Not a bad book but not great either. Somewhat repetitive and an uneven tone. I was expecting more. 2.5

This book will be released on August 15, 2023. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers provided an early galley for review.

I have fond memories of this show. Not only the joy I have whenever I watch episodes but also of watching it when it first ran with important women of my life growing up: my mother, my aunt, my grandmother and my cousin. Sadly, they are no longer with us (just like the four actresses who made this show), but the memories are forever.

I came into the show thanks to Susan Harris' involvement (knowing her specifically from her amazing writing on Soap). She was a master at making the audience uproarious laugh one moment and meaningfully cry the next. I am glad this book acknowledges her contributions that helped make The Golden Girls so memorable. I had hoped for more focus here, though Harris' work (indirectly) does get mentioned later through the specific episodes sited.

As expected, a bulk of the book is dedicated specifically to the main characters and the women behind them. Each gets a "top ten" episode list (as determined by the author?) that further illustrates what is seen as defining moments for each woman and for the show. They also give additional evidence to support the cultural impacts of the show.

The writing on the book could have benefitted from another editing pass, with a focus on cleaning up repetition of certain facts and phrases that are not required multiple times. As it is, the repetition comes across as padding of word count on an already shorter book. And, although pointing it out in several places that things were different when the show aired, the author sites flaws in the writing on the show (legal and social) that do not reflect societal ways of the 21st century. This is a judgmental pitfall that occurs when analyzing previous centuries' things by today's standards. Times were different then.

Thank you NetGalley, Bernadette Giacomazzo, and Rowman & Littlefield for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Golden Girls: A Cultural History in exchange for an honest review.

I love The Golden Girls. I binge the show every so many months. This book dedicated to the show, however, is not great in my opinion. I am overlooking the formatting issues when reading the Kindle version. There are numerous errors though that need to be fixed in editing before publication.

Everything about it felt very biased and also like there was no heart involved. It was basically just various episode descriptions to claim which ones were the best for each character. There are a lot of phrases repeated by the author and the overall placement of the author's thoughts did not seem to be organized very well.

I picked up The Golden Girls: A Cultural History on Netgalley.

The author obviously shares my fondness for the cultural phenomenon that was The Golden Girls. The intimate view into the casting choices and relationships, or lack thereof, among the cast, was fascinating. I didn't realize the discontent that was present on the set.

The dive into the social issues touched up in every episode was great, because although it might have gone unnoticed in its time, the show is as relevant now as when it was written.

I enjoyed this walk through television history, and recommend it highly.

The Golden Girls is one of my all-time favourite TV shows and I love reading books about TV shows’ socio-cultural impact on society. I was really looking forward to reading this book.

The Good
-Interesting look at the behind the scenes of the show especially the riffs between Bea Arthur and Betty White.
-I didn’t realize all the work that the “Girls” did for 2SLGBTQ+ people.
-The show was groundbreaking for covering a variety of seemingly “taboo” topics at the time including: addiction, HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and the most prevalent older female sexuality and the place they hold in society.

The Not-So-Great
-It was very short and I felt like there could have been a much deeper analysis.
-Some of the writing was rough and there was a lot of repetition of phrases, most notably, during the section when Giacomazzo was counting down the best episode of each girl, she ended almost every paragraph with: “It also makes _____ one of the best episodes of The Golden Girls that features _______.”

All in all, if you’re a fan of the show, you’ll probably be interested in reading this book, but it does leave a lot to be desired.

3.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you to Rowman and Littlefield Publishers & NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this read. I watched the GG's as a kid with my Grandmom and adored it. I still do and watch often and own all DVDs. This was different read than most I have read. It went more into depth and I enjoyed every page. Highly recommend for may fan.

A love-letter to Golden Girls that misses the mark when trying to place the show in a cultural context.

I grew up watching Golden Girls with my grandmother, and definitely missed the saucier parts of the show. I then re-watched the series in my early 20s with my best friend and fell in love. Even in my 30s, it's still a comfort watch for me. This book claims to put the show in a cultural context of what was happening in the 80s, and why the show was so ground breaking, while also providing some unknown/behind the scenes peeks at the cast, the making of the show, etc.

