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No Lessons Learned: The Making of Curb Your Enthusiasm as Told by Larry David and the Cast and Crew
This fully authorized celebration of the Emmy® award-winning, genre-busting, longest-running, HBO® Original comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm is told by Larry David and the show's creators, cast, crew, and celebrity guests. A must-have for fans of the series.
The official companion book from the team behind the HBO® Original series Curb Your Enthusiasm reveals all the magic, mayhem, and creative genius that went into making one of the most influential and funniest shows in television history. Running a record 12 seasons, 24 years, 120 episodes and drawing millions of die-hard fans, Curb has established itself in the entertainment pantheon as nothing less than a cultural touchstone. Its iconic lines, comedic bits, and famously awkward scenarios live on in our collective consciousness long after the finale, as does our undying affection for the phenomenal cast, including Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, J.B. Smoove, Cheryl Hines, Ted Danson, the late Richard Lewis, and Bob Einstein.
No Lessons The Making of Curb Your Enthusiasm covers it all through first-person interviews with the principal cast and crew, as well as select guest stars, episode guides, never-before-seen and behind-the-scenes photographs, archival material including annotated scripts, storyboards and sketches, Larry David's legendary outlines written on legal pads, and much, much more. Additional special features
• A glossary of Larry David-isms including stop-and-chat, chat-and-cut, pants tent, pig parker, and more
• Leon Black's Guide to Romance
• A map of LA featuring key locations both real and fictional
• Sartorial stylings of Susie Greene
• Memorable cameos
This is the essential gift for every fan of this irresistible and groundbreaking show.
The official companion book from the team behind the HBO® Original series Curb Your Enthusiasm reveals all the magic, mayhem, and creative genius that went into making one of the most influential and funniest shows in television history. Running a record 12 seasons, 24 years, 120 episodes and drawing millions of die-hard fans, Curb has established itself in the entertainment pantheon as nothing less than a cultural touchstone. Its iconic lines, comedic bits, and famously awkward scenarios live on in our collective consciousness long after the finale, as does our undying affection for the phenomenal cast, including Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, J.B. Smoove, Cheryl Hines, Ted Danson, the late Richard Lewis, and Bob Einstein.
No Lessons The Making of Curb Your Enthusiasm covers it all through first-person interviews with the principal cast and crew, as well as select guest stars, episode guides, never-before-seen and behind-the-scenes photographs, archival material including annotated scripts, storyboards and sketches, Larry David's legendary outlines written on legal pads, and much, much more. Additional special features
• A glossary of Larry David-isms including stop-and-chat, chat-and-cut, pants tent, pig parker, and more
• Leon Black's Guide to Romance
• A map of LA featuring key locations both real and fictional
• Sartorial stylings of Susie Greene
• Memorable cameos
This is the essential gift for every fan of this irresistible and groundbreaking show.
- GenresNonfiction
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2025
317 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 16, 2025
Perfect fan fodder for anyone who can't get enough of one of the great comedies of our time. Will be a great Xmas prezzy for the curmudgeon in your life! Pants tents, chat 'n' cut, fatwa sex - it's all here.
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November 2, 2025Expected this to be an in-depth oral history based on the title, but it’s more of a coffee table book with copious photos, pull-out quotes, and scattered interview fragments with the cast and crew. It’s also an official HBO production—the actors pat each other on the back and everybody had a great time on the set and Larry David is such a wonderful guy oh gosh. I didn’t want dirt, but I expected more than what reads like a long Entertainment Weekly feature.
August 27, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers for an advance copy of this new book that offers a retelling of how one of the most creative, meanest, funniest and most uncomfortable comedies came to be, as told by the creator, the people who worked on it, and the actors who brought it all to life.
I loved TV as the babysitter it was for me, but by the 90's except for X-Files and the occasional Star Trek I was pretty done with it. Cable was expensive, so my television was as basic as one could get. This was a habit that lasted quite a while. I was over at some friends and his wife put on the television, saying she had a show on TiVo that seemed to be a reflection of my life. The character was thin, which I was not, bald, which I am still fighting now, and successful, which will never be. The character was offered a house tour, and he passed, with a long conversation about why he didn't care. It was me. As the show went on, I felt like I had found a brother, or a tribe I didn't know existed, and that I was a part of. Larry David has many of the same ideas that I had, and the same skill at embarrassing ourselves. The show was Curb Your Enthusiasm, and honestly the only reason I kept going over to my friends was to watch the show. It was funny, irreverent, mean, and again funny. This book No Lessons Learned: The Making of Curb Your Enthusiasm as Told by Larry David and the Cast and Crew by Lorraine Ali, tells the story of the show, from its humble beginnings to a 24 year run with.
