David Letterman

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-Using a relaxed style that suits the subject matter and frequent quotes from the subject himself, Lefkowitz describes Letterman's rise from an Indiana working-class teenager to "King of the Night." Emphasized throughout are the various entertainers who influenced him, especially Johnny Carson. Most interesting is the author's description of the development of Letterman's unique style, evolving through experiences as a radio and television announcer, comedy writer, actor, and comedian. The chapters are rather loosely organized, and several wander from the topic. "Late Night with David Letterman" devotes as much space to entertainment television and "The Tonight Show" as it does to Letterman himself. There are plenty of black-and-white photos, but too many of them are of other celebrities, such as Carson, Mary Tyler Moore, and Steve Allen, and some do not appear in close proximity to the pertinent text. Nonetheless, this is an easy and amusing read that will appeal to students who long for a career in show business, showing them that anything is possible if they want it badly enough.-Phyllis Graves, Creekwood Middle School, Kingwood, TX