What's next A backstage pass to The West Wing, its cast and crew, and its enduring legacy of service

On the award-winning television series The West Wing, we had a president (played by Martin Sheen) many have considered ideal. The authors of What's Next are both former cast members: Fitzgerald portrayed Carol Fitzpatrick, assistant to Allison Janney's press secretary C. J. Cregg, and McCormack played deputy national security advisor Kate Harper. Their lively, engaging book takes a deep dive into the series, including its origin, creators, casting, key episodes from its seven seasons, and more. In an authors' note, Fitzgerald and McCormack write that the book is "also about what the world of the show, and the characters who inhabit it, represented: a dedication to service." Many of the actors who portray those characters have also shown a dedication to service off-screen, and throughout the book are "service stories" in which they discuss their backgrounds and the service organizations they support. Fans of the series (aka "Wingnuts") will enjoy these on- and off-camera stories, and those who have never watched an episode will find out what they've missed.

Actors Fitzgerald and McCormack--who played Carol Fitzpatrick and Kate Harper, respectively, on The West Wing (1999--2006)--deliver an entertaining history of the show grounded in extensive interviews with its stars, writers, and crew. The authors recount how creator Aaron Sorkin largely improvised his pitch for The West Wing after realizing that what he had assumed was a friendly dinner with ER producer John Wells was actually a development meeting. Elsewhere, Fitzgerald and McCormack explain that the show's signature walk-and-talk shots stemmed from pilot director Thomas Schlamme's efforts to recreate the hustle and bustle he witnessed while visiting Bill Clinton in the Oval Office, and that Glenn Close confessed to feeling nervous about keeping up with the show's frenetic production schedule when guest starring as a Supreme Court nominee. The insider stories amuse, and meditations on the show's legacy highlight its influence on real-life politicos (Michigan state senator Mallory McMorrow quips, "We accept that our day-to-day is Parks and Recreation... but we always aspire to be The West Wing"). This will be catnip for fans of the show. Agent: Matt Latimer, Javelin. (Aug.)

A celebration of all thingsWest Wing from a pair of former cast members. As the Trump presidency battered the norms of American democracy and Covid-19 forced citizens to nest indoors, the White House TV drama, which originally aired from 1999 to 2006, enjoyed a second life as a tribute to steady leadership. Fitzgerald and McCormack, who played assistant press secretary and deputy national security adviser, respectively, strive to evoke the show's upbeat, pro--public service spirit throughout this book, dishing anecdotes about the series and spotlighting the charitable endeavors of its cast and crew. The authors gained excellent access to key figures on the show, from creator Aaron Sorkin (who wrote the foreword) to stars like Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, and Alison Janney, down to the Steadicam operator (a crucial role on a program infamous for its "walk-and-talks"). There's plenty of insider trivia--e.g., Eugene Levy was once a candidate to play grumpy communications director Toby, Hal Holbrook was in the running to play President Jed Bartlet, and Sheen financed regular cast-and-crew trips to Las Vegas. The authors dedicate chapters to a handful of episodes especially beloved by the show's fans (aka Wingnuts) and explore the show's legacy since its end among creative and political communities. (Lin-Manuel Miranda notes cases where he unconsciously borrowedWest Wing patter forHamilton.) The book is mainly hagiography, with participants celebrating the close-knit family vibe on the set and lamenting low points like the death of John Spencer, who played Bartlet's chief of staff; touchy subjects, like Lowe's departure over salary, are handled gently, almost apologetically. A nonpartisan history of the show remains to be written, but this is satisfying on its own terms, determinedly refusing to see "government" as a four-letter word. A gauzy but thorough exploration of a prestige-TV standard-bearer. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.