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The Wire: The Complete Visual History
Celebrate the greatest television show of all time with this definitive tribute to The Wire.
Twenty years after its debut, HBO’s The Wire is widely regarded as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. This deluxe volume explores the creation and legacy of creator David Simon’s landmark series through exclusive interviews with Simon and his cast and crew, including Idris Elba, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, Andre Royo, Jamie Hector, George Pelecanos, Ed Burns, and many more. The book also features commentary and essays from notable writers including New York Times bestselling author D. Watkins (The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America). Illustrated with striking visuals from the show, including concept art and candid behind-the-scenes images, The Wire: The Complete Visual History, is the essential companion to a stone-cold television classic.
HUNDREDS OF NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PHOTOS: Discover an exclusive treasure trove of incredible photography and production art that tells the story of The Wire like never before.
INTERVIEWS WITH CAST AND CREATORS: The visual story of The Wire is narrated by all-new interviews with creator David Simon and key cast and crew members, including Idris Elba, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, Felicia Pearson, Ed Burns, and more.
EXCLUSIVE ESSAYS: Discover unique commentary on all five seasons of the show from leading commentators including Melanie McFarland, Eric Deggans, Siddhant Adlakha, and more.
THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE: Comprehensive and unmatched in its depth, this prestige volume is the ultimate retrospective of the greatest television show of all time.
Twenty years after its debut, HBO’s The Wire is widely regarded as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. This deluxe volume explores the creation and legacy of creator David Simon’s landmark series through exclusive interviews with Simon and his cast and crew, including Idris Elba, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, Andre Royo, Jamie Hector, George Pelecanos, Ed Burns, and many more. The book also features commentary and essays from notable writers including New York Times bestselling author D. Watkins (The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America). Illustrated with striking visuals from the show, including concept art and candid behind-the-scenes images, The Wire: The Complete Visual History, is the essential companion to a stone-cold television classic.
HUNDREDS OF NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PHOTOS: Discover an exclusive treasure trove of incredible photography and production art that tells the story of The Wire like never before.
INTERVIEWS WITH CAST AND CREATORS: The visual story of The Wire is narrated by all-new interviews with creator David Simon and key cast and crew members, including Idris Elba, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, Felicia Pearson, Ed Burns, and more.
EXCLUSIVE ESSAYS: Discover unique commentary on all five seasons of the show from leading commentators including Melanie McFarland, Eric Deggans, Siddhant Adlakha, and more.
THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE: Comprehensive and unmatched in its depth, this prestige volume is the ultimate retrospective of the greatest television show of all time.
244 pages, Hardcover
Published December 20, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 8, 2023
4.5 stars
I love reading about The Wire. It's one of my favorite shows of all time, and I will read anything that people have to say about it. This isn't as good as All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire but that's simply because the other book has more details. This is very much a coffee table book, but with insightful interviews throughout. It also makes it glaringly obvious how much the industry lost a star with the passing of Michael K. Williams.
I love reading about The Wire. It's one of my favorite shows of all time, and I will read anything that people have to say about it. This isn't as good as All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire but that's simply because the other book has more details. This is very much a coffee table book, but with insightful interviews throughout. It also makes it glaringly obvious how much the industry lost a star with the passing of Michael K. Williams.
April 6, 2025
"Years ago, I was asked, 'What did I want people to say about the show?'.... First of all, most dramas are not about the other America-the America that got left behind. They're about hyperbolized America where great evil and great good battling, and things are blowing up-or it's a half-hour comedy, or the shows have an earnestness and simplicity like Father Knows Best and The West Wing. I mean, we really were writing a show about what had gone wrong in our little city of Baltimore....We wanted to have an argument-apolitical argument-so if we lied about what we had in front of us, we would've wasted the opportunity"-David Simon, co-creator of The Wire.
The Wire, in my opinion, is the greatest TV series of all time. I wish I could get rid of my memories of watching it, so I could watch it fresh and have that amazing experience again. A show that shows the dark side of America with failed institutions, a lack of educational system, the drug trade as a system, etc. was captivating to watch. The acting and the story lines were phenomenal and, without a doubt, the best TV series ever.
When I saw this book, I knew I had to have it. Like the series, this book is fantastic. There are photos of behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with the cast and crew. I am glad that Pablo Schreiber, who played Nick Sabotka, was interviewed because I find season 2 to be underrated and grows on me every time I watch it. His interview was one of the best in the book. The chapter on season 4 was my favorite because I am a teacher. Season 4 is more like a documentary than watching actors perform because it addresses the issues in education better than anyone and shows the negatives in our education system. I have been asked if The Wire exaggerated season 4, and my response was "No."
If you are a fan of The Wire, I recommend this book. It is a great read. It was nice to get insights about the creation of the show, the auditions, the makeup, the setting, and what the show means to people and what the creators wanted to accomplish.
The Wire, in my opinion, is the greatest TV series of all time. I wish I could get rid of my memories of watching it, so I could watch it fresh and have that amazing experience again. A show that shows the dark side of America with failed institutions, a lack of educational system, the drug trade as a system, etc. was captivating to watch. The acting and the story lines were phenomenal and, without a doubt, the best TV series ever.
When I saw this book, I knew I had to have it. Like the series, this book is fantastic. There are photos of behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with the cast and crew. I am glad that Pablo Schreiber, who played Nick Sabotka, was interviewed because I find season 2 to be underrated and grows on me every time I watch it. His interview was one of the best in the book. The chapter on season 4 was my favorite because I am a teacher. Season 4 is more like a documentary than watching actors perform because it addresses the issues in education better than anyone and shows the negatives in our education system. I have been asked if The Wire exaggerated season 4, and my response was "No."
If you are a fan of The Wire, I recommend this book. It is a great read. It was nice to get insights about the creation of the show, the auditions, the makeup, the setting, and what the show means to people and what the creators wanted to accomplish.
November 6, 2023
Decent book.
Nicely presented, big glossy pages of thick paper stock.
Some of the writing is no good, particularly in the essay about season 4 (by Melanie McFarland).
The interviews are okay, but there are several key cast members missing (Dominic West for one). A glaring hole.
Overall not a bad product, but nothing special.
Only consider as a gift for fans of the show who have literally everything else...
Nicely presented, big glossy pages of thick paper stock.
Some of the writing is no good, particularly in the essay about season 4 (by Melanie McFarland).
The interviews are okay, but there are several key cast members missing (Dominic West for one). A glaring hole.
Overall not a bad product, but nothing special.
Only consider as a gift for fans of the show who have literally everything else...
December 27, 2022
This book reconnected me with the incredible tv show The Wire which over 5 seasons delivered a damming indictment of urban society in America. Richly powerful this took me back to the characters, the locations and the pervasive sense of impotence at the prospect of effecting change. Must read for any fan of the show. I am now off to re-watch all 5 seasons…..
April 25, 2024
Beautifully presented coffee table book full of photographs and cast/crew interviews. I would have liked a few more behind-the-scenes pictures, and there was one essay on Season 2 that was beyond pretentious, but overall it's a solid exploration of what made The Wire so good.
December 27, 2022
Not going to rate but “D Watkins” wrote this book
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews