If you want the essentials without reading the book, Ortved wrote a piece with the same thesis for Vanity Fair. I just forgot it while I was writing my review. You do miss out on a lot of gossip and bad blood that really help sell that Groening was more of a deistic creator who helped set the machine in motion but didn't interfere with it.

Another thing I forgot is that David Silverman really is a champ and basically helped to show not to explode during the production of the first season. He was like one of the three creative workers on Klasky-Csupo back when the company was hired by Gracie Films or Fox, can't remember which one.