The behind the scenes parts are great fun. I like how Bernadette brings in the previous roles by Better White and Rue McClanahan on other popular TV shows, and how those played into their choosing to play these characters. Did you know that Betty was supposed to play Blanche and Rue was supposed to play Rose?! So cool! I also like how Bernadette creates a definitive 'Best Episode List' for each of the characters, based on her personal preferences.

Talking about Bernadette's personal preferences, she approaches putting Golden Girls in context based on her own lived experience (as far as I can tell) and is very thin on data-informed theories. She makes sweeping statements like, "When it comes to addiction, far to many people-even the 21st century - have the wrong idea about it." Without providing how she got to this conclusion or more detail comparing what addiction looked like in the 80s and now, this statement falls flat.

The book speaks about feminism in the broadest and simplest terms, but misses the mark when it comes to putting these in context. For example, the book speaks about women in the 1950s-80s enduring physical, emotional abuse at the hands of their husbands, saying there was no '#MeToo' movement, but that simplifies and erases the incredible work done by women in the United States (and beyond). There was a vibrant women’s movement during the 60s-80s, which was culturally influential and politically powerful, especially around reproductive rights and civil rights and I wish the book provided more context around that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield publisher for this advanced reader copy. I received an uncorrected proof from Rowman & Littlefield, so it's possible some of my quotes/concerns will be addressed before publishing.

Whether you already love The Golden Girls, or are just getting to know them, this book is for you. I particularly enjoyed the top 10 episodes of each character, and the show as a whole.

The show aired when I was too young to understand the nuances of empowerment and politics embedded in the storylines. I’ve revisited the series many times over many decades, and catch something new each time as both my age and experience have matured. It’s amazing how bold the writers and actresses were to introduce topics that, in some cases, were decades ahead of their time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo’s conversational tone kept me engaged throughout. This was a fun read!

Thanks to Bernadette Giacomazzo, Rowman and Littlefield, and NetGalley for allowing access to a digital ARC in exchange for my reactions.

I grew up watching The Golden Girls with my parents- it’s one of the only happy childhood memories that I have- so the show will always hold a special place in my heart. Looking back, while I remember the more famous plot lines involving LGBT rights and HIV, I didn’t really appreciate the way the writers (and the actresses) handled the societal issues until I read this book. I knew that it was ground breaking for its time, but I never really stopped to think about why or how it was ground breaking until now. Overall, this was a quick and entertaining read and it reminded me of why I loved the show so dearly growing up. Now it’s time to rebinge the series

"The Golden Girls: A Cultural History" is a well-researched and comprehensive tribute to a show that transcended the boundaries of sitcom entertainment. Giacomazzo's writing is engaging and insightful, capturing the essence of the show's impact on viewers and society as a whole. Whether you are a lifelong fan or new to the world of "The Golden Girls," this book offers a deeper appreciation for the groundbreaking nature and enduring legacy of this iconic series.

I learned a lot about one of my favorite TV shows while reading this book, and I particularly enjoyed the dive into American LGBTQIA history and the way all four women who starred in the show embraced that community. I appreciated that the author took a stand and ranked the top ten episodes for each character and the top ten overall storylines, which should provide rich fodder for debate amongst superfans who read the book together. This book would be a great gift for the person in your life who has a GG quote for every situation.

The Golden Girls: A Cultural History is a 2023 release written by author Bernadette Giacomazzo. I found the book on NetGalley, and being a fan of the series whose watched every episode multiple times I wanted to see what this one could offer. Reliving memories through someone else's eyes is always entertaining and nostalgic, and this was no exception. I enjoyed her take on each of the Golden Girls' top 10 episodes. Seeing how far ahead of the time it was, this show was and remains a major powerhouse when it comes to dealing with social issues and friendships. Viewers can learn so much, and the author highlights these touching moments in a wonderful way. If you've never seen the show, this book will make you want to. If you have seen it, it will surprise you with a few behind the scenes info and commentary on what was really happening in the world at the time. As a kid, I probably misunderstood half the references, and even now, sometimes I think... how is this still possible, meaning... they are talking about social issues from 40 years ago that are STILL problems. Ah society can be cruel, but this book and show really make a difference in turning things around (toward the better.