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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Wiping tears away still. James Ganolfini & Tony mean so much to so many people. Gone too soon.

A look more into Jim’s life, how different he was from Tony and also a lot like him. Perfect book for anyone a fan of Ganolfini & his life.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this AudioBook!

Gandolfini is a must for any Sopranos fan. It chronicles his life from his childhood growing up in New Jersey to one of the biggest stars of the early 2000s. Gandolfini got bit by the acting bug in college and moved to New York shortly thereafter. He had bit parts here and there, such as "The Last Boy Scout", but his big break came at 39 in the Sopranos. He had many nicknames and most of his friends called him Jim. Most of his cast mates said he was very different from his mobster persona and was a big teddy bear. His loved being a father to Michael and would bring him around set. His son Michael has followed in his footsteps and is now acting. Wanting to switch gears after the Sopranos, Gandolfini took different kinds of roles and also dabbled in documentaries. Any Sopranos fan would enjoy this book.

What a tribute to Jim Gandolfini! Most everyone knows him from his starting role as Tony Soprano, but I was excited to learn more about the actor. Jason Bailey writes about Gandolfini's triumphs and troubles with candor and respect. Though I would have loved hearing a first hand perspective from Jim himself, I'm not sure I would get the same depth of character that this biography allows.

Some chapters are a little long winded but overall this is a well written account of a beloved actor and person.

I am a huge Sopranos fan but I was late to the show and watched it years after James Gandolfini had already passed. This book gave new insight to the man behind the legendary show. I loved learning about Jim’s early life and career from this story. The audiobook was easy listening and the story was enjoyable. I will be buying this book.

I think this biography was really well done with the information that they had access too. I learned a lot about Jim as a person as well as the backround of the Sopranos. There’s a lot to the making of movies and shows that an outsider just doesn’t think about. My only negative is I always feel a bit iffy about biography’s where the family isn’t involved. In this case it was their choice not to be they were excluded, but I’m always torn when the family doesn’t participate. Thank you NetGalley for the Audio ARC!

James Gandolfini was always known as Tony Soprano, his most famous role. This book touched quite a bit on his role as Tony Soprano, almost cliche in overcasting the character over the real Gandolfini at points. Regardless, I still enjoyed this book and found consistencies about Gandolfini being a caring, good guy. Edoardo Ballerini was a great narrator and helped to add more depth to the memoir. Thank you to Net Galley and RB Media for the advanced copy!

Interesting and informative story of a verybprivate man. Thsnks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

THANK YOU to @netgalley , author Jason Bailey, and publisher R.B.Media for this ARC copy!!! I was a fan of the Sopranos, and was super excited to find out I was offered the opportunity to review this prior to it being released! This is a biography about the life of James Gandolfini. I'd highly recommend! One thing that really surprised me about him was he didn't have the perception of himself that he is that "bigger than life" personality. He was very unsure of himself. Even after his popularity from the Sopranos, he would still double check producers (before a new movie), to make sure they thought he was the best fit. He would even go so far as to offer other suggestions of people he thought might do better. James had his demons to work thru, and as usual, the tabloids/news was there to throw things in his face. Without giving anymore away, I just want to encourage you to grab the book yourself!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my god. I received an ARC of the audiobook and I’m so happy I did.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I didn’t know what to expect. I really enjoyed the Sopranos but knew nothing about Jim Gandolfini. Most of his acting career happened before I was out of my teens.

I had no idea how he’d gotten his start, in plays. No idea that one of his rules at first was that he didn’t want to do any mob rules. He didn’t like how that portrayed Italians or how it might make his family look.

I also didn’t realize that he is absolutely nothing like Tony Soprano in real life. Jim, Jimmy, Bucky, and all his other nicknames that people knew him by was just a Birkenstock wearing guy. He was a team player, loved by those he worked with. He was a private man, gave few interviews, but was loved by everyone.

He celebrated coworkers, celebrated family, was hard on himself, a true method actor, and was gone far far too soon.

I totally recommend this to anyone who watched the Sopranos or anyone who just wants to learn more about a very talented actor, that was gone too soon.

I enjoyed learning more about James Gandolfini, he definitely is missed and had so much left to give. Written well, but would obviously like to here his voice in this story

Jason Bailey’s Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend is a powerful and emotionally resonant biography that captures the complexity of an actor who changed the landscape of television forever.

For anyone captivated by James Gandolfini’s magnetic portrayal of Tony Soprano, this book is both a celebration and a deep exploration of the man behind the myth.

What sets Bailey’s account apart is its refusal to flatten Gandolfini into a singular narrative. Instead, it presents him as a man full of contradictions — generous and loyal, yet often battling personal demons and self-doubt. The emotional toll of playing as intense a character as Tony Soprano is laid bare, revealing the price Gandolfini paid for his brilliance.

