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The West Wing Script Book by Aaron Sorkin (2002)
paperback | hardcover

First-time publication of 6 full scripts from the hit NBC show—winner of 9 Emmy® Awards, including Best Drama writing—selected and introduced by the acclaimed show creator and screenwriter of The American President and A Few Good Men. Here is the first collection of scripts from the show's first two seasons, including the Emmy® Award-winning episode "In Excelsis Deo." The NBC show, named "TV Show of the Year" by Entertainment Weekly, stars Rob Lowe, Dule Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, John Spencer, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford, and Martin Sheen. Reviewers and fans of The West Wing agree that one of the very best aspects of this series is its writing, which blends an unstoppable sense of urgency with strong character development against the background of the day-to-day activities of the highest office in the country. In this book, readers can revisit their favorite episodes, following the fictional American President Bartlet and his key White House staff, his family, and the press as they deal with the urgencies of the moment. As compelling to read as they are to watch, these scripts represent the most complete source for the writers' and creators' visions.

The West Wing Seasons 3 & 4: The Shooting Scripts by Aaron Sorkin (2004)
paperback | hardcover

The exciting follow-up to Newmarket's first West Wing Script Book features 8 teleplays from Seasons 3 and 4 of the hit NBC show—winner of 13 Emmy® Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series three years in a row—chosen and introduced by award-winning creator Aaron Sorkin. Experience firsthand the care and structure put into the scripts, selected here by Aaron Sorkin, that make The West Wing "one of TV's most satisfying hours, a savvy blend of great acting, whip-smart dialogue and grand gestures." (USA Today)

The West Wing : The Official Companion by Ian Jackman and Paul Ruditis (2002)
paperback | hardcover

Step inside the Bartlet Administration in this richly detailed, perfectly imagined official companion to television's most sophisticated dramatic series, The West Wing. Created by Aaron Sorkin, The West Wing won nine Emmy® Awards, the Humanitas Prize, the Peabody Award, and three Television Critics Association Awards in its first season alone -- and is acclaimed for its superb writing, marvelous portrayals by a stellar cast, and an intelligent, authentic depiction of White House life. Now, the show that has set television's new standard brings you this insider's guide -- which not only presents fascinating details into how groundbreaking television is made, but captures the colorful world of The West Wing and the nation's capital under the Bartlet Administration.

A sample review from Amazon.com: I have seen the "West Wing" books that feature scripts from selected episodes. But this book includes every episode from the first two seasons, told in story form. Plus chapters on each of the actors and their characters, the background on the making of the show -- if you're a fan, this is a "must have". I just hope that there will be, at some point, additional volumes to cover the third, fourth and fifth seasons -- and so on.

The West Wing: The American Presidency As Television Drama edited by Peter C. Rollins & John E. O'Connor (2003)
paperback | hardcover

A sample review from Amazon.com: The West Wing is an idealized look at how the American presidency should have been; idealized but not flawless. Jed Bartlet has plenty of things to drive anyone close to him around the bend. This book looks at the Emmy award-winning series from a number of perspectives. Anyone interested in American history or the presidency will find this an essential look at a peculiarly American institution. Great Job.

Inside Bartlet's White House: An Unofficial and Unauthorized Guide to the West Wing by Keith Topping (2002)
paperback only

With an all-star cast, including Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, John Spencer and Richard Schiff, The West Wing is the NBC network's biggest hit drama show in years. Keith Topping's indispensable guide to the series includes every episode of the first two seasons and covers the highlights of the episodes in categories such as American History X, Sex and Drugs and Rock'n'Roll, A View from the Hill and Logic, Let Me Introduce You to this Window. Completely up to date, this is essential reading for every fan of the multi-award-winning drama.

Inside the West Wing by Paul C. Challen (2001)
paperback only

Inside the West Wing takes a detailed look at this hugely popular series: how it's put together, what ideas and political themes drive its plots, and ultimately, why it's so popular. Through in-depth interviews, commentary from political and entertainment-industry observers, plus extensive searches of the numerous official and unofficial show web sites available in cyberspace, the book provides a comprehensive look inside the show for die-hard fans and casual watchers alike. Also included are actor profiles and an episode-by-episode guide to the first two seasons.

