*They Went Another Way* is a darkly comedic and deeply reflective memoir by Bruce Eric Kaplan, acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist and television writer.

What began as a journal in January 2022—an effort to make sense of his life as a television writer in Los Angeles amid an increasingly chaotic world—evolved into a witty, poignant exploration of art, love, and human existence. The book weaves the ups and downs of Kaplan’s attempt to pitch a TV project in Hollywood’s labyrinthine industry with his musings on political and social issues, family, friendships, pop culture, and the bizarre recurrence of dead birds in his backyard.

Both hilarious and unexpectedly moving, Kaplan’s memoir captures the absurdities and joys of life, grappling with alienation and connection, disappointment and wonder, ugliness and beauty—all while offering sharp insights and humor that resonate with creatives and dreamers alike.

I love a good memoir and dark comedy, too? Sign me up!

Kaplan is an acclaimed New York cartoonist and an LA television writer. Two things I know nothing about and sadly after finishing, I don't know much more.

There were a few funny moments and name dropping (I want more!) sprinkled in, but ultimately the format for this book fell short. His experiences during the pandemic weren't unique. it was what we were all experiencing. I appreciate the time it took to pull this book together and this is only my opinion, and it may gel with other readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co for an early copy.

I liked this book a lot until about 60% of the way through, when it got very very monotonous. I love that he used the real identities of the people in the industry, because that made it much more interesting, but after a while I just got bored. And I'm the target audience for this book!

A funny informative look at what it’s really like to be a screen writer in Hollywood.The author shares with us his personal life and his career his attempts to get a series up and running.Through his daily journal entries we follow his struggles his meetings his projects that never get made.I really enjoyed this eye opening peep at having sucess in Hollywood l# netgalley #henry holt.

They Went Another Way A Hollywood Memoir by Bruce Eric Kaplan was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I had never knowingly read this author before but I would certainly read more by him. I am not a huge Hollywood fan, it seems to have gone so downhill over the last 16 years or so. Bruce is a funny guy and has worked on some shows I like, and some that make me nauseous. This behind the scenes Hollywood memoir was interesting and rarely boring This book gave me more understanding of Hollywood writers and what they put up with so we can see what they make. if you or someone you buy gifts for is interested in Hollywood, this book could be an awesome holiday gift.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Holt Publishing for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I was intrigued by the blurbs for this book- "darkly funny, thought provoking and entertaining ,funny riveting, honest and shocking." Sorry, to me it was wildly self indulgent and whiny. It is in journal form and details the writers attempts to sell his work. He name drops a lot, and complains. A lot.He complains about his house, his work, teh people he works with , and of course the state of the country post 2016. He complains about it a lot. This was written in 2022, but he is still whining about politics. I am sorry, I guess I am not the target audience for this.

My thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for an advance copy of a look at the way that modern Hollywood works, following the arc of a creator trying to sell his latest production in an landscape that seems distant, decaying, and wandering in many different ways.

I count as a very strong acquaintance a writer who specializes in working as a ghost writer for celebrities. This person, I shall call the Ghost, has quite a few best sellers to their name, and is currently working with three diverse celebrities, and soon maybe a fourth. The Ghost likes to share with me the travails of being a writer for hire, as I care little for the gossip, but love the inside stuff, the publishers the deals, how the Ghost takes a person words, and crafts them to sound so good. The Ghost cares little about this, its a job. What the Ghost loves to talk about is the problem with reaching these people to get words. 90% of the Ghost's time is making, waiting breaking appointments, dealing with agents saying the celeb is busy or have you talked to the celeb, how are they doing. Writing is the least of the Ghost's problems. Communication is the worst. No one wants to take responsibility. Put off today what needs to be done yesterday. In this time of great technology, we have lost the ability to share honestly, To call out those in power, be it bosses, celebrities, those who need to be canceled, and those who are running for president and could cancel us. Bruce Eric Kaplan writes about this in his book They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir, a book about trying to sell a show in the post-COVID world, a world that is showing signs not just of rust, but of disintegration in many different ways.

Bruce Eric Kaplan has worked in Hollywood for almost 30 years. Kaplan began as a writer for Seinfeld, moving up executive producer of the shows Six Feet Under and Girls. In 2022 Kaplan began a journal detailing the selling of an idea that he had to streaming and network companies. As he wrote he expanded the idea of the journal, as it became a sort of a way of meditating, a way to deal with problems, and a way to keep sane. Kaplan is also a cartoonist, whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, though he has stepped away from art. From the beginning there are numerous plans to Zoom, but no one can make the time to confirm appointments. So Kaplan cooks for his family, or deals with the many things that seem to be falling apart in his house. As the deal takes one step forward, somehow it takes three steps back, leaving him with lost of time to cook, and think about the state of the world. Actors join, leave, streaming services show interest, suddenly lost 300 employees, and lose interest. Only Kaplan's family keep him from losing his mind as months pass, and people who would love to meet, never seem too.

