The House That Hugh Laurie Built: An Unauthorized Biography and Episode Guide.

M. Wayne Cunningham is a past executive director of the Saskatchewan
Arts Board and the former director of Academic and Career Programs at
East Kootenay Community College.

Although it is neither a definitive nor an authorized biography of actor Hugh Laurie, Paul Challen’s synoptic overview of Laurie’s life and career should appeal to its intended audience of “House watchers—professional critics, bloggers, and casual fans alike.”

Relying mostly on secondary sources of published articles from newspapers, magazines, and websites, the book breezes along in anecdotal magazine style with about one-quarter of its pages devoted to Laurie’s family background, early upbringing and education, entry into the entertainment business, and interests in music, motorcycles, rowing, and boxing — interests that at times appear in episodes of the show. Another 10 percent contains two- to three-page profiles on cast members Lisa Edelstein, Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, and writer and series creator David Shore (born in London, Ontario). The remainder of the book provides detailed critiques for the episodes in seasons one through three, listing for each one the date aired, the writer, the director, and the guest stars, followed by narratives on the “episode differential,” “highlight(s),” “support staff,” “lies,” “exam room,” and “booboos.”

            As brief as the biographical summary is for Laurie, it does provide a number of interesting factoids about him as a published author of two books and an award winner for his role as House, as well as behind the scenes glimpses into the show’s production, medical authenticity, and interactions of the cast. (Both Laurie and Spencer have close family ties to the medical profession.) There are numerous tidbits for trivia buffs as well such as the breakthrough role Laurie played to get his start in North America, the location from which he did his audition for the House role, and the animated films for which he did voices. Also interesting is Laurie’s real life dark side that surfaces in House’s behaviour and has led one of Challen’s quoted sources to claim that Laurie is “a big hit at everything but being happy,” and another to observe that Laurie as House “at times seems a more suitable subject for treatment than his patients.”

            An entertaining and very readable look at one of today’s most popular TV personalities.