Answers in the Form of Questions

A Definitive History and Insider's Guide to Jeopardy!

By: Claire McNear, Ken Jennings

Narrated by: Devon Sorvari

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's Summary

What is the smartest, most celebrated game show of all time? In this insider's guide, discover the rich history of Jeopardy! - the beloved game show that has shaped our culture and entertained audiences for years.

Jeopardy! is a lot of things: record-setting game show, beloved family tradition, and proving ground for many of North America's best and brightest. Nearly four decades into its current edition, Jeopardy! now finds itself facing unprecedented change. This is the chronicle of how the show became a cross-generational touchstone and where it's going next. Answers in the Form of Questions dives deep behind the scenes, with longtime host Alex Trebek talking about his life and legacy and the show's producers and writers explaining how they put together the nightly game. 

Listeners will travel to bar trivia showdowns with the show's biggest winners and training sessions with trivia whizzes prepping for their shot onstage. And they'll discover new tales of the show's most notable moments - like the time the Clue Crew almost slid off a glacier - and learn how celebrity cameos and Saturday Night Live spoofs built a television mainstay. 

Answers in the Form of Questions looks to the past - and the future - to explain what Jeopardy! really is: a tradition unlike any other.

©2020 Claire McNear and Ken Jennings (P)2020 Twelve

Critic Reviews

"Journalist McNear debuts with a fast-paced and well-researched behind-the scenes look into one of America's most popular game shows. Game show lovers and aspiring contestants will definitely want to pick this up." (Publishers Weekly)

"Claire McNear does a fantastic job capturing the spirit behind the Jeopardy! production team, fandom, and contestant community. I already knew about a lot of this stuff, and I still couldn't put it down." (Brad Rutter, highest-earning Jeopardy! contestant)

"McNear lifts up the hood on Jeopardy! and shows us the inner workings, from quirky contestants and fans to details about the buzzer. I saw so many parallels to the Scripps National Spelling Bee too, from intensive and creative studying strategies through the decades to the balance between the live audience and the home audience. If you like Jeopardy! I highly R-E-C-O-M-M-E-N-D this book." (Dr. Jacques Bailly, official pronouncer of the Scripps National Spelling Bee)

A great listen for Jeopardy fans . . .

On occasion when I have been able to actually answer a number of questions, determined by the subject at hand, my husband will tell me I should apply. Absolutely not. I would freeze up and make a fool of myself. And, after gaining such detailed insight on the application process, I will definitely stay put in front of the tv. Needless to say, there was a lot of information to take in, which definitely makes it worthy to listen to again. Great content and narration. My only complaint is that I wanted more.

Wish there was more!

I really wish there was more. This book did a great job of covering the show's history, but is already outdated since it was released. So much has happened in the last 2-3 years. You have Alex passing and all the guest hosts. There is Richards leaving as EP and hosting only one week of episodes as the new host. Davies replacing him as EP and bringing with him new changes. The start of the official podcast Inside Jeopardy. The end of the Clue Crew. Ken and Mayim announced as the new hosts. The season of super champs with Matt, Amy, Mattea and others. The Second Chance Tournament and the new format for the TOC. I hope this book can be updated in the future to cover these other things.

Great

Really enjoyed this book. I’m a casual Jeopardy fan and loved the insider’s look behind the scenes. Well written performed.

Terrific Reader! Great Story - only Wish it was longer...

Wow! I loved listening to this book! The narrator is awesome. I laughed again and again at her rendition.

The story is great - it wanders a bit between bio and non-fiction - hard to tell which is which when listening. I was intent on the content and would have listened to double the amount of content.

What is Jeopardy!

This is an engaging and enlightening book about the television game show Jeopardy! As a long-time Jeopardy fan, I highly recommend this title because it tells the story behind the show. To me, it is fitting that the audiobook was released on Audible 2 days after host Alex Trebek died. This book keeps Alex alive indefinitely through the spoken word. I Think the female narrator does a fantastic job narrating, particularly evident when imitating show announcer Johnny Gilbert. Long live Jeopardy!