Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos

by Michael Imperioli

The definitive oral history of the landmark television series and streaming hit The Sopranos, packed with untold stories from behind the scenes and on the set. Stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa—whose Talking Sopranos podcast has become a sensational fan favorite—talk intimately with virtually everyone who has been involved with the show. And they're ready to spill it all.

Who made the phone call that got HBO to launch The Sopranos? What’s the significance of all those eggs? And, what the hell ever happened to the Russian? Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa, and the entire cast and crew of The Sopranos have all the answers—and they’re revealing where all the bodies are buried. 

  Inspired by the incredibly successful Talking Sopranos podcast, The Sopranos stars Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) and Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri) will finally reveal all the Soprano family secrets in a surprising, funny, and honest new book. Woke Up This Morning will be the definitive behind-the-scenes history of the groundbreaking HBO series that became a worldwide cultural phenomenon, ushered in a new Golden Age of Television, and to this day continues to be one of the most binged shows of all time.

 

Expanding on the podcast with exclusive interviews with the cast, crew, producers, writers, directors, and, of course, the series creator David Chase, Michael and Steve will tell all the incredible stories that The Sopranos fans have been waiting to hear for over twenty years. The book will cover the entire history of The Sopranos series from the original concept pitch and casting to the infamous cut to black—and answer many of the thousands of fan questions sent to the podcast, as well as dispel some widely propagated myths and reveal things no one outside the show would even know to ask.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Pop Culture, History, Memoir, Tv, Biography

14 pages, Audiobook

First published November 2, 2021

About the author

Michael Imperioli is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama series The Sopranos (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2004, and as Dominic Di Grasso in the HBO comedy drama series The White Lotus in 2022.

In the early part of his career, he played the role of Spider in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990). He went on to play many supporting roles in films such as Jungle Fever (1991), Bad Boys (1995), The Basketball Diaries (1995), Shark Tale (2004), The Lovely Bones (2009), and One Night in Miami (2020). Imperioli co-wrote the screenplay for Summer of Sam (1999) with Spike Lee, and wrote five episodes of The Sopranos. He made his directorial feature film debut with The Hungry Ghosts (2008), which he also wrote.

For his role as Dominic Di Grasso in the second season of HBO series The White Lotus (2022) he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. On stage, he made his Broadway debut in the revival of the Henrik Ibsen play An Enemy of the People (2024).

Reviews

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sopranos is an iconic show that really put HBO on the map in terms of its television programming. Two of the stars of the series, Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) and Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri), started the podcast, Talking Sopranos back in 2020. They discuss various episodes, give behind the scenes scoop, and conduct interviews with former cast and crew members. Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos is basically a compilation of the interviews featured on the podcast along with some additional info provided by the co-authors.

I'm more of a casual fan of the tv show rather than a diehard fan. I've seen all the episodes at least once and going into this book had some general knowledge of the making of the show. I had not listened to the podcast before so for me this book was a wealth of interesting info. I loved hearing about the casting process, how storylines were created, and how the cast and crew really did treat each other like family. Sure, there were some squabbles here and there but a lot of love to go around as well.

Definitely recommend checking out this book if you are a fan of what many consider one of the top television shows ever. The only drawback might be for frequent listeners of the podcast as they probably aren't going to glean much brand new info from this book. However, if you don't mind some rehashing, than it makes for a good read.

Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars from me however I need to put this in context - this is only because I have listened to every episode of the Talking Sopranos podcast these two did, and so basically I had heard all the stories before.

I’d highly recommend this book for those who haven’t heard the podcast because you learn so much about the actors and back room staff, great stories, an insider book really about how the actors got their roles, their relationships when filming etc.

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woke up this morning is an inside view of the iconic series The Sopranos and the many angles that were worked into making television history. This is one of my top ten series because the storytelling is so rich and the time that the viewer has to spend with each of the superb players. Music was used in the best way, almost a cast member, and not in the heavy handed Hollywood style that can so easily ruin even a good film. From beginning to the fade to black, this book served to enhance my appreciation of this fine work.