Drawing on original interviews and detailed reporting, Bailey crafts a richly textured portrait that goes far beyond career highlights. From Gandolfini’s working-class upbringing in New Jersey to his bohemian years before fame, the biography follows his journey with empathy and insight. It's not just the story of a gifted performer — it’s the story of a man who wrestled with fame, identity, and the shadows of the characters he played.

Perhaps most poignant is Bailey’s exploration of Gandolfini’s legacy. More than a decade after his untimely death, his work still resonates, his performances still stir. In Gandolfini, we’re reminded of how rare it is to see an actor so thoroughly inhabit a role, and how much heart it takes to make even a mob boss feel human.

The book is brought to life further on audio, with the narrator having a warm voice. It suggests that he truly cares about the book’s subject.

A must-read for fans of The Sopranos and anyone interested in the inner life of an extraordinary actor, Gandolfini is a fitting tribute to a talent gone too soon — but never forgotten.

Thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for the advanced copy.

Some interesting information about a legendary man. I would have liked to learn more about his early life but overall this did a pretty good job of telling me who James Gandolfini was as an actor and a person. I wish we could see the things that he would have done if he hadn’t left this world so soon.

Gandolfini by Jason Bailey is a great biography and was exactly what I was hoping for in a tribute to the late, great actor. I chose this book because I love Gandolfini as an actor, especially for his role as Tony Soprano the hit series for HBO, The Sopranos.

Jason Bailey did a good job telling a well rounded story of Gandolfini’s life from an early age and did not leave out his struggles as an actor and what he did to make it in show business. The author gave many examples and points of view from friends in the industry who shed light on his personality and showed what a talented actor he was.

Bailey referenced many coworkers from the Sopranos to give a lot of details insight into his personal and professional life as he made the series, and this what I was most interested in and probably a lot of other people as well. He did not hide the fact that Gandolfini struggled with many personal demons in his private life that sometimes affected his professional life.

Unfortunately, Gandolfini was taken from this world was too soon at an early age and left a big whole in the hearts of many of his fans and colleagues.

Eduardo Ballerini did a superb job in the narration of this audiobook.

I enjoyed this biography and would recommend it to anyone interested in Gandolfini’s life.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the alc of the audiobook.

Recently I was at the Texas Library Associations annual conference and saw this book in the Abrams booth. I snapped a pic and knew I had to read it. Yesterday I saw it on NetGalley and was so excited!

I was a huge fan of Gandolfini’s work as Tony Soprano, but I didn’t realize just how layered and thoughtful he was off-screen until I read this. This book deepened my respect for the man behind the role.

Jason Bailey does a beautiful job revealing Gandolfini’s vulnerability, and the strong work ethic he brought to every role. This book really shows the depth of who he was—not just an incredible actor, but a genuinely good, complicated human being.

From his early days in high school and college to his untimely passing and the legacy he left behind, this book covers it all. 5 stars.

I don't even know where to begin! This book grabbed my attention and kept me hooked the entire time. Gandolfini was larger than life and continues to enchant and intrigue us even in death. I like how this book really focused on Gandolfini the man and the different characters. I loved getting to hear what other actors thought about him when they worked together. I always found him to be enigmatic and someone I wanted to know more about, and this book gave me exactly what I wanted! Huge thank you to RBMedia for the advanced audio file of this book.

Wow, what a wonderfully comprehensive look at Gandolfini’s life! There are so many lovely things about this man that never got enough recognition during his life that I’m glad can come to light now. And the beautiful sensitivity towards his issues through the years feels honest but not exploitive.

The audiobook narrator, Edoardo Ballerini was fabulous. He was not only a great orator but really embodied the people he was speaking for. Many quotes were given such a familiar cadence of the actors they were attributed to without being a caricature or an impersonation. A fine line that he hit perfectly.

Really enjoyed this biography. I really was interested in hearing about his acting career and especially his time in the Sopranos. It did get a little dry at times, but I was able to get through those parts because the narrator was so great.

If you’ve ever been mesmerized by Tony Soprano—the volatility, the charisma, the strange tenderness—you’ll be fascinated by the man who brought him to life. Jason Bailey’s Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend offers a nuanced and emotional portrait of James Gandolfini, the actor whose layered performance helped put HBO—and prestige TV—on the map.

Bailey doesn’t shy away from complexity. Just like the character he portrayed, Gandolfini himself was full of contradictions. He was generous and deeply loyal, yet sometimes selfish and self-destructive. Haunted by insecurity and the fear of typecasting, he poured himself into his work—so much so that playing Tony took a real emotional toll.

Tony Soprano was a mob boss capable of brutal violence, yet also capable of moments of surprising vulnerability and self-reflection. It’s a testament to Gandolfini’s genius that we not only believed in this character, we rooted for him. That ability—to make a violent man beloved—speaks volumes about the skill and humanity Jim brought to the role.

This biography is a moving tribute to a singular talent we lost far too soon. Bailey captures both the man and the myth, offering fans a chance to appreciate the emotional weight Gandolfini carried in order to give us one of the most unforgettable characters in television history.