I wasn't sure what I expected from this book, but I really enjoyed this. I thought it was really just a book about selling a show and all that went with it. Nope. This book is far more. Kaplan offers a look at creativity, the problems that we as humans are having communicating, what we are allowing as a society to happen. How we are making things that don't last, and a look at the current state of the arts and entertainment. The book is written as journal entries, and are quite personal, and list a lot of real people, in sometimes not the best of light. However it wasn't till about a quarter of the way through that I realized the book was written like a sitcom. Or a Dramedy. Funny thing on Zoom, something breaks in the house, Kaplan has to go to the store twice to buy things. Volleyballs hit people in heads, with consequences And yet the book tells a really good story about a guy just wanting to tell his story. And brag about his kids and his wife.

I really enjoyed this book. Not just the entertainment stuff and the way people have to pretend to care about what more powerful people say that is stupid, but I loved the way that Kaplan wrote. I really enjoyed his family, and how not only did Kaplan love them, but they seemed to get along. There is a part talking to his son, about not getting a writing job, that brought tears to my eyes. The world can be changed so quickly. That is something else Kaplan details. I great book about entertainment, and about being alive in this time. I hope he sold the shows he was working on. I think I really need to watch them, and read more by Bruce Eric Kaplan.

This book made me more empathetic towards the writers in Hollywood (and everywhere) and very thankful for all they put up with just to get their art out there and into the world. I will never again take for granted my favorite shows, movies, songs, etc. because I see what a battle it can be to “shoot your shot” if you will.
This book had it all, I loved hearing what Bruce was cooking for his family, how he exercised and took care of his mind and body to try and remain peaceful, and how he graciously dealt with the HVAC people who kept having to come back to his home to fix the issues present there (this is SO relatable). Also, may I say, this guy pays a lot of attention to the birds around his home and had a lot of very strange run-ins or happenings with birds (dead and alive) for a while there…kind of comical but also a little strange and just interesting and out of the ordinary. I loved hearing him reflect on family life and raising his two children (this especially spoke to me as I am in the early days of raising my own two kiddos). I also really appreciated hearing his point of view on many things, specifically how he was personally affected by the COVID pandemic and the aftermath and how his experience shaped him and his family in the years since.
As a music lover who really appreciates all genres, I also really loved knowing what Bruce and his son Henry were listening to and furthermore all the memories that Bruce had with certain music. Rhiannon, Nadia’s Theme, etc. His music library of mentions allowed me to discover a few new (to me) pieces as well which I love.
One of my favorite parts comes at the end and not because it was the end (because I was sad that this book had to finish) but he references the Wizard of Oz of which I am a fanatic…so many parts of this book made me gasp in appreciation and basically shout- “wait, you too!?”. I kept reaching for this book and was honestly absolutely enthralled with it…I found it very interesting and eye opening. I got to learn a lot more about a world I know next to nothing about. Thank you, Bruce Kaplan, for opening your heart and your world up for us to read about! There were times I felt like I was sneakily reading a siblings’ journal or the like but most of the time I felt like I was hanging out with you and just visiting with a long-time friend.
All your talk of cooking also gave me some great ideas of things to try making for me and my family…and as a busy young mother and wife I really appreciate that!
I will be forever grateful that I read this book, and I thank @holt and @bruceerickaplan for allowing me to read and review this title early.
THEY WENT ANOTHER WAY publishes on October 22nd

I enjoyed They Went Another Way after about 30%, when I started to understand what Bruce Kaplan was doing in the book. The beginning is a lot of just "thoughts on paper", with a small amount of "this is what's happening in my career right now". About the time I started to get really bored with the the mundane meanderings, I caught on to what it was that Kaplan was really writing about. A career as a Hollywood writer is just not very dependable, and the amount of time you are waiting for something significant to happen ends up being about 95% of your life. His thoughts were quite thought provoking and meaningful. His writing is heartwarming, and the events he talks about are relatable to all of us. This book reads really fast, and it was fun reading about real celebrities.

I'm fascinated by how movies get made and Kaplan's book explores how Hollywood operates regarding screenwriters. His book is an in-depth look at his daily life from a couple of years ago. I laughed and at other points was frustrated by him and how the 'business' is. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

If you want to know what it’s *really* like to be a television writer, this book speaks the truth. I am a television writer and as I read this I swung between PTSD and laughing ruefully.

Kaplan is trying to sell a show, juggling the egos of actors and producers, trying to get meetings scheduled, and doing an inordinate amount of work for free over the course of a year. At the same time, Covid is happening, and he’s dealing with family stuff, endless trips to the grocery store, and a possible move across country. Oh, and the stress of potentially getting offered a job on a show he hates and wondering if he can make that work.

It’s all extremely real as Kaplan veers between optimistically finding meaning in small things, and wanting to quit everything forever.