[Milena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Homer Simpson: Television! Teacher, mother, secret lover.

Ove godine sam na jedvite jade pročitala oko tridesetak knjiga i shvatila da verovatno ne volim da čitam. Od detinjstva sam se zavlačila u stranice čim ugrabim priliku, trčala u biblioteku i tražila isključivo knjige za rođendan. A pre par nedelja shvatih da je to oduvek bila strategija izbegavanja stvarnosti na bar nekoliko sati i da sada više ne funkcioniše.

Danima kada se budim sat vremena ranije jer mi toliko treba da se nateram da ustanem, jedina šargarepica na kraju štapa mi je - a šta se dešava u sledećim epizodama svesnosti? I to jutarnje bunovno stanje između sna i jave izuzetno liči na sekvence snova Tonija Soprana. Razmrljane granice između mogućeg i nemogućeg i gomila zašto zadavljena gomilom i jednim a zašto da ne.

Sopranovi su mi bili dobar saputnik poslednjih meseci i zanimalo me je da saznam više o onome što se dešavalo iza scena. Knjiga je razgovor Majkla Imperiolija (Kristofer Moltisanti) i Stiva Šaripe (Bobi Bakala) sa različitim učesnicima serije i prikazuje izuzetno zanimljive detalje ispred i iza kamere. Life imitates art, i to neverovatno. Počevši od najvećeg straha cele glumačke ekipe da im se Dejvid Čejs (kreator) pojavi i saopšti da će njihov lik biti smaknut, gomiletine sprejeva za kosu i afteršejva Tonija Sirika (Poli Gvaltijeri), novčanih problema Dominika Kjanezea (ujka Džunior)... do jednog neponovljivog Džejmsa Gandolfinija (Toni Soprano).

Preporuka, i pored malo većeg obima strana, ovo je bilo dobro čitalačko iskustvo. Hronološki poređana poglavlja koja obuhvataju po više vrlo fluidnih kratkih intervjua su jedan lep omaž ovoj jedinstvenoj seriji.

I kao podsetnik sebi za predstojeće praznike od Kristofera Moltisantija - there is no chemical solution to a spiritual problem.

[Becki Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely one for The Sopranos fans.

It is a dialogue going over anything you ever wanted to know about all elements of the supremely successful and unforgettable series.

I think a full cast narration audiobook would take it to the next level!

I felt like I was reliving all of my favourite episodes as I read through this book. Also getting to know the characters on a different level too.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic behind the scenes stories and ideas, great interviews with the crew and cast, roughly formatted season by season of the show.

Listened as an audiobook, narrated primarily by Imperioli (who played "Christopher") and Schirripa (who played "Bobby"), with other crew and actors stepping in to share. Definitely something for the fans, based on the pair's podcast 'Talking Sopranos' on the same theme.

Made me want to rewatch all over again, even though I just finished watching a full run-through in January...

Don't stop believing.

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. Loved this walk down memory lane through one of my favorite shows. The audio was stellar hearing the voices of my favorite cast told through their own words via a full cast narration.

Thank you to Harper Audio for an ALC.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

An essential read for fans of The Sopranos, Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos (the title taken from the credits song for the show) has been published off the back of the success of Michael Imperioli (who plays Christopher Moltisanti) and Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri)'s "Talking Sopranos" podcast. They tell the story of the casting, writing, directing and producing - as well as the acting - by talking to crew and actors involved in the making of the seminal tv series, from the pilot right through to the final season. The book is crammed full of anecdotes and previously unheard trivia which are engaging and entertaining in equal measure.

This would make a great present for any Sopranos fan. I would caveat this by saying if you've listened to the podcast then maybe don't bother with this book - I've only heard snippets (never having listened to a full episode - out of laziness rather than lack of interest!) but it sounds like some sections are just taken verbatim from previous episodes, and it doesn't sound like there'd be much new content if you'd listened to a lot of the show. Highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of the show!

