great transparency the life of a once unknown character actor who became a legendary and iconic part of pop culture. He left us way too soon. But, he left us a monstrous legacy of Hollywood films and a vastly popular television show that will last for generations.
He affected our lives. He was something. But, was it something he wanted to be? This book will tell you. And tell you it will.
A movie that he was in shortly before his death where he does the voice for an imaginary monster, “Where the Wild Things Are”…is a story about a young boy who throws fits when he doesn’t get his way…just a story of how stored up anger in this boy affects his psyche and how he managed to use it to get through his life. He controlled that anger in the fantasy world he created.
This movie was telltale story about the "good boy" and how an "monster" was revealed only the minds eye of the boy. it soothed his savage beast. Fellow Soprano actress, Lorraine Bracco, used the same words; "good boy" to describe who Jim was to everyone he met during her eulogy at his funeral.
A humble selfless man who was kind and giving, but still had to deal with monster inside. Something we all do, but Jim did it well or so we thought. Acting or not, the "monster" was always there and whether in the end or not it won over him to take his life directly or indirectly is not the issue. What was the issue was how unimportant he knew his life to be and the "man" that he always wanted to be was all that we should have seen. And that we did.
I listened to the audio book narrated by "Artie Bucco", owner and chef of "Vessuvios" on the Sopranos…the good friend of Jim, Johnny "V" Ventamelgia.
A young Italian boy who grew up in Parkridge, NJ in a small, but quaint cloistered town of blue collar middle class Italians. His father was a school janitor and his mother worked in the same school as a cafeteria worker (lunch lady). He went to school and played sports and did act in one play, but struggled to memorize his lines (a struggle he had his entire acting career).
He eventually went to Rutgers University at the bequest of his mother to make her happy and majored in journalism and communication. He did act again, but only once…but what was on the horizon for Mr. Gandolfini was more than he could ever imagine.
This book reveals with great transparency the life of a once unknown character actor who became a legendary and iconic part of pop culture. He left us way too soon. But, he left us a monstrous legacy of Hollywood films and a vastly popular television show that will last for generations.
He affected our lives. He was something. But, was it something he wanted to be? This book will tell you. And tell you it will.
A movie that he was in shortly before his death where he does the voice for an imaginary monster, “Where the Wild Things Are”…is a story about a young boy who throws fits when he doesn’t get his way…just a story of how stored up anger in this boy affects his psyche and how he managed to use it to get through his life. He controlled that anger in the fantasy world he created.
This movie was telltale story about the "good boy" and how an "monster" was revealed only the minds eye of the boy. it soothed his savage beast. Fellow Soprano actress, Lorraine Bracco, used the same words; "good boy" to describe who Jim was to everyone he met during her eulogy at his funeral.
A humble selfless man who was kind and giving, but still had to deal with monster inside. Something we all do, but Jim did it well or so we thought. Acting or not, the "monster" was always there and whether in the end or not it won over him to take his life directly or indirectly is not the issue. What was the issue was how unimportant he knew his life to be and the "man" that he always wanted to be was all that we should have seen. And that we did.
I listened to the audio book narrated by "Artie Bucco", owner and chef of "Vessuvios" on the Sopranos…the good friend of Jim, Johnny "V" Ventamelgia.
Read
April 9, 2021My kid sister recommended this book to me, and she was right.
It was enjoyable, and John Ventimiglia was an excellent narrator. Moreover, there were lots of little gems of information about many things that were not just about Gandolfini.
I note that, not having HBO when The Sopranos was on television, I now will have to do some binge-watching (in my copious free time, of course) to catch up on the phenomenon.
Still, you do not have to have watched the show to find the book (and Gandolfini's life) interesting. It's about so many things - New Jersey culture, acting, the Meisner method, New York culture and life, growing a career, how success affects Gandolfini...and so much more. Definitely worth the time to read or listen to.
It was enjoyable, and John Ventimiglia was an excellent narrator. Moreover, there were lots of little gems of information about many things that were not just about Gandolfini.
I note that, not having HBO when The Sopranos was on television, I now will have to do some binge-watching (in my copious free time, of course) to catch up on the phenomenon.
