Books about TV: TV Guide's Better Living Through Television

Here's a review and some quotes from one of the books in my library: "TV Guide: Better Living Through Television - The Quote Unquote Guide to Life" from 2006 with a foreword by Matt Roush.

This is a fun book, separated by subject matter that includes quotes and quizzes and life lessons one can learn from television. It is something you can pick up read a few pages and put down as it isn't written in a narrative style. The book is for prime time television and not daytime soaps, but there are a few quotes from Days of Our Lives and General Hospital. Dallas is also included, so I'm putting them in my blog also. There is one amusing mistake in this book referencing when Schneider was electrocuted on "One Life to Live", but they obviously meant "One Day at a Time". One of the quizzes asks about the star of "Friends" whose father is on Days, which of course is Jennifer Aniston. Another had a question about Luke and Laura's wedding and how Elizabeth Taylor appeared on the show. More than one quiz includes Dallas, one asks who played Miss Ellie first, another asks what tragic addiction does Sue Ellen have, and the last asks about Dallas ratings.

Here are the Days quotes:

Sami Brady (Ali Sweeney): "I just want to make it clear that Brandon is no longer available to be your knight in shining armor. If you're having problems figuring out your life, watch Dr. Phil."

Tony Dimera (Thaao Penghlis): "I'd invite you back, but I'm afraid you'd say yes."

Victor Kiriakis (John Aniston): "You know, for someone who loves their children so much, you certainly seem to do them a terrible disservice."

Here are the GH quotes:

Helena Cassadine (Constance Towers): "Discussing strategy with you would be like playing chess with a sugar bowl."

Helena Cassadine (Constance Towers): "They don't keep people like us in hell, dear. We'd end up running the place."

Monica Quartermaine (Leslie Charleson): "I suggest the fish --has lots of bones in it, hopefully you'll choke to death."

Here are the Dallas quotes, which were all said by Larry Hagman's J.R. Ewing:

"Don't forgive and never forget; do unto others before they do unto you; and third and most importantly, keep your eye on your friends, because your enemies will take care of themselves."

"A conscience is like a boat or a car. If  you feel you need one, rent it."

"Barnes just broke the cardinal rule in politics: never get caught in bed with a dead woman or a live man."

If you're a fan of primetime television and want to dazzle people with quotes this is definitely something to check out to add to your collection. While some of the shows mentioned are no longer on the air or forgotten, it is fun to look back at past programs.