Thank you Netgalley and 4th Estate for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah Rayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best books I’ve read in 2023, quite possibly ever. Sopranos is one of my favorite shows and it means a lot to me. So important for so many reasons both personally and culturally. I was a tad worried when I saw it was basically their podcast in book form but it delivered beyond my expectations and was amazing. I cried many times.

[Kristen Dutkiewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of The Sopranos as well as the podcast, Talking Sopranos, when I was provided with an advanced readers copy of Woke Up This Morning, I was ecstatic.

I thought I would fly through this book, but there was a piece of me that never wanted it to end. So I took my time. A chapter here and there, just enjoying the experience of getting to know all the behind the scenes details.

Having listened to Talking Sopranos, I knew very much of what was going to be written, but there were still a few surprises. Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirippa did an impressive job splicing their interviews with Sopranos cast and crew members together.

I loved revisiting each of the episodes with them and hearing their personal stories.

More than anything, while this book was obviously an honest and revealing book about the age of The Sopranos, which is undoubtedly one of our greatest television shows of all time, it is also a tribute to James Gandolfini.

Jim or “Jimmy” as he is so lovingly called by his former costars, was a man who made you feel valued. He was a GOOD person, and of course I loved reading about all of the characters, but their candid memories of Gandolfini really struck a chord with me. I kept thinking “Wow, he seems like such a good person. We need more of that today.”

And as I turned the final page in the book, I realized, this book is not just for the fans of The Sopranos.

This book is for James Gandolfini.

Thank you, Michael and Steve for sharing this work.

And thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than the new movie. Honestly, it’s such a nice behind the scenes view jnto my favorite show.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course this motivated a Sopranos re-watch.

[LPosse1 Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Hardback/ audio

Boy do I hate books written from successful podcasts. But this one is not bad!

Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa two terrific actors from the hit series the Sopranos wrote this one from their successfully podcast. I have not listened to an episode of the podcast. I would rather spend my time reading and listening to …. Books! That’s me. That is why this review is on good reads folks!

I liked the book even though it seemed forced and warmed over in parts because the authors were milking a podcast! Where the book took flight was the interesting and insightful interviews with other cast members of the production crew. Such a talented and engaging group. I gained a wealth of knowledge and new appreciation for the show. Learning about the background and expenses of the music licensing blew me away. David Chase is a genius! I can also tell that everyone involved in this groundbreaking show had a great respect for each other.

The authors have a great connection and it comes through loud and clear in the audio book. The print book includes so many wonderful pictures. Both truly enhance the story that is told.

[Daeva Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love learning about the behind the scenes of a show and this book was chock full of stories about the cast and crew. I had the theme song in my head the entire time and I can’t believe Michael Imperioli thinks octopus are from outer space.

[Evgen Novakovskyi]

A collection of stories from the set of The Sopranos as told by the two actors from the main cast. A lot of interviews with fellow co-stars, the staff behind the camera, and the showrunner himself. Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) and Steve Schirippa (Bobby Baccalieri) started the Talking Sopranos podcast show at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Once a week they invited a guest and, you won’t believe it, talked about each episode of The Sopranos. The average duration of the podcast was about 2-2.5 hrs., and the original series had 86 episodes, so you do the math. This book is a sort of a wrap-up: only the best moments without any mumbo-jumbo.

Frankly, the book is absolutely useless. What’s the point (yes, this is an Uncle Jr. reference) of this knowledge? However, I found a strange comfort in this reading. This was the first book I was able to read after the full-scale Russian invasion and which I was able to immerse myself in during the air raid sirens, the one that calmed me down and even allowed me to escape from reality for a while. If you’re a die-hard The Sopranos aficionado, this book’s a must: a bittersweet voyage with a strong scent of Saudade.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun read for Sopranos fans. I disagree with the reviews that say it's just a rehash of the podcast-- didn't strike me that way at all, and I listened to an awful lot of the "Talking Sopranos" podcast. What this does have in common with "Talking Sopranos" is that it's structured as a conversation between Imperioli and Schirripa, as well as the guests that joined their podcast. The conversations are easygoing and convey all kinds of ideas that extend beyond the Sopranos into a glimpse of the actor's life. I found that really interesting. I also liked the discussions of how the show was cast-- how hard the casting agents/David Chase worked to cast people with "real" faces and not Hollywood looks. Imperioli points out that this is in the tradition of work by directors like Cassavetes. That's the kind of conversation that's catnip to anyone who enjoys the show.