Still, you do not have to have watched the show to find the book (and Gandolfini's life) interesting. It's about so many things - New Jersey culture, acting, the Meisner method, New York culture and life, growing a career, how success affects Gandolfini...and so much more. Definitely worth the time to read or listen to.
April 27, 2024
James Gandolfini by Dan Bischoff
Continuing my enjoyment of reading about famous performers, this seemed a natural. I had no idea Gandolfini had performed in so many movies, such as Wellcome to the Reilly's. Apparently trying to perform against "typecast" as Tony Soprano, he chose some mild and some strong comedy as well as some feel-good characters. He worked with Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro among many others. This book also covers a fair amount of information about his studying performance. Towards the end he enthusiastically supports wounded veterans (reminding me of Gary Sinise) driving in a parade with a quadriplegic veteran aboard.
May 23, 2017
I would have gone 2.5 stars but the website does not allow for that rating.
This book to me is a mixed bag, one has to admit it is poorly written and it gives the impression it might have been rushed out after Gandolfini's death.
The good in the book is Gandolfini himself, which comes across has having been a down to earth guy that didn´t let stardom get to his head, and partly might have always thought he didn´t deserve it.
he seemed to value his privacy soo much that one almost feels half guilty about reading this.
This book to me is a mixed bag, one has to admit it is poorly written and it gives the impression it might have been rushed out after Gandolfini's death.
The good in the book is Gandolfini himself, which comes across has having been a down to earth guy that didn´t let stardom get to his head, and partly might have always thought he didn´t deserve it.
he seemed to value his privacy soo much that one almost feels half guilty about reading this.
January 2, 2021
This is my first ever goodreads review, so I’ll be brief and honest. I hoped for more from this book. The early life chapters are kind of interesting, but it really is a stretch to say this is a biography. In places he goes on tangents to fill out the copy. It’s light, magazine article weight in content, repetitive in places as if the author knows he hasn’t got much to go on. What he digs up could easily be located online, so I don’t feel the research has been done.
December 6, 2021
I've always loved James Gandolfini and after reading this book I have learned that he was much more than a great actor. He was generous, caring, loving and a great philanthropist. He never accepted his celebrity and used his fame to help others. Such a loss to lose this great man in the prime of his life.
January 22, 2018
This was in the library (the real book, not an ebook) and I love Ganfolfini. His interview on Inside the Actor's Guild was one of my favorites and I was a Soprano fan as well. So I liked the idea and the story, but the writing was not engaging. It did get more interesting about half way through.
May 12, 2021
Not a bad read on James' personal life and career. It was a little repetitive though and I would have liked to get some further perspectives on James by people who worked closely with him, rather the accolades that were made after his death.
May 7, 2025
I’d meant to download the April 2025 audiobook release on Gandolfini, this is a 2014 bio. This was fine, informative, gives a sense of the actor, and the man. Seems a great guy, and a talent who left the ‘stage’ far too soon.
July 21, 2017
Interesting, but all of these facts could be come across by a quick google search, and many passages were flat out repeated.
September 6, 2017
Rewatching "The Sopranos" and wanted to know more about him. He was born in 1961. Book was interesting mostly about how his friends and family refuse to say "word one" negative about him.
June 25, 2019
Some interesting notes and tidbits. Rambles and lacks direction at times.
July 3, 2020
The book was okay. It shared some interesting points about James’ life. If you haven’t seen the sopranos (which would be a shock) then do not read as there are many spoilers
October 14, 2021
entertaining. what a great guy
March 28, 2023
Listened to it on Audible, the narration by John Ventimiglia is a nice touch.
December 17, 2025
Some decent things about James. I was hoping for much more.
February 12, 2017
This is a 3 for me solely because it's about Gandolfini, and it's a pleasure to read anything about him because biographical material concerning him is so scant. The book itself is repetitive- almost like when someone is telling you a story and they have forgotten what they have already told you. The repetition isn't so surprising considering how vigorously Gandolfini guarded his personal life. It's understandable that Bischoff had to scramble to string together whispers of anecdotes to form a portrait of the man from the radio silence. But again, because it's about Gandolfini, I don't mind too much about reading those things more than once.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews