As a big Sopranos fan, I was really interested in learning more about James Gandolfini, not just as Tony Soprano, but as a person. This book gives such a thoughtful look into his life, his career, and the people who knew him. You really feel how much he meant to so many.

I’m used to audiobooks where the subject narrates, so it felt a little different at first, but of course that wasn’t possible here. The narrator still did a great job and kept me engaged the whole time.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for this audiobook!

I am currently rewatching The Sopranos for the second time, so this was perfect timing for me to come across this book. I really liked the narrator, and enjoyed learning more about James Gandolfini. I have always been heartened by descriptions of what a great guy he was, and this just added to the lovely picture of a complicated but kind man.

Thank you to NetGalley, RBmedia, and Mr. Bailey for providing me with this Arc.

A really good biography on James Gandolfini, a largely misunderstood person and an actor living perpetually in the shadow of his most famous character, people couldn’t separate the character from the actor.

One cannot underestimated the amount of research done for this book, dozens of interviews were conducted with almost every Sopranos cast-member and even Gandolfini’s family members who have remained largely out of the public’s eye since his untimely death way back in 2013. This is definitely the one-stop book to read on Gandolfini and even “The Sopranos”.

A great and at times emotional read.

4/5; definitely check it out.

Gandolfini Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend by Jason Bailey
Audio Version
Overall Grade: B+
Information: B
Writing/Organization: B
Narration: A
Best Aspect: Lots of information I didn’t know, personal and factual. Made me want to watch The Sopranos again.
Worst Aspect: Some personal sections made me feel they were guessed and that is why I am not as much a fan of personal stories written by anyone but the person themselves.
Recommend: Yes.
Available Now. Thanks NetGalley for this audio book.

Rating: ★★★★½

Let me tell you what initially drew me to Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend: Edoardo Ballerini. Full stop. I would listen to that man read the terms and conditions of my internet provider and be totally captivated.

Jason Bailey's Gandolfini is an emotional, thoughtful, and fairly thorough portrait of a man many of us knew best in a robe and gold chain, yelling about the ducks in his pool. James Gandolfini was already someone I admired as an actor, but Bailey reveals a flawed, passionate, sometimes troubled, often generous human being who never quite fit into the Hollywood mold, even as he became one of its most iconic figures.

The book moves beyond Tony Soprano's mythology (though don't worry—there's plenty of Sopranos info for fans) and dives into Gandolfini's early years in working-class Jersey, his late start in acting, and the heavy crown that came with his fame. It's not just a highlight reel of his greatest hits; it's a reflection of the man as both an artist and a human being. And Ballerini's narration is, as always, perfect.

By the end, I didn't just want to rewatch The Sopranos—I wanted to track down everything else I might've missed. Bailey has that effect; he makes you want to revisit, rewatch, and remember.

If you're even slightly interested in Gandolfini, The Sopranos, Hollywood stories, or just well-written biographies, this one belongs on your list. And if you're an audiobook junkie? Ballerini seals the deal.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for an advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The audiobook really comes alive with this narrator’s voice. A true highlight of a richly detailed biography. As a fan of The Sopranos, I’ve recommended this book to many friends and will continue to do so going forward. I really love the attention paid to each performance at a craft level.

Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend

Format: Audiobook - ALC
Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini
Genre: Biography

📖 - 5 ⭐
🎙️ - 5 ⭐

Thank you, Net Galley, and RBmedia for allowing me the ALC of this audiobook. I do NOT normally listen to or read biographies or autobiographies. Honestly, I cannot think of a celebrity I would want to spend 15+ hours of MY life listening to, about THEIR life. To me, most are not interesting enough and tbh, I kind of find it strange. That being said, back in the early 2000's, I was obsessed with a television show called, The Sopranos. I loved everything about that show including the talent of the main character, played by James Gandolfini. I loved the show so much, I may have named my son after the main character😏. So, when I saw that the audio was possibly available, I applied, and it was approved.

I smiled and even laughed while listening to his many struggles in the business. All the little 'behind the scenes' antics really proved what kind of person James really was. I think I was intrigued by the fact he never wanted fame. It was stated several times that he performed because he loved it, not for the fame. He passed on several roles because it was nervous about his life changing. I just remember watching a few premiers where he was so bashful and shy, didn't care for the attention he was thrown in to; which I find absolutely adorable. He goes from portraying this this violent mafia guy to this big teddy bear and I loved it.

I have never recommended a biography before and truthfully this will most likely be the only one I ever do but I absolutely recommend this one. If you want a change of pace or to learn a little more about a very talented, charismatic man who had a heart of gold, give this one a listen.

