Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons

The Simpsons has been one of the most celebrated Television series and mainstays for nearly 30 years. Mike Reiss has been one of the key writers and showrunners during the show’s storied run. Reiss grew up in Bristol, CT, where he descended from a family tree who prized off the wall humor. Reiss cultivated his writing skills at the Harvard Lampoon. His talents would find work here and there, but would reap benefits when he joined the writing staff of “The Simpsons” in 1989. Reiss and friend Al Jean would co-write three of the first thirteen episodes of the inaugural season. Their hard work would parlay them into the showrunners chair by season 4. At their collective helm, “The Simpsons” blasted further into the pop culture stratosphere. The highs and lows of creating a TV juggernaut are detailed in smart and concise writing. The good, bad, and admittedly untrue are unveiled for the world to see.

“Springfield Confidential” is a whirlwind mini-tour into the animated world of the lovable Simpsons and their numerous co-inhabitants. Mike Reiss’ role as chief storyteller of his and the show’s backstory is rife with fun trivia, heartfelt anecdotes, and the occasional verbal hand grenade. The only negative is that the journey had to end…at least for now. An excellent biography(autobiography) not to be missed by a Springfieldphile.