Will repeat myself by saying again that I was really surprised that so many reviewers described the book as so dervivative of the podcast-- it really did not hit me that way. That said, I resist the idea that WOKE UP THIS MORNING qualifies as the "definitive" oral history of the Sopranos, however. That book needs to include more voices and many more specifics about how the show came into existence and all the steps along the way. I imagine that effort will draw heavily on this one, and I'm looking forward to reading that book one day.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I was only a casual Sopranos fan (I’ve seen many of the episodes, but not all) it was such an iconic show that I really was interested in reading this book and I’m glad I did. It was a great look back at how it all came together from the creator, casting directors, actors and crew as well as a look at each season of the show. I’ve heard that this book is comprised of transcripts from the podcast these guys host and it did read like that - I had expected it to be more intermixed oral narrative but instead it was like chunks of the podcast transcripts put together around the subjects. It was really interesting, just a bit clunky to read at times, especially when it came to the faux squabbling between Michael and Steve which I’m assuming comes off better on the podcast than in writing. I got excited when I saw the audiobook had a full cast, but while it does have Michael and Steve’s voices, all of the other cast is comprised of narrators impersonating the actors they are reading quotes from, so I decided to read the physical book only instead.

I recommend this to die hard Sopranos fans, or anyone interested in the behind the scenes of this iconic TV show creation and production.

[Steve Holm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for any fan of The Sopranos, who wants to learn more about what went on behind the scenes in making one of the greatest tv shows of all time. Through their podcast, Talking Sopranos, Michael and Steve talk with an incredibly diverse amount of people involved in making the show, from actors, directors, sound, casting, I think they manage to talk to every different department.

I really enjoyed reading about how the cast and makers of the show grew from strangers into a family during the making, and what made this show really special.

RIP James Gandolfini, taken from us way too soon.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as oral histories go this is a long way from Dylan Jones' David Bowie : A Life. It's more like a pleasant conversation between friends/colleagues. Which is hardly surprising considering it developed out of a podcast. But it is enjoyable & entertaining, & it prompted me to start re-watching The Sopranos from the start. Again.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really in-depth look at The Sopranos. Authors Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa interview most of the key people behind the making of the show. They really dissect the show, and there is a lot of great behind the scenes stuff. Imperioli and Schirripa's friendship really comes through, too, and there is a lot of humor. Essentially, this is a boiled down version of the podcast, with extra text added for context, so if you don't have 250 hours to spare, this will really do the trick. And if you've already listened to the whole podcast (I did), it's still a good read, and everything is set down here for the record.

[Jim]

I have decided to watch the series again and picked up this book and the CDs of the first season at the Nashua Public Library. I hope to do this without binging and limit myself to one show a week like how we had to watch tv in the olden days......

a favorite of mine recently died which reminded me of the quality of this series.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/obitua...

[Keri Cornman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really sweet treat if you’re a fan of The Sopranos. Michael Imperioli has compelled me to learn more about the world of acting in cinema. What a cool guy. Brb going to watch every Cassavetes movie now!

[Nicholas Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, only worthwhile if you are a sopranos nuffie

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just rewatched the entire 6 seasons of the Sopranos. As luck would have…I was on a Delta flight to JFK and looking for something to watch. I came across the first three episodes of the Sopranos. I haven’t seen them since the finale aired in 2007..so I thought this would make the flight go by pretty quick. Boy was I right. I was sucked in. Fast forward 31 days and I finished the entire series 😂 yes, I was committed. Plus, I don’t watch much tv anyways and summer tv is always the worst…so it wasn’t that hard to pull off. After watching, I took a day or two to marinate everything I just experienced. I purposely say experienced instead of watched because if you have watched The Sopranos you know…it’s a whole experience. Man oh man was that show the most incredibly written show I’ve ever seen. Every episode is a movie unto itself. No commercials, 1 hour (sometimes a bit less or more) pure gold. I was pleasantly surprised to find that recently Steve Schrripa and Michael Imperioli rewatched & revisited the entire series in a podcast and book. I dig some digging and realized the book was very similar to the podcast….so as a book worm 🐛 I chose the book. What a fantastic read! I’ve even found myself rewatching a few of the episodes to see just what they are referring to in the book! It’s so good! The banter, set secrets, interviews with cast & directors, favorite episodes…they dive into everything! I would definitely rewatch Sopranos before reading this. I’m so glad I found this book after my 31 day Soprano binge 😂 This was literally the icing on the cake! Bravo Bobby & Christopher iykyk. 👏🏼 🤌🏼

[Gage Thurston-Willette · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the age of recap podcasts, this book came at a great time. In early 2022, I finally decided to take the plunge and watch The Sopranos. As a noted scaredy cat, I really enjoyed the show and was excited for this book. A peek behind the curtain and into the brain of the icon, David Chase, is what TV geeks would say is a gift. While the first thought would be combing over each episode with details and the plot with fast facts we didn’t know, but that wasn’t the case here. Each chapter was centered around a season and the dialogue was conversations between Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirippa, cast and crew. A perfect blend between humor, drama, and realness in these chapters of on the scream, behind the camera, and so much more. My one minus is it took me until chapter 4-5 to want to keep reading all day.

[Ray Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject matter may not have been for everyone, but no one can deny both the impact and success of the HBO series “The Sopranos,” which really put cable television dramas on the map. Now, with the release of WOKE UP THIS MORNING: The Definitive Oral History of the Sopranos, readers have the opportunity to relive some of the best moments of the series and all involved with it via rewritten transcripts from their famous podcast entitled Talking Sopranos.

I must admit, I do not listen to podcasts nor am I up on those that are considered to be ‘on fire’ right now. However, after reading this book I could see myself sitting there listening to hosts Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa, also the authors of this book, and the many Sopranos guests that graced their podcasts.

For those who are not aware, or that somehow forgot, actors Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa played the characters Christopher Moltisanti and Bobby ‘Bacala.’ I was a huge fan of the show and Christopher happened to be my favorite character. The ironic thing is that this book almost never happened. Since it grew out of the podcast, the irony was that they started broadcasting in April 2020, right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Michael was in NYC and Steve was out in Las Vegas. At the time, they had no idea how to host a podcast remotely and no one had heard of applications like Zoom back then. Thankfully, they found a huge swelling of supportive fans that pushed them to keep it going and the result are captured with many highlights within this book.

When they speak about Season 1 it is with a sense of awe because no one knew if a show such as ‘The Sopranos’ would be well received. Well, once it was all over, the final tally was 112 Emmy Nominations and twenty-one wins. This includes being the very first Cable TV show nominated for Best Drama --- an award they won once in 2004. They speak with casting director Sheila Jaffe about how the idea for Sopranos actually came out of the film Trees Lounge from Steve Buscemi. Michael Imperioli was in that film, and it helped give him his start, spring-boarding him to his unforgettable part as Spider in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas.

I personally enjoyed their first conversation with actor Edie Falco, who portrayed Mob Boss Tony Soprano’s wife, Carmela. It is humorous to learn that Falco cannot cook at all whereas Carmela was hosting huge food centered gatherings nearly every week at the Soprano home. I also liked Falco’s mention that her start in acting came from watching her mother who performed in Community Theatre. I am proud to share that I had the privilege to act with Falco’s mother, Judith Anderson, when she performed with my Regional Theatre Group on Long Island in a production of the Sherlock Holmes mystery, “The Hound Of the Baskervilles.” Sadly, Judith recently passed away.

Rock guitarist and member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Little Steven Van Zandt, talks about his role as Silvio who acted as consigliere to Tony Soprano in much the same way that he advised Bruce with their band. It is funny to read that Steven was the only one who could bring bad news to Tony in the role of Silvio just as he did the role with ‘The Boss’ Bruce Springsteen! Michael and Steve don’t recount episode by episode in this book and instead focus on great singular moments like these throughout.

