NBC's long-running soap

You have to hand it to the authors of this splashy coffee-table celebration of NBC's long-running soap: they know what fans want. The only words here are in photo captions and single-paragraph introductions, which is not such a bad thing for this handsome volume. Most of the book, arranged in day-in-the-life format, takes readers on a behind-the-scenes tour to wardrobe, makeup, dressing rooms, and the set, where actors rehearse and the bountiful homes seen on-air contrast sharply with the drab soundstages. There are trips inside dressing rooms for quiet moments and playful mugging, and ample space is devoted to veterans like Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes who, as Doug and Julie, were the Luke and Laura of the '70s. Longtime cast members like Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso, who became the daytime drama's '90s super-couple Bo and Hope, also show up often. Candid shots of the younger set are here too, and if it's excessive (why have just one photo of Shawn Christian changing his shirt when you can have four?), it only helps to illustrate what has kept fans tuning in for 45 years. Hint: it's not restraint. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.