“A remarkably entertaining story of Hollywood in the 2000s…Hertz’s interest in behind-the-scenes stories offers a fascinating bottom-up perspective on some of the film’s technical challenges.”–Hua Hsu, The New Yorker
“Barry Hertz was the perfect choice to tackle the history of the Fast & Furious saga…I was riveted and entertained.”–The Film Stage
”[E]ngagingly told…The cars, the muscles, the egos, the inventiveness, the ludicrousness…All that gloriously entertaining excess is solidly charted by Hertz, a quarter mile at a time.” –Empire

”[T]he most entertaining book about filmmaking today, and most revealing about the egos of stars, directors, writers, executives…I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to know how pop culture works in all its beauty and ugliness…this is THE book.”

–Joseph Kahn, director

“A can’t-miss read for anyone part of this fandom family…Hertz brings everything together with colorful writing, old and new facts, and insightful commentary.”

–Screen Rant
“An incredible deep dive into the world of The Fast and the Furious. Hertz not only brought me back to my high school years, but reinvigorated my love for this franchise as a whole.” –Capes & Tights
“Barry Hertz becomes ‘family’ with the ‘Fast and the Furious’ franchise in his excellent and engaging Welcome to the Family.”–rogerebert.com
“Packed with…revelations about the high-octane drama surrounding one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood.”–Geek Tyrant
“Barry Hertz captures with insightful reporting and witty storytelling how this little calendar-filler clawed and fought its way to the top of the entertainment pyramid, with drama wild enough to rival the franchise’s notorious “car in space” stunt. Even if you’re not a Fast fan, the story of this saga is such a fun read you’ll keep coming back for every chapter with delight.“–Richard Rushfield, co-founder and editorial director of The Ankler, author of American Idol: The Untold Story
“Barry Hertz reveals a surprising truth about Hollywood: the most revolutionary movie franchise of the 21st century doesn’t involve superheroes or Stormtroopers. His incredibly entertaining book hit me like a big boost of NOS: it was an adrenaline rush that I couldn’t put down.”–Alan Siegel, author of Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television-and America-Forever
“Barry Hertz’s Welcome to the Family is a swift, absorbing, and occasionally guffaw-inducing book that mixes first-hand reportage and wide-angle cultural analysis with lively, unpretentious film criticism, and which also admirably refuses to stay in its lane, swerving away from mere fan service to scrutinize the ethos –and egos–fueling a franchise defined in equal measure by joyriding exuberance and blindsiding tragedy.”–Adam Nayman, author of David Fincher: Mind Games
“Barry Hertz’s deeply reported and wildly entertaining look at the world’s biggest, beefiest franchise is no mere love letter. By investigating every shocking twist and turn of the Fast & Furious drama across a quarter century, Hertz deftly reveals the hidden history of modern Hollywood.”–Stephen Rodrick, senior writer at Rolling Stone, author of The Magical Stranger: A Son’s Journey into His Father’s Life
“The unlikely rise of a band of speed-freaks is one of modern Hollywood’s most compelling stories. Barry Hertz recounts the saga behind the saga with a book that’s as pacy as a runaway Mitsubishi Eclipse and as zesty as a lime-soaked Corona. If you’ve ever wanted to get under the chassis of this splendidly ludicrous movie franchise – from NOS-blasted action to turbo-charged egos – now’s your chance.”–Nick de Semlyen, author of The Last Action Heroes

“Hertz’s prose is muscular…Readers who can’t get enough of speed and steel will find this a ride worth taking.”

–Kirkus Reviews