Do I recommend? Yes

As a Sopranos fan I was so excited to listen to this audiobook. In general I am not a huge audiobook listener, but this is one I could not stop listening to! It was so clear how much research went into this book and James had a fascinating life!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was so well done 😭

I saw this was being offered on NetGalley and just knew I had to scoop this up!

Gandolfini has an interesting story and was for sure an interesting man — he had a complicated life.

If you’re interested in biographies, this is a can’t miss.

PS — I still haven’t recovered from the last scene of The Sopranos — IYKYK.

Thank you so much to RBmedia & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Intro mentions family declined to be interviewed. So I went into it feeling a little uneasy, it not having the blessing of his family, however I found it respectful and well done.

Compiled mostly of interviews with colleagues and old friends as well as pulled interviews Gandolfini had done over the years.

The writing felt a bit stilted but overall a great look into the life of the actor.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

James Gandolfini guarded his privacy, which the author does a good job of reminding us often throughout the book. It made me feel a bit uneasy the first time because we want to respect people's wishes, when it's a reasonable request. But in certain cases, for the greater good, it's OK to look behind the curtain because some people are so talented that they make everything they do look so easy. I came to "The Sopranos" late and had only seen Gandolfini in supporting roles. In those roles, he made it look as if he was just himself hanging out on set pretending to be someone else. In fact, he was an artist who put a lot of thought and work into all his roles. He cared about the product and the people he worked with that he expected only the best from himself. All the people interviewed, and there are lot, have wonderful things to say about Gandolfini. They talk about his struggles and addictions, but they all agree that he was a generous and talented person. This is not a hagiography, but there are no anonymous sources saying anything to dispute Gandolfini's bighearted reputation. This book made me feel sad for the loss but happy for what Gandolfini left us.

The narrator does an excellent job with all the different voices. I could picture the people quoted as I was listening to the narrator.

#Gandolfini #NetGalley

Brilliantly told, an in-depth look at the life and career of the generous James Gandolfini. Told though interviews and other reliable sources, the reader gets introduced to the authentically kind hearted man behind Tony Soprano and so many other important roles, This is a must read for any Gandolfini fan!

Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend
Author Jason Bailey
Narrator Edoardo Ballerini
Formats: Audiobook - 9 hrs. 42 mins. / Hardcover- 352 pgs.

Audience = Biography readers, actor aficionados
Insightful, meticulously researched exploration of James Gandolfini’s life & work; from childhood in New Jersey throughout his career up to his unexpected death by heart attack in 2013.
Edoardo Ballerini— superlative narrator of the audiobook edition
Excellent research into his early work experiences, all that shaped him as an ‘actor’s actor’; a “well-respected character actor.”
Balanced content & analysis of film work meld with Gandolfini’s personal feelings about each performance; added are his friendships, family & deep working relationships.
His sensitivity to his own work, self-criticism is clearly delineated via various roles
vulnerability as an actor, essential to all great performances &, as a person, as displayed through his never-ending insecurities.
- However, in no way to suggest Gandolfini was easy with authority; he was able to push back when he felt it was needed in work & life.
- Use of The Method elucidates G’s hungry early years but never crossed into “method madness.”
- “His most unforgiving critic” = himself.
- Not until chapter 8 = Tony, the character that genius writer David Chase created with his iconic series, cast “The Sopranos.”
- Steven Van Zandt = “a character actor in his heart.”
- Screening of “The Sopranos” “his family was proud of him” & his father expressed this to him (his mother died in 1997, before the extraordinary success of “The Sopranos”) ; this meant everything to Gandolfini who was always very hesitant to portray typical monsters because of his Italian-American ethnicity & non-traditional looks.
- David Chase’s creation came out to rave reviews, an unqualified success.
- Gandolfini always shied from “the fuss,” unsettling to this introverted man.
- He felt it was “an ensemble thing” in truth & was very reluctant to do press.
- It was most interesting in the dissection of the Sopranos years. Largely because G’s life & further career was cut short by untimely death at age 51 in 2013.
- “Overnight sensation at age 39.”
- 2004 “Inside the Actor’s Studio” hosted by James Lipton = a great reference source from Gandolfini himself
- Gandolfini did films during off season shoots & after “The Sopranos” wrapped.
- Bailey’s dissection of the Soprano years is extremely well-done, season by season, with cast & crew member interviews & quotes. Added are the multitude of public & professional accolades Gandolfini, cast, and crew, led unwaveringly by the ultra-talented David Chase, received throughout the run of the HBO series.
- Bailey intricately dissects his numerous film roles. He explores each film with care & craft. Added are interviews with costars & various reviews. Also was a description of the more vicious, shameful reviews aimed at Gandolfini personally, both throughout his career and at the time of his death in Rome, Italy and his public memorial service. However the acting & arts community never wavered in their utmost respect to Gandolfini,, both throughout his life & after his untimely death. Tributes and public awards are well deserved & described by the author.
- author highlights Gandolfini’s extreme generosity & his less than exemplary follibles (drinking, etc. along w/ his marital issues) w/ respect & a lack of sensationalism. He shows the huge pressure the actor was under during the mid to latter seasons (w/ late or not attending set on filming days.) He was suffering but also had an obligation to the HBO show. It was a sad, difficult situation.
- Ultimately, what’s the reader of Gandolfini: Jim, Tony and the Life of a Legend comes away with is a very rich, well-written (& if listened in audio format, well-told) examination of a “genius” actor: sometimes troubled, complex, fiercely loyal, extremely generous, greatly intelligent and always striving to be better. For any reader who admires James Gandolfini & “The Sopranos” (as is this reader), I would highly-recommend this stellar biography.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #RBMedia for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review
Pub. Date April 29/25 So, look for it on shelves now!!
#Gandolfini by #JasonBailey and narrated by #EdoardoBallerini
2025-netgalley-arc excellent-narrator
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Really interesting to learn more about Jim outside of his Tony role. Particularly hearing more about the impacts on his mental health. Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC!