The book begins with the origins of Larry David, his birth, his undramatic childhood, and the lost years where David wandered trying to find out who he was, and how to make a living. David began to do stand-up, which his mother thought impossible, as he was never funny. David had an interesting antagonistic relationship with the crowds of comedy shows, half wanting to laugh the other half wanting to hit him. This made him a hit with other comedians, and small offers appeared. Writing for Fridays a Saturday Night Live clone forged a few relationships, as did a job writing for SNL later on. An old friend Jerrry Seinfeld asked David to write for his new show, a show about nothing, which became a powerhouse, and a money maker. After leaving David had the idea of making a mockumentary about returning to stand-up. The show did ok, but the name Curb Your Enthusiasm came from it. As did an idea for a show that was different than anything on television. And 20+ years later that still holds true.
The book does a good jo of making Larry David likeable, something he knows he is not good at. The author has a nice style, with lots of photos, interviews and comments from people on various episodes. This is a book made with HBO's help, so don't expect any stories about certain cast members and their problems. There is a deep look at the season featuring the return of the Seinfeld cast, which gives a look at how the show was created, how the improv parts worked, and the outlines that made the episode what they were. The interviews are quite good, with a lot of insight into the show making process, and how everyone seemed to get along.
Fans will find a lot to enjoy her. There is an episode guide, a lot of lines, and words that have entered the pop culture vernacular. Plus a lot on Larry David, a man who plays a curmudgeon, is a curmudgeon, but made one of the funniest and uncomfortable shows ever to be shown on television.
I loved TV as the babysitter it was for me, but by the 90's except for X-Files and the occasional Star Trek I was pretty done with it. Cable was expensive, so my television was as basic as one could get. This was a habit that lasted quite a while. I was over at some friends and his wife put on the television, saying she had a show on TiVo that seemed to be a reflection of my life. The character was thin, which I was not, bald, which I am still fighting now, and successful, which will never be. The character was offered a house tour, and he passed, with a long conversation about why he didn't care. It was me. As the show went on, I felt like I had found a brother, or a tribe I didn't know existed, and that I was a part of. Larry David has many of the same ideas that I had, and the same skill at embarrassing ourselves. The show was Curb Your Enthusiasm, and honestly the only reason I kept going over to my friends was to watch the show. It was funny, irreverent, mean, and again funny. This book No Lessons Learned: The Making of Curb Your Enthusiasm as Told by Larry David and the Cast and Crew by Lorraine Ali, tells the story of the show, from its humble beginnings to a 24 year run with.
The book begins with the origins of Larry David, his birth, his undramatic childhood, and the lost years where David wandered trying to find out who he was, and how to make a living. David began to do stand-up, which his mother thought impossible, as he was never funny. David had an interesting antagonistic relationship with the crowds of comedy shows, half wanting to laugh the other half wanting to hit him. This made him a hit with other comedians, and small offers appeared. Writing for Fridays a Saturday Night Live clone forged a few relationships, as did a job writing for SNL later on. An old friend Jerrry Seinfeld asked David to write for his new show, a show about nothing, which became a powerhouse, and a money maker. After leaving David had the idea of making a mockumentary about returning to stand-up. The show did ok, but the name Curb Your Enthusiasm came from it. As did an idea for a show that was different than anything on television. And 20+ years later that still holds true.
The book does a good jo of making Larry David likeable, something he knows he is not good at. The author has a nice style, with lots of photos, interviews and comments from people on various episodes. This is a book made with HBO's help, so don't expect any stories about certain cast members and their problems. There is a deep look at the season featuring the return of the Seinfeld cast, which gives a look at how the show was created, how the improv parts worked, and the outlines that made the episode what they were. The interviews are quite good, with a lot of insight into the show making process, and how everyone seemed to get along.
Fans will find a lot to enjoy her. There is an episode guide, a lot of lines, and words that have entered the pop culture vernacular. Plus a lot on Larry David, a man who plays a curmudgeon, is a curmudgeon, but made one of the funniest and uncomfortable shows ever to be shown on television.
September 25, 2025
No Lessons Learned is the name of the final episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and is a throwback to the ending of the original Larry David show, Seinfeld. This book is the story behind the HBO hit show Curb Your Enthusiasm with quotes from Larry David, the regular cast, the crew, and many guest stars from its 12 year run.
I enjoyed this book very much and especially appreciated the insight into how the show was shot. I always knew that it was an “improv” show, but the detail and effort into getting the stories to work out perfectly takes as much planning as it does in a scripted show. One season was a “Seinfeld reunion” season and you get to see the entire process of planning out the season, from scribbled notes all the way to final plans for scenes.
The thing that I found most interesting about the show was how often actors didn’t know what was happening in other scenes that they weren’t involved in. This explained how often they had to ask questions that we, as the viewers, already knew the answer to. At the time, I didn’t really get why that happened, but I now realize that this is just how real life is, so why wouldn’t the show be the same way?
Overall, I loved this book. I realized that my HBO subscription was not consistent over the 24 year run of the show and I’ve already started rewatching the series from the start with a whole different outlook on the program. This book wasn’t just good, it was pretty, pretty, pretty good!
