Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The UK’s Titan Books have released Candace Havens’ Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and the new edition features an extra interview with Whedon about the conclusion of the Buffy series.

Compiled with Whedon’s full co-operation, the book looks at his life from his school days in England, through his first TV job writing Roseanne, and covers Buffy, Angel and Firefly in detail. There are set visits to each show and interviews with the cast and crew, including Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz.

Writing a book about some of the best TV series being aired was a very pleasant experience for Havens. "After working on something like this, it’s difficult to pick a single favorite chapter," she said. "But I will say that I enjoyed talking with Joss’ film professor, Jeanine Basinger. She provided real insight into what makes him the way he is. And she’s just a cool lady.

"I also enjoyed doing that final exit interview with Joss, which is only in the British version of the book. He talked about the final days of Buffy, his plans for Angel and how he feels about all of it.

"The book is more than a biography. It takes the reader step by step into the process of building a cultural icon. That’s what Joss did with Buffy. From beginning to end he had a plan, and while he was flexible within that plan, ultimately he did exactly what he wanted to do."