History & Criticism

Once upon a time... Hollywood went to war with itself. In the mid-1930s, Communism began to find its way into the film capital of the world....

Comedian, activist, and hugely popular culture blogger at AwesomelyLuvvie.com Luvvie Ajayi serves up necessary advice for the masses in this hilarious book of essays....

The definitive biography of a vulnerable and talented actress, now with shocking new chapters including the reopened investigation into her mysterious drowning....

In this first volume of his diaries, Michael Palin tells for the first time how Monty Python emerged and triumphed....

For 13 years, 22 series and 175 shows, Richard Porter was script editor of Top Gear, from the first faltering pilot episode in 2002 