Max Tachis's Reviews > The Late Shift: Letterman, Leno & the Network Battle for the Night

This is one of my absolute favorites and a must-read for any fan of stand up, late night, and the maddening inner-workings of the entertainment industry. Riveting journalism through terrific storytelling, the story of the (first) battle for The Tonight Show plays out in almost Shakespearean fashion and is brought to life not only by the television personalities that inhabit it but also by Mr. Carter's in-depth research. No stone is left unturned and no detail is omitted in crafting this retelling of events that took the broadcasting world by storm in the early-1990s and I'd imagine that even those who followed it when it was happening will learn something new. I am no fan of Jay Leno and am a rabid fan of David Letterman and fully expected, with the little knowledge I had of the history, that that would not change. Also, as a lifelong Conan O'Brien devotee, it's unlikely I'll ever get over the events of Carter's follow-up, "The War for Late Night" (which is followed in the moment vehemently). All that said, one of the most compelling elements of "The Late Shift" is the way Leno comes off to the reader; a nice enough guy who got stuck in the middle of a very unfortunately circumstance who, even though he technically "won", you almost feel sorry for.

Almost.