They spend time talking about the episode from Season 1 “College,” which TV Guide listed as number two on the list of all-time greatest TV episodes. It involves Tony taking his daughter, Meadow, to look at a College she is considering while also trying to put a hit on someone. A tense and extremely memorable episode. None of this would be possible without the incredible work by actor James Gandolfini in the lead role of Tony Soprano and much discussion is given to his professionalism and commitment to making the character real and believable. Show runner David Chase had to perform a eulogy at Gandolfini’s funeral and was not sure what to say. He is reminded by Steve that he once said to James: ‘I feel you’re my brother because of the things we both loved. Family. Work. People in all their imperfection. Food. Alcohol. Talking. Rage. And a desire to bring the whole structure crashing down. We just amuse each other.’

Michael and Steve talk about how Sopranos put New Jersey on the map. Jersey previously had a bad rap, but this show allowed people to see it in a different light. There are still Sopranos Tours around the parts of Jersey shot during the series. There is a great discussion with actor Aida Turturro, cousin of actors John and Nicholas, who was one of the few to previously act with Gandolfini --- who pushed hard for her to get the role of his sister that ended up being the apex of her career. Michael talks about the episodes he got to write like “From Where To Eternity” which features some great dream sequences for Christopher. I even learned that Michael Imperioli co-wrote the screenplay for the Spike Lee Film “Summer Of Sam” --- a fact I did not know.

They discuss the challenges of beginning Season 3 following the death between seasons of actor Nancy Marchand who played Tony’s mother. Gandolfini actually had to act in a scene with a different actor portraying her as the producers later used CGI to add in Marchand’s face. Just as we learned a bit about Michael, similarly we get to go behind the scenes with Steve as well. He grew up in Brooklyn, surrounded by wise guys, and was actually half Jewish --- even though he was raised Catholic. Steve also is a writer and director and his friendship with Imperioli includes each of them acting in Independent films that the other wrote.

Things come full circle for the actors when Steve Buscemi joins the show for a brief but memorable portrayal of Tony’s cousin, Tony Blundetto, who has one of the best death and disposal scenes ever filmed on The Sopranos. The memories, stories, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes are what really make WOKE UP THIS MORNING a great reading experience and the fact that we are getting these from the very source is what makes them breathe with life. Imperioli, a big music fan, even puts together a Top 10 Music List of his most memorable songs from The Sopranos that include such diverse talents as Van Morrison, Mazzy Star, The Pretenders, and his favorite from Johnny Thunders, “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory”. A fun time and complete retrospective. To quote Michael and Steve: ‘Some things never fade away.’

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Bryan J. Pitchford, MFA · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't a terrible book. It's just that, more than 80% of it must have been rehashed from their podcast. I get it, the podcast was 90+ episodes, most of them 2.5 hours each or more. How do you condense 277+ hours into a 13-hour audiobook?
If you don't want to listen to the podcast, read this book. If you plan on listening to the podcast, do not buy this book.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a huge Sopranos fan since the first night it aired on HBO. I actually almost didn’t watch it because I thought it was a singing show. I heard the opening music and watched Tony Soprano driving that car and smoking that cigar and I was intrigued.

Since it ended I usually watch the whole series twice a year and still love it.

I am also a fan of The Talking Sopranos podcast. I never miss a Monday showing.

As for this book? I was a bit let down. It was good, but basically to me all it seemed to be was the whole Talking Sopranos podcast written into a book. Just mostly the same interviews that we have already seen if you watch the podcast. If you have never seen the podcast, then you would definitely find it worthwhile to read. For me, I kept waiting for all these behind the scenes bombshells to appear. They very, very rarely did. A lot of the things not on the podcast, but in the book, we’re things that have been all over the internet for years.

