Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born

How Buffy Staked Our Hearts

By: Evan Ross Katz

Narrated by: Evan Ross Katz, Deanna Anthony

Explore the history and cultural impact of a groundbreaking television show adored by old and new fans alike: Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Over the course of its seven-year run, Buffy the Vampire Slayer cultivated a loyal fandom and featured a strong, complex female lead, at a time when such a character was a rarity. Evan Ross Katz explores the show’s cultural relevance through a book that is part oral history, part celebration, and part memoir of a personal fandom that has universal resonance still, decades later.

Katz - with the help of the show’s cast, creators, and crew - reveals that although Buffy contributed to important conversations about gender, sexuality, and feminism, it was not free of internal strife, controversy, and shortcomings. Men - both on screen and off - would taint the show’s reputation as a feminist masterpiece, and changing networks, amongst other factors, would drastically alter the show’s tone.

Katz addresses these issues and more, including interviews with stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Charisma Carpenter, Emma Caulfield, Amber Benson, James Marsters, Anthony Stewart Head, Seth Green, Marc Blucas, Nicholas Brendon, Danny Strong, Tom Lenk, Bianca Lawson, Julie Benz, Clare Kramer, K. Todd Freeman, Sharon Ferguson; and writers Douglas Petrie, Jane Espenson, and Drew Z. Greenberg; as well as conversations with Buffy fanatics and friends of the cast including Stacey Abrams, Cynthia Erivo, Lee Pace, Claire Saffitz, Tavi Gevinson, and Selma Blair.

Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born engages with the very notion of fandom, and the ways a show like Buffy can influence not only how we see the world but how we exist within it.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Evan Ross Katz (P)2022 Hachette Books

Critic reviews

"Evan has produced the definitive feast for Buffy Buffs!" (Andy Cohen)

"Evan Ross Katz has jumped into the world of Buffy in a way no one ever has before. I’m in awe of the way Evan loves Buffy, cares about Buffy, and writes about Buffy. Each chapter reignited my love for the show in a new kind of way. This book is a deep dive and a love letter and a brilliant reminder that a good piece of art can live on far past a series finale.” (Kiernan Shipka)

"As someone who didn't watch Buffy until meeting Evan, his fandom, understanding, and total embrace of the nuance and complexities of the show ravages this book, and turns a chambré viewer into a fangirl. His writing is fresh, and so are his perspectives - through reading, you contemplate the series through his eyes and discover new vantage points through anecdotes from those orbiting the Buffy universe. Not only is the show iconic, so is this author." (Christopher John Rogers)

Great listen

This is an excellent book for anyone who loves the show and is able to think critically about its themes 25 years later. It’s not a “behind-the-scenes tell-all,” it’s not a biography, and it doesn’t gloss over or excuse anything problematic about the series. It’s written by someone who loves the show on so many levels and has spent a lot of time analyzing it from different angles, which I so appreciate. There are tons of quotes, so sometimes it’s hard to know who is speaking, but other than that I have no critiques.

stellar

Thank you for such an unabashedly, unbiased-reveal of truths, humor, and fun. I experienced a range of emotions, but enjoyed every minute.


-Donyn D. Bird-Kelly

Nearly perfect…

My only complaint about this audiobook, and one that I’m sure isn’t an issue in a hardcopy, is that it is often hard to differentiate the author from his quoting an interviewee. I am all for authors reading their own books on audio, I think it’s a valuable tool and allows the reader to get the emphasis that the author intends. I think this author should have taken a page from the recent books about shows like The Office and Modern Family and employed voice actors for different people being interviewed. Other than that difficulty, A+.

ERK slays this deep dive into the world of BTVS!

As a die hard fan of the show and a follower of Evan Ross Katz, I was very excited but also very nervous to read this book. I put it off for a while because given everything that had came out about the show's creator I wasn't exactly thrilled to hear how difficult some BTS moments were. I work in the TV/Film industry and have heard so many rumors of what went down on that show that I feel this book brought to light and also put some of those rumors to bed. This book is a must read for Buffy fans and I have to thank ERK for his dedication to get answers to the questions that a lot of us have had over the years. I can relate so much to Evan's feeling about SMG, the show, CC, Lee Pace's height, Emma Caulfield, and not mentioned but referenced love for Xtina. Thank you for writing this and allowing me to dive back into my love for the show once again. Re-watch incoming!

A must read for any Buffy fan

Just a fantastic book. Stellar commentary, giving fun behind the scenes information while not shying away from the hard facts and truths that have come out in recent years. I watched Buffy during its original airing and many times sense. This has been a fun read, while also getting me to rewatch my favorite show for the first time in awhile.

Amazing book with great insight

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book and it was the quickest time I finished an audiobook to date! I didn’t think there was anything I would have missed on the show since I have watched it many many many many times! It’s basically the only show I watch on repeat, but there were still little gems that I hadn’t taken notice of and I loved the interviews with all the cast members. Thank you for writing this book! 10/10

Thank you, ERK and SMG

I’ll start by saying that this book (audio & hardcover; yes, I bought both) was much more in depth and emotional than I expected. Evan tells a complete story that brings the nostalgia, the laughter, the tears and the joy rushing back in the same way that watching the BTVS does. I cannot recommend this book enough for Buddy fans and even for anyone who is just a pop culture but. The interviews from cast, namely Charisma Carpenter, Julie Benz & Emma Caulfield really help being the story into focus. It is unfortunate that some of the main cast & crew declined to interview for the book but after reading, I can understand a some the reasons why. Chapter 22 in particular made my heart swell hearing everyone gush about SMG. It is the type of thing one always hopes others think and say about them. Congratulations Evan Ross Kate for knocking it out of the park. You have gained a fan.

This is a must read (or listen) for every Buffy fan!

I was so pleased to listen to this wonderful book. The information, opinions and interviews achieved in this telling are remarkable.
The format is perfectly balanced with the original story, fandom, and situations behind the scenes that have come to light.
Evan Ross Katz has done a brilliant job!

Love it

He was very respectful of the Contant, and presenting the Fax, without being overly bias, with some very difficult truths

A whole new outlook on the Buffyverse

I guess I am one of those people that a story about a whale is just a story about a whale, or in this case a Vampire Slayer.

I was introduced to Buffy somewhere between Season 5 or Season 6, when I spent the summer with a cousin and she said I had to try it. I had seen the movie and thought it was ok and I figured I would entertain my younger cousin and watch it with her. Dude, I was hooked. I binged all the episodes she had on recorded off the TV onto VHS that she had. I was bummed when I returned home and found that my cable service didn't get the right channel for Buffy, I talked my mom into switching cable providers and soon I was having Buffy viewing parties with friends every week. I followed along into Angel and have rewatched the series yearly.

I'm about to start another rewatch, even though I have done my yearly one, because I have a whole new viewpoint on the episodes and the themes. I'm not one to read a lot into things, I take them for what they are when watching.

In this book, Evan takes you by the hand and gently guides obtuse viewers (like me) into the metaphorical world of Buffy with a season by season (and sometimes episode by episode) breakdown of themes and hidden meanings.

I wasn't as excited about the second half of the book, when it got into the real world stuff. But after reading that part, I understand some of things that have happened better. I don't want to give anything away. But I loved the interviews with the cast.

Great job Evan!