I might be showing my age here, but I absolutely lived and breathed The Sopranos in the early 2000’s, and the titular character Tony portrayed by James Gandolfini is one of the most incredible fictional characters ever.

With thanks to Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read more about James and the man behind such an iconic role, his life was short but quite extraordinary. Unlike Tony he is actually such a kind, gentle and humble person who certainly had his demons.

It was great to hear about his other work, some of which had seen and some I’m now very excited to consume, his method for picking roles and his take on characters is so impressive, a really talented actor.

Anyway if you are a fan, this is a great biography and the audio is excellent narrated by Ballerini who knew and worked with him on The Sopranos.

Thanks to Recorded Books and NetGalley.com for an advanced audio copy if this book in exchange for a free, unpaid and unbiased review. James Gandolfini is a terrific actor, known around the world as Tony Soprano, and that larger than life history creating role has overshadowed many fine roles both before and since the Sopranos ended. Loved the in depth backstories about making the show, creating the characters for tv, film, and stage. Entertaining though missing a completeness, perhaps due to not having input from his family. Still great to have a detailed description of the work of a fantastic artist (even in small roles) who could really do it all (comedy, drama, menace, violennce, heartbreak) and was tragically lost far too soon. Narration was great and he even attempted to sound like the “soft-spoken” and sweet actor with the soulful eyes in real life without resorting to a caricature . Recommended fir fans of the Sopranos and/or Gandolfini's work.

A very raw and real look into the life of the true James Gandolfini. Narration was on point. I very much enjoyed this personal look into James' real life

Gandolfini: Jim, Tony and the Life of a Legend by Jason Bailey is a biography and tribute to the life and art of James Gandolfini. Most known for his role as Tony Soprano, that was just a part of all the roles he played. I highly recommended reading this book if you are a fan. However, I did not enjoy the audiobook's narrator.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. It felt like I really got to know Tony and James. It was quite surprising to me how inseparable Tony is from Jim. There were many times where it felt as though it was a biography of Tony Soprano and not of the person playing the role. It goes to show how difficult it can be to separate the art from the artist.
It was great and I recommend it to all Sopranos fans out there

Being as my husband and I were huge fans of The Soprano’s, as soon as I saw this offered on NetGalley, I requested it!

What an interesting story and man, and what a complicated life he had…as well as a warped vision of himself. At times difficult to get through, as I ALWAYS saw him as a big teddy bear with some warped Italian values (at least on The Soprano’s…)

Also interesting to hear him speak of his Italian parents who never spoke Italian to him or his siblings… because they had just come over from Italy.🇮🇹 And funny, that my parents said THE EXACT same thing to us! So none of us grew up speaking or understanding Italian…

Also, I did not realize how many ‘misses’ he had before he finally landed in The Soprano’s! 😮😮

Beautifully researched with tons of narrative from family, friends and co-stars… most of them totally loved him! And stuck with him through all of his ups and downs…

And great to see how he really just thought of himself as a regular guy… and how he wanted to share not only his success, but his rewards too, with all those deserving!

This really opened me up to so many more aspects of Tony Soprano via James Gandolfini… So sad we had to lose him at such an early age… 😫

If you enjoy biographies, definitely look into this one! It was just released, so you should be able to find it on shelves now!

#Gandolfini by #JasonBailey and narrated beautifully by #EdoardoBallerini.
***This was released yesterday, 4/29/25. So, look 👀 for it on shelves now!! ***

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and & #RBMedia for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

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