All the Pieces Matter

The definitive oral history of the iconic and beloved TV show The Wire, as told by the actors, writers, directors, and others involved in its creation

Since its final episode aired 10 years ago, the acclaimed crime drama The Wire has only become more popular and influential. The issues it tackled, from the failures of the drug war and criminal justice system to systemic bias in law enforcement and other social institutions, have become major topics in the national conversation. The show’s actors, such as Idris Elba and Dominic West, have gone on to become major stars. Its creators and writers have developed dedicated cult followings of their own. Universities use the show to teach everything from film theory, to criminal justice and sociology. It is arguably one of the great works of art America has produced in the 21st century.
But while there has been a great deal of critical analysis of the show and its themes, until now there has never been a definitive, behind-the-scenes take on how it came to be made. With unparalleled access to all the key actors and writers involved in its creation, Jonathan Abrams tells the astonishing, compelling, and complete account of The Wire, from its inception and creation through its end and powerful legacy.

• The definitive oral history of the iconic TV show The Wire, as told by the actors, writers, directors, and others involved in its creation
• The Wire facebook page has over 1,840,000 likes and more than 1,730,000 followers
• Includes commentary by actors such as Idris Elba and Michael B. Jordan, creator and writers such as David Simon and Richard Price, and the people many of the scenes and characters are based on, like Possum, the inspiration for the drug-addict informant Bubbles
• New York Times Top 10 Bestseller ( #6 ) And Top 10 Amazon bestseller
• Enduring popularity of show evident through initiatives such as The Wire – Stripped podcast reminiscent of Serial recapping every episode of the show with interviews from cast, crew and celebrity fans (thewirestripped.com)
• #1 TV show of all time – Empire; The Greatest TV Drama of the Past 25 Years – Vulture
• Diehard fans include former President Barack Obama
• Comparable titles include The Wire: Truth Be Told (9781847675996) which has sold well into five figures with NBD revenue of £60,000
• Includes 2 x 8 page colour photo sections