Gallery Books Releases Behind-the-Scenes Spinal Tap Book Today

Gallery Books today publishes A Fine Line Between Stupid And Clever: The Story Of Spinal Tap, offering an insider look at Christopher Guest’s landmark mockumentary and its long-awaited sequel.

The new volume unveils the full story behind the creation of This Is Spinal Tap and its follow-up, as recounted by co-creator and star Christopher Guest alongside Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer.

Gallery Books and Bleecker Street join forces

• Publication date: September 9, 2025.
• Authors: Rob Reiner with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer.
• Content: Origins of the 1984 cult classic, rehearsal anecdotes, DIY production ingenuity, and the mockumentary’s evolution into a pop-culture phenomenon.
• Sequel coverage: Behind-the-scenes account of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, due in theaters September 12, featuring cameos by Elton John and Paul McCartney.

A Fine Line Between Stupid And Clever cements the legacy of Guest’s improvisational genius and the enduring mockumentary format his work helped define. It arrives at a moment of renewed interest in mock-rock satire, just days before Spinal Tap II brings Nigel Tufnel back to the big screen.