"Harris has been, among other things, a stand-up comic, and it shows…lively phrases and an ear for the incongruous…a skilled storeyteller…pulls you in like a good sports stroy."
– The New Yotk Times Book Review
"A rollicking ride of intellectual discovery and emotional growth. He provokes much laughter- unlike his buzzer skills, his comic timing never fails him- and a few unexpected tears…it’s a pleasure to tage along."
– The Wall Street Journal
"Endearingly frank…a jubilant Mexican jumping bean of digressions and asides…Everything in Harris’s memoir is lighthearted and fast-paced."
– New York Newsday
"Down to earth and entertaining, even for non-Jeopardy! fans."
– The New York Daily News
"A surprisingly touching memoir."
– Entertainment Weekly
"Eccentric, energetic, and engaging…charming."
– Publishers Weekly
"Cleverly executed…solid entertainment."
– Kirkus Reviews
"I haven’t seen Jeopardy! since I was a kid, and yet I was charmed and amused by Bob Harris’s fascinating and surprisingly suspenseful book. Through sheer force of personality, he takes this brainy TV show and makes it funny and easy to relate to."
– Ira Glass, creator and host, This American Life
"Wise, honest, and very funny…I wish I’d written it. Then again, I wish I’d won $127,000 and his & her Camaros, on Jeopardy!, too."
– Jeff Greenstein, writer/producer, Desperate Housewives, Will & Grace, Friends
“Answer: A hilarious, engaging and highly entertaining book. Question is: What is Prisoner of Trebekistan? (All right … that was sort of a lame Jeopardy! joke. But what can I say? It’s a great book.)"
—Paul Feig, creator of Freaks and Geeks and author of Superstud and Kick Me
“Prisoner of Trebekistan is funny, enlightening—and just might help you win a million bucks on Jeopardy!”
—A.J. Jacobs, author of The Know-It-All
“Prisoner of Trebekistan is so effortlessly funny and informative, the fact that it’s also tender, human, and very wise kind of sneaks up on you. . . . Amidst the nerve-wracking Jeopardy! showdowns and hilarious study rituals, Bob Harris has found the difference between facts and knowledge, between knowledge and wisdom, proving conclusively that the answer to the meaning of life may very well take the form of a question. A must for anyone who loves Jeopardy!, or has ever seen it, or is breathing.”
—Joss Whedon, creator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
“If you don’t buy this book—this funny, learned, charming, and surprisingly moving book—I will make it burst into flames in your hands.”
—Arthur Phillips, author of Prague and The Egyptologist
“Bob Harris does a masterful job of describing the emotional state of a Jeopardy! contestant in the heat of battle. Even more impressively, Prisoner of Trebekistan captures the inquisitive spirit that is both the cause and effect of success on the show. I knew that Bob was a great guy and a fantastic Jeopardy! player. Now I’ve found that he’s also a wonderful writer. I think I’m starting to hate him.”
—Brad Rutter, top money-winner in Jeopardy! history (more than $3.2 million)
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