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And Nothing but the Truthiness

The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert
by Lisa Rogak
And Nothing but the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert. Thomas Dunne: St. Martin's. Oct. 2011. c.304p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780312616106. $25.99. TV
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Rogak (Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King) separates Stephen Colbert, the writer, actor, and family man from the right-wing pundit he portrays on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. Through extensive research, she assembles a chronological account of Colbert's life and career through mid-2010. While some of it reads like filler (Stephen, youngest of 11, isn't born until page 27), the result is a conversational, multiperspective account of his life. Special attention is paid to landmarks like the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of his father and two brothers, his success at Second City, and his ongoing Comedy Central reign—as well as his brief presidential bid, being named assistant sports psychologist for the 2010 U.S. Olympic speed skating team, and having a $5 million treadmill on the International Space Station named for him.
VERDICT Though chiefly assembled from previously published interviews, this is the first major biography of Colbert and one fans will appreciate. With the 2012 election ramping up, there will be interest in this complete and compelling look at the wildly popular anti-news commentator. [See Prepub Alert, 4/25/11.]
Reviewed by Terry Bosky, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., West Palm Beach, FL , Sep 01, 2011
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