Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




Books on Film (page 2)


Cover art for EMPIRE OF DREAMS
NONFICTION
Released: Sept. 7, 2010

"Engrossing and comprehensive--an essential text for readers interested in the history of movies."
Palm Beach Post books editor Eyman (Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Times of Louis B. Mayer, 2005, etc.) presents the truly epic life of director Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959) in grand style, befitting the great man, who, in addition to helming some of the most iconic movies of all time, did as much as anyone to establish Hollywood as the world's filmmaking center. Read full book review >
Cover art for VICTOR FLEMING
NONFICTION
Released: Dec. 9, 2008

"Scholarly, impassioned and riveting--a dandy corrective to an undervalued legacy and an immersive trip through a vanished era of popular entertainment."
The life and career of a protean figure from Hollywood's early days. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE FILM CLUB
NONFICTION
Released: May 6, 2008

"Perfectly balanced recollections, brimming with pathos leavened by sardonic humor."
Moviegoing brings a father and son closer together in this dynamic memoir by Canadian novelist Gilmour (Sparrow Nights, 2001, etc.). Read full book review >
Cover art for WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 1, 2007

"Not just a masterful and engaging piece of film scholarship, but a gripping cultural and social history of the United States in the 20th century."
Academy Award–winning screenwriter Norman (Shakespeare in Love) enthusiastically traces the peculiar history of screenwriting in Hollywood. Read full book review >
Cover art for KATE
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 3, 2006

"A sprawling salute to an awe-inspiring, world-class actor."
Film biographer/historian Mann (Edge of Midnight, 2005, etc.) considers the vibrant life of a 20th-century icon with encyclopedic scrutiny and a pinch of whimsy. Read full book review >
Cover art for REBELS ON THE BACKLOT
NONFICTION
Released: Feb. 1, 2005

"Waxman's grasp of the interior of the studio world, and her ability to make the workings of closed-door deals comprehensible, raise her work from textbook to something truly absorbing."
New York Times Hollywood correspondent Waxman examines the trajectory of the independent feature film in the 1990s as exemplified by the work of six Tinsel Town outsiders. Read full book review >