A TV Guide to Life: How I Learned Everything I Needed to Know From Watching Television

by Jeff Alexander

Read Jeff Alexander's posts on the Penguin Blog.

A couch potato’s book of wisdom— 100% commercial free!

Some say that entire generations of Americans are being raised by the television…like that’s a bad thing. Not so, says author Jeff Alexander, long-time television writer, advocate of education by television, and recapper for the popular website Television Without Pity. Here, he offers the ultimate in life lessons as seen on TV. Topics

• Saved by the School on TV

• Somebody Save Super Powers and Magic Spells

• Tell Me Why I Love You Like I Relationships on TV

• Making A The Workplace

• And more

With a smart, snarky style, Alexander guides readers through important lessons gleaned from years of TV reviewing (now in convenient book form!), freeing up a whole new generation to learn other things, like how to cure cancer or solve world hunger…or anything more useful than watching TV (Author’s Just joking… there is no such thing).

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

276 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2008

About the author

A former staff writer for public radio’s "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor, Jeff Alexander writes about television for the popular website Television Without Pity. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and son.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of this writer, not only on TWOP but also his blog, www.velcrometer.com. The book was as funny and entertaining as I expected, and I even learned new stuff about TV - like the fact that Mork and Mindy was a spinoff from Happy Days!

[Wes Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might be the hardest I've laughed while reading a book! Funny, funny, funny.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, light fun. The book equivalent of watching endless VH-1.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this book being funny years ago; just re-read it and it's still laugh-out-loud hilarious! Which is impressive, given that all the references are from 2008 or earlier.

[Leeankh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. It wasn't bad, just not quite what I was expecting either. I've been a TWoP follower for a few years now, so I had an idea of what to expect from a writer on the site. Unfortunately, for me, the book didn't quite deliver as much as I was thought it would. It started off quite strong, but seemed to lose momentum as it progressed. There were a few laugh out loud moments though, so it definitely wasn't a total loss. I wanted to say that I loved it, but in truth, I thought it was okay. Not bad, but not great either. However, I feel the book was targeting an age range that is just a little older than I am, which could explain my slight disappointment. So if you were alive for more than just a few days of the 70's, you will likely enjoy this book more than I did. :)

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea of this book was more promising than what it actually delivered. This book could've explored so many interesting topics concerning the influence of television and its ability to shape our understanding of reality or the idea of the dissonance between the two or even a section on the different trends that television has undergone in its short history or what it replaced in the community.

I felt that most of this book was a missed opportunity. To focus on things like the similarities in the home decor of the TV families or note the oddity of nobody in TV land ever watching TV is interesting, but it only slightly so. Collections of observations can be fun, but it isn't enlightening.

[Marceline Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

AKA M.Giant who writes the 24 recaps for Television Without Pity. Recaps which are often so funny I sometimes think I only watch 24 so I can read the recaps after. If 24 makes you snort with laughter far more often than an action/drama show with large helpings of torture and explosions is intended to then you should give them a read. Anyway, this book is a lighthearted look at what we can learn from TV shows, which is to say basically taking the piss out of all TV writers ever for their cliched plots, lame sets and enormous institutions run by 5 speaking parts. All good fun and worth your cash.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a (self- and otherwise) proclaimed TV junkie, I had to read this book. And I have to say it was really entertaining for the most part. I actually DID learn a lot from watching TV. Mostly little tidbits and facts, but still. I once was obsessed with Quantum Leap and it made me read up on all things Physics, which in turn led to be getting straight A's for a while. Didn't last, but yeah. Anyway, the book is great and I think everyone who loves TV shows will love this book. Couldn't give it 5 stars for the simple reason that there were a few errors in the book. Frasier lasted for 11 years, not nine, for example. Apart from that a very enjoyable read.

[Trish (readtmc) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I showed my friend this book, she said "That's the perfect book for you!" I thought so too when I saw the cover.

What I mean is that I enjoy watching TV. Alexander organizes television's cliches into different categories and pokes fun at trends that exists on the tube. Also, I had fun trying to pick up the references made in the book (i.e. the chapter on TV medicine is named "I'm No Superman" and I immediately recognized it as the lyrics from Scrubs). A fun read, especially for those who have a deep appreciation TV pop culture.

[Melinda Abney Kaiser · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite bloggers (velcrometer.blogspot.com) wrote a book! It's cute, funny, and an easy read while you are sitting at the doctor's office or whatever. Jeff sets forth the rules of life, as he has learned from a lifetime of television viewing. Things like how to deal with superpowers, how to live in a spacious home even though it appears to be a tiny bungalow from the outside, etc.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has all the charms & all the expected flaws of a book written by a blogger/recapper: it has moments of great comic writing (about life & TV) interspersed with bits that don't work quite as well... and a strong feeling that most of this would have been more successful as short articles/blog posts.

Still, I enjoyed it.

[Adriii · Rating 2 out of 5]

Este libro fue una decepción. Quizá porque no es nada lo que esperaba de él. Es un libro cómico que se ríe de todos esos tópicos que vemos en la televisión, de la realidad propia que ha creado la ficción televisiva. A veces puede ser muy divertido y mordaz, pero en general no me resultó demsiado original ni que no se riese de cosas ya muy manidas.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny little book by one of the recappers on the web site "Television Without Pity". He tells you all the things he has learned about life from watching television. A good read except for the sections on subjects that don't really interest me like sci-fi.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am only on the first chapter, but this book feels very promising, given that it already made fun of tori spelling in the first 5 pages, and of jordan catalano's use of the word "brain" instead of "brian' on "my so-called life."

[Kathy]

not quite what I expected.... perhaps because I learned different lessons that he... and there was more of his philosophy than pulls from tv shows... but it was fun to skim through to find the tv shows that I enjoyed and read his perspective.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you think watching TV is a waste of time, reading a book about TV is even more so. If you like TV and want an entertaining read; this is the book for you. Written in short segments so you can read it during commercial breaks.

[Desiree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I would have liked this book more if I was a big tv fan. I did get a few chuckles out of this quick, easy read, though. If you love tv, give it a try!

[Dborrelli Borrelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

strange...easy read though

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very fun read, especially for a tv junkie like me. However, I think he ran out of steam about 2/3 of the way through.

[Tom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stopped reading by the middle of the first chapter. Tries too hard to be smart and funny, but doesn't accomplish any of the two very well.