Thanks to NetGalley and Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book very much and especially appreciated the insight into how the show was shot. I always knew that it was an “improv” show, but the detail and effort into getting the stories to work out perfectly takes as much planning as it does in a scripted show. One season was a “Seinfeld reunion” season and you get to see the entire process of planning out the season, from scribbled notes all the way to final plans for scenes.
The thing that I found most interesting about the show was how often actors didn’t know what was happening in other scenes that they weren’t involved in. This explained how often they had to ask questions that we, as the viewers, already knew the answer to. At the time, I didn’t really get why that happened, but I now realize that this is just how real life is, so why wouldn’t the show be the same way?
Overall, I loved this book. I realized that my HBO subscription was not consistent over the 24 year run of the show and I’ve already started rewatching the series from the start with a whole different outlook on the program. This book wasn’t just good, it was pretty, pretty, pretty good!
Thanks to NetGalley and Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2025
Having just finished a rewatch of earlier seasons and a first watch of the final two seasons a week or so ago, this book -- a love letter to Larry and the series -- came at the perfect time. Physically, it's a huge book, weighing in at almost four pounds, but at least half of the 300+ pages is photos, so you can read it quickly, assuming your arms don't get too tired to hold it up. (Definitely read the print copy; a book this photo-laden won't be as good in ebook format.) There's not a ton of behind-the-scenes stuff and no gossip; it's just a celebration of what's arguably the greatest TV comedy ever. I felt a little sad once I finished reading this because it underscores that with Season 12, Curb is over for good this time.
November 16, 2025
No Lessons Learned is a great book for any fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm. I love this series a lot and put it easily in my top three of all time. I always describe the show to people as "Just imagine a darker version of George Costanza."
The book covers the history of Curb Your Enthusiasm and interviews the actors and the people behind the scenes. This was a fun read, and I learned a lot about the show.
A definite must read for fans of the show!
The book covers the history of Curb Your Enthusiasm and interviews the actors and the people behind the scenes. This was a fun read, and I learned a lot about the show.
A definite must read for fans of the show!
October 18, 2025
As a big fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm, I enjoyed a look inside the show, how it was made and a glimpse into the genius that’s Larry David. I loved the addition of handwritten notes, show outlines, a lot of photography, and quotes from cast and crew members.
I have a whole new appreciation for this show now, and
I want to rewatch it!
I have a whole new appreciation for this show now, and
I want to rewatch it!
October 12, 2025
As a Curb Your Enthusiasm fan, I was so excited for this book! I loved it so much. I really enjoy making of and behind the scenes books like this. As usual, anything Larry David related did not disappoint!
November 23, 2025
Larry is my hero, so I had to read this book.
It has some good background information like actual show outlines.
A lot of comments from the regulars and guest stars.
Some interesting information like places where some of the scenes were shot.
It has some good background information like actual show outlines.
A lot of comments from the regulars and guest stars.
Some interesting information like places where some of the scenes were shot.
November 4, 2025
Fun read for fans of the show
Pretty pretty pretty good
Pretty pretty pretty good
November 10, 2025
superb
I loved the show and reading about it was almost like watching it again. A must read for all curlers
I loved the show and reading about it was almost like watching it again. A must read for all curlers
August 22, 2025
What's to say about a book that is clearly for the fans of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Nothing. You simply have to page through it and the shows comes back to you instantly, in all it's glory. Lorraine Ali created a fantastic piece, with an enormous amount of info for the fans. Some of it we already knew, some of it is new to us. It speaks of pre-curb to that final episode and everything in between. Nevertheless, it is all spectacularly put together and a treasure to own.
The one thing that hits me when paging through this is that throughout the book you are instantly reminded of all the perfect points in the Curb world. Not only are we reminded but it induces belly laughter, just like the first time we watched. There are constant reminders of Larry-ism's that we may have forgotten and immediately upon seeing the words we hear its delivery. Again, inducing laughter. For many, Larry is a spirit animal. He speaks of what one could only wish to say out loud. He has no shame and did it for us, allowing us to live vicariously through him. I still to this day refer to terms such as Pig Parker or Spite Shop..
For fans, this book is a no brainer. Trust me! It is a wonderful addition to your library. This is definitely a book I will return to time and time again, as I do with the series itself. I received this as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and have voluntarily left my honest review.
The one thing that hits me when paging through this is that throughout the book you are instantly reminded of all the perfect points in the Curb world. Not only are we reminded but it induces belly laughter, just like the first time we watched. There are constant reminders of Larry-ism's that we may have forgotten and immediately upon seeing the words we hear its delivery. Again, inducing laughter. For many, Larry is a spirit animal. He speaks of what one could only wish to say out loud. He has no shame and did it for us, allowing us to live vicariously through him. I still to this day refer to terms such as Pig Parker or Spite Shop..
For fans, this book is a no brainer. Trust me! It is a wonderful addition to your library. This is definitely a book I will return to time and time again, as I do with the series itself. I received this as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and have voluntarily left my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews