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A review by ajthudson
Superman: The Unauthorized Biography by Glen Weldon
3.0
Like many other reviewers, I came to [b:Superman: The Unauthorized Biography|16116967|Superman The Unauthorized Biography|Glen Weldon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356462153l/16116967._SX50_.jpg|21934818] as a fan of author Glen Weldon from NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour. I also previously read and enjoyed his Batman history, [b:The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture|27276413|The Caped Crusade Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture|Glen Weldon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1458692562l/27276413._SY75_.jpg|47328268]. Though not a comics reader, and only possessing a marginal interest in Superman at all, I fully expected to coast along on Weldon's particular brand of charmingly self-aware pedantry and his unmistakable, indefatigable love for his subject.
To some extent, I did. But the cultural observation and thematic dissection that forms the spine of his Batman book is significantly dialed down here. Also underrepresented are Weldon's insightful and opinionated takes on specific hot-button comics issues, stories, and adaptations. The exhaustively detailed chronicle of Superman's continuing adventures that we're left with is impressive in its thoroughness (and, mercifully, still written in Weldon's signature voice), but there's much less here to engage an audience outside the Superman comics' readership. It's a bit of a slog.
I listened to the audiobook, read by George Newbern, which is a perfectly acceptable thing to put in your ears when you're all caught up on podcasts.
Two and a half stars, rounded up to three out of affection for the author, and out of respect for how many times the narrator manages to pronounce "Mxyzptlk."
To some extent, I did. But the cultural observation and thematic dissection that forms the spine of his Batman book is significantly dialed down here. Also underrepresented are Weldon's insightful and opinionated takes on specific hot-button comics issues, stories, and adaptations. The exhaustively detailed chronicle of Superman's continuing adventures that we're left with is impressive in its thoroughness (and, mercifully, still written in Weldon's signature voice), but there's much less here to engage an audience outside the Superman comics' readership. It's a bit of a slog.
I listened to the audiobook, read by George Newbern, which is a perfectly acceptable thing to put in your ears when you're all caught up on podcasts.
Two and a half stars, rounded up to three out of affection for the author, and out of respect for how many times the narrator manages to pronounce "Mxyzptlk."