LIFE'S WORK

A brilliant memoir from the writer who brought us Deadwood, NYPD Blue, and many other great TV shows.

Known for his gritty dialogue and reality-driven, richly meaningful plots, Milch (b. 1945), a consummate storyteller, sets himself up as an unreliable narrator from the start. In the prologue, he reveals that he has Alzheimer’s and that he is writing with the aid of his family’s recollections as well as transcripts of his writing sessions from the past 20 years. For most of the book, the author writes with a mix of authority and swagger about his early days—both his triumphs and missteps. While Milch was at Yale, his writing got the attention of Robert Penn Warren, who mentored him. Warren’s support continued even as he developed a heroin addiction, among other tribulations. Milch outlines all those issues, alongside his successes with Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue (which created more issues), with the command and charm that so many of his memorable characters possess. He also provides interesting inside details about his classic shows. In one of his many asides about writing, Milch explains that he was writing more assuredly during Deadwood, which he says was inspired by the Apostle St. Paul, and he began using what he calls “God’s voice.” Using that voice, the author delivers several amazing passages—including one about Zenyatta, the famed racehorse—that beautifully encapsulate the power of sports and the experience of being a sports fan. “I really started pulling for that filly the last eighth of a mile, even as one had the sense that it didn’t look like she was going to get there,” he writes, setting the scene. That’s why when Milch’s formal writing voice begins to weaken, coinciding with his declining health and struggles with other issues, including the “corrosive” influence of gambling, the story becomes all the more poignant.

A master class for writers and a backstage bonanza for TV fans rolled into one unforgettable package.