If you’re a Broadway geek like me, this is a must-read. This first part of Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics takes us from 1954-1981 and includes all the lyrics (including a bunch of cut and altered songs) from all his shows, including Gypsy, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, and A Little Night Music. The most interesting part for me was Sondheim’ s introduction, which lays out his philosophies about being a lyricist. The most entertaining parts are Sondheim’s profiles of famous deceased Broadway lyricists, many of which are filled with a fair amount of snark (he’s particularly disdainful of Noel Coward).