Joss Whedon

Overview

From the cult favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which netted four million viewers per episode, to the summer blockbuster The Avengers, which amassed a box office of $1.5 billion, Joss Whedon has made a name for himself in Hollywood for his penchant for telling meaningful, personal tales about love, death, and redemption even against the most dramatic and larger-than-life backdrops. This biography follows his development from a creative child and teenager who spent years away from his family at an elite English public school, through his early successes#&8212;which often turned into frustrating heartbreak in both television (Roseanne) and film (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)#&8212;to his breakout turn as the creator, writer, and director of the Buffy television series. Extensive, original interviews with Whedon#&8217;s family, friends, collaborators, and stars#&8212;and with the man himself#&8212;offer candid, behind-the-scenes accounts of the making of groundbreaking series such as Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse, as well as new stories about his work with Pixar writers and animators during the creation of Toy Story. Most importantly, however, these conversations present an intimate and revealing portrait of a man whose creativity and storytelling ability have manifested themselves in comics, online media, television, and film.

Reviews

"Amy Pascale delves deep behind the scenes of Joss Whedon's myriad film and television projects, covering Avengers, vampire slayers, and everything in between.  This thorough and engaging biography is a must-read for everyone who loves Whedon's work, from the casual fan to the most hardcore Browncoat.#&8221; #&8212;Tim Hanley, author of Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World#&8217;s Most Famous Heroine

#&8220;If you think you know everything about Joss, you haven#&8217;t read this thoroughly entertaining and well-researched treasure trove.#&8221; #&8212;Josh Horowitz, MTV News

#&8220;Now that I#&8217;ve read this and feel like I know Joss as a person rather than merely a hit-making, critically adored peer, my schadenfreude has been reduced to completely manageable levels.#&8221; #&8212;Rob Thomas, creator of Veronica Mars 

#&8220;When art hits us, it#&8217;s fun and possibly necessary to look behind the scenes and see what drove it. Amy Pascale gives great insight into Whedon#&8217;s work that will interest and surprise even seasoned fans.#&8221; #&8212;Alan Kistler, author of The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook and Doctor Who: A History

#&8220;Though Whedon#&8217;s many fans are fairly familiar with the ups and downs of his career, the many frank quotes from Whedon, his friends, family, and coworkers make Pascale#&8217;s absorbing bio a must-read.#&8221; #&8212;Booklist

#&8220;An informative and readable book.#&8221; #&8212;Kirkus

#&8220;For the story behind one of the hottest writer/directors of the moment, fans will want to pick up this biography.#&8221; #&8212;SheKnows.com

Author Biography

Amy Pascale is a director at MTV, where she has worked in on-air and online media for more than 14 years. She is the cofounder and editor of the Web magazine PopGurls.com and was an early member of The Bronze, an online community through which the Buffy the Vampire Slayer staff interacted with the show#&8217;s fans. She lives in Highland Mills, New York. Nathan Fillion is an actor best-known for his portrayal of Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the Joss Whedon#&8211;produced television series Firefly and its film continuation Serenity, which was directed by Whedon. He also appeared in the Joss Whedon vehicles Dr. Horrible#&8217;s Sing-Along Blog and Much Ado About Nothing. He plays Richard Castle on the ABC series Castle. He lives in Los Angeles.