Jack Benny & Golden Age of American Radio Comedy - Vintage Comedy History, Classic Radio Shows - Perfect for Entertainment Enthusiasts & Nostalgia Lovers

Those of us who are devoted to the Jack Benny radio programs finally have the book we deserve. "Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy" stands alone as a no-nonsense, no nostalgia overview of Jack's radio oeuvre. It manages to straddle the divide between too little and too much information, offering modest interpretation, and mostly letting the reader make his or her own inferences.The writing is mature, the sentences are intelligent, and the writer reserves her first person involvement for the final paragraphs of, where it is most welcome. Even the chapters on race and gender (which I was dreading) are well-done, combining facts about the Benny show and its reception with relevant social history vignettes.Ms. Fuller-Seeley is not a gushing fan. She estimates Benny and his work at what seems to me to be the correct level of cultural importance.The background she provides on the early Canada Dry and General Tire programs (1932-34) motivated me to re-visit the scratchy and sometimes inaudible recordings of those shows. It was well worth the effort - many of the gags are great, and Frank Parker was probably Benny's best - though far from funniest - tenor.