Look for an interview with TKTV editor Rachel in this book!

Books about the real West Wing

Buck Up, Suck Up... and Come Back When You Foul Up by James Carville and Paul Begala (2001)
paperback | hardcover

Even if you fervently disagree with the party bias they tout proudly and often, you probably concur that Democratic political consultants Paul Begala and James Carville know what it takes to craft a winning strategy. In Buck Up, Suck Up... and Come Back When You Foul Up, the two lay out 12 of the rules they developed while separately and jointly masterminding some of the hottest political races in recent years. And with entertaining and enlightening behind-the-scenes anecdotes drawn from both effective and futile experiences along the campaign trail--most notably their work with Bill Clinton during his two presidential terms--Begala and Carville present a practical course that can be followed in business as well as politics. "If the audience you're trying to reach is smaller than the one hundred million voters we spend our time trying to reach," they write, "we believe these lessons are even more important because your target audience is even more sophisticated, even more interested, even more up-to-the-minute."

At first glance, some rules appear blatantly obvious ("Don't Quit," "Turn Weakness into Strength") and some intentionally controversial ("Kiss Ass," "Know How to Recover When You Really Screw Up"). But, in their explanations, the relevancy and potential application of each consistently comes through. For example, in "Frame the Debate," they note how Ronald Reagan controlled the agenda in his 1980 challenge to Jimmy Carter through early attacks on the incumbent's most unpopular policies--showing precisely why "military strategists know that most battles are won ... by the side that determines where, when and how an engagement is fought." Likewise, in "Know How to Communicate," they bring five tips (tell a story, be brief, be emotional, be unique, be relevant) to life by explaining how their use aided campaigns for Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, and others. The result, while perhaps too profane for some and definitely not Republican-friendly despite its grudging acknowledgment of a few masterful GOP performances, is nonetheless uniformly readable and genuinely practical.

The White House Staff: Inside the West Wing and Beyond by Bradley H. Patterson, Jr. (2000)
paperback | hardcover

The Executive Branch has undergone vast and dramatic changes over the past fifty years. The development, coordination, and articulation of policy is no longer in the Cabinet, but has now become centered in the White House and in its large and energetic staff.

How large is that staff? Much larger than the seventy-five people who work in the West Wing, or the ninety-six who staff the Executive Residence. In fact, there are one hundred twenty-five separately identifiable offices in the total White House staff community (above and beyond the Executive Office)-employing nearly 5,700 men and women. Shrouded in anonymity, protected by executive privilege, and lacking legal or constitutional authority of their own, White House staff members shape, focus, and amplify the presidential power. Yet the public has almost no perception of the staff's complexity or size. Why has the staff become so central-and so large? How is it organized and what do those one hundred twenty-five offices actually do? In this sequel to his critically praised 1988 book, Ring of Power, veteran White House staff member Bradley Patterson takes us inside the closely guarded turf of the White House to reveal the pressures, the frustrations, and the exultation of White House service. In a straightforward narrative free of both partisan and personal agendas, Patterson provides an encyclopedic description of the contemporary White House staff and its operations.

From The West Wing's Musical Director

Music by... W.G. Snuffy Walden

Includes the Main Title track from The West Wing as well as The West Wing Suite

Enjoy the West Wing? Check out Aaron Sorkin's other projects

A Few Good Men (Special Edition) on DVD or VHS

First written as a Broadway play, Aaron Sorkin adapted his script into a blockbuster movie starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon and many more. This special edition of the DVD has a commentary track by Sorkin and director Rob Reiner.

The American President on DVD or VHS

The original inspiration for "The West Wing." The original script was so long that Sorkin was able to fashion much of the first season of the West Wing out of scenes cut from this movie. The cast includes Martin Sheen as the President's chief of staff. The movie stars Michael Douglas and Annette Benning as the President and the woman with whom he falls in love.