I loved The West Wing, even if I came to it late. I remember working in the video store and as each season came in, cutting one for rent. I was fairly oblivious in my 20s, but as I grew, I became enchanted with Aaron Sorkin’s writing, and needed to watch the things he’d written.

So when I dove into The West Wing, I was all in. I wasn’t wasting anytime, I bought the series box set and devoured it, a couple of times.

It filled me with hope, and inspire as it taught me to aspire for more. Like Star Trek taught me to hope for a better future, The West Wing showed how we could start working towards it. It presented an idealistic vision of what government can and should be, and would always present, fairly, both sides of an argument.

I re-watched the series about a year or two ago to introduce it to my partner, and it moved me then as much as it did the first time. The writing, the characters, the idea of service and helping to help.

I was delighted when a high-school classmate of mine, thank you Betsy, let me know via one of her posts that there was a new book out about The West Wing, a behind-the-scenes celebration of what the series was, who made it, and the service they gave and give to those in need.

I don’t often buy books anymore, I’m running out of shelf space, and space in general, so I reserved a digital copy at my library. A third of the way through it, I had to buy my own copy – it sparked joy – just so that I could have it and it would be there when I need it again, and you know I will.

Written by series regulars Melissa Fitzgerald (Carol) and Mary McCormack (Kate Harper) What’s Next takes us through the series creation, its casting, and highlights a number of key episodes and iconic moments.

Filled with loving detail, they are as much Wing-nuts as those of us who are reading the book, the authors highlight all aspects of production, and also delves into the service and charities that the cast and crew support and are involved in.

And that inspires.

I’m not gonna lie, the creative wheels are turning in my head, I just need to crack the story completely, but The West Wing, and Sorkin make you want to write, to put something positive out there.

It’s a hefty book, but I didn’t want it to end. Much like bingeing the series I would just keep reading. I would have to force myself to put it down so that I would race through it. I wanted to savor it. I wanted to spend time with these actors and creatives who brough the show to life, and seem as amazing in real life as they are on screen.

I would settle into my chair, put on W.G. ‘Snuffy’ Walden’s score and just smile as I turned pages. I also got misty-eyed as I relieved the heartache and loss of actors and their characters. But I enjoyed every minute of every page of this book.

The entire tome feels like a conversation, an easy back and forth between friends. A chat with Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Martin Sheen, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Aaron Sorkin, Rob Lowe, Dule Hill, Josh Malina, Stockard Channing and so many more.

It, of course, has inspired another re-watch, accompanied by The West Wing Weekly Podcast.

I LOVED this book, and can’t thank Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack enough for pouring their heart and time into this. This book was a MUST for me, and if you have a Wing-nut in your life, it’s for them too. And we’re all Wing-nuts, you just may not know it yet.

Now, if I could just crack the story on my creative idea and get that ball rolling.