I was hoping that in the book we would finally hear from Drea De Matteo, our beloved Adriana, who has not been on the podcast. I was hoping to hear from Joey Pants. Ralphie was a huge villain on that show, but not a peep. I know Tony Sirico has health problems, so I never expected him to be on the podcast, but Steve and Michael talk about him often and repeat the same stories in the book. Joey Pants had that accident a short while back and was hit by a car, but he has been posting on IG so I thought he may have made it to the book or podcast. Nope. His storyline is there, but no interviews. Drea is still a mystery to me. I know she had her own Sopranos podcast at one time and Michael was a guest, but it’s no longer on anymore, so I don’t think that could be a conflict, but no clue.
Jaimie Lynn and Robert Iler have been on the podcast and are also interviewed in the book and they have a podcast now called Pajama Pants and it’s still going strong and really is very good.

There are a few pictures in the book. Not a lot, but still nice they included them.

The book definitely shows you that Michael is the more gifted writer between him and Steve. Steve writes like he talks. Not a bad thing, but Michael has a good way of getting his thoughts onto paper and film.

I was not a fan of the new movie The Many Saints of Newark, in fact, I thought it was terrible, but it is barely mentioned in the book. No loss there for me.

I wish I could say this was a fantastic book! I wanted so many great details…. And like I said…. If you don’t listen to the Talking Sopranos podcast you will probably love it.

But for me, it was a trip down Memory Lane that I have been on since the podcast started.

So in my humble opinion…. If you watch the podcast, no need to buy the book. If you don’t and you are a big Sopranos fan then read it.

I’ll just store this away with all the rest of my Sopranos memorabilia.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I’m a huge fan of “The Sopranos”. I watched it faithfully from 1999 to 2009 during its initial run on HBO (The Movie Network in Canada) and never missed an episode. I recently rewatched the whole series on DVD, and loved it all over again. Maybe more so than before given how I could cram several episodes in every night and not have so much time between each one and forgot important details or events from the past. Also, as I played through the episodes on DVD, I started listening to “Talking Sopranos” podcast hosted by Mr. Imperioli and Mr. Schirripa (aka Christopher Moltisanti and Bobby Baccalieri) my spare time. That was until someone mentioned the guys had published this book as the definitive oral history of the show. Now, as a dedicated fan, there were a number of stories I had heard before, especially from the earlier seasons and would recommend reading the book before listening to the podcasts as the bulk of what is in print (90% anyways) comes directly from the recordings made from April 2020 to December 2021. However, I still enjoyed the behind the scenes shenanigans of the cast, especially those of Tony Sirico (aka Pauli ‘Walnuts’ Gualtieri). Also, I’d be remiss to not mention how often the hosts and their guests mention the quiet, good natured, benevolence of the late, great James Gandolfini (aka Tony Soprano). He sounds like he was someone you’d be honoured to know. Thanks to the authors for sharing those moments that meant so much to them making the show that meant so much to us, the fans.

[Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to Fourth Estate for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos’ by Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa in exchange for an honest review.

I so enjoy this kind of retrospective book about tv series that have been important to me.

I bought its unabridged audiobook edition and combined reading and listening. Given that it is an oral history it was perfect for an audiobook adaptation as the words on the page come alive when they were spoken by the authors and their interviewees.

This book was Inspired by the authors’ globally successful podcast, Talking Sopranos. In its pages they cover the development of the pilot, each of its six seasons with details about significant episodes, the cast and their characters, the music, and many behind the scenes anecdotes.

Following the main text there is a picture section that contains candid photos and other mementoes; most of these were provided courtesy of Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa. These personal photos gave a sense of the camaraderie on and off set.

Overall, these components added up to an enjoyable and comprehensive history of this groundbreaking television series.

I came to The Sopranos late though I quickly fell under its spell. As a result this proved a very informative book and also a great deal of fun. I had already been planning to rewatch the series from the beginning and this book with its peeks behind the scenes and other details added to my enthusiasm to revisit The Sopranos.

‘Woke Up This Morning’ was fantastic and is bound to be a huge hit with Sopranos fans. Its hardback edition would also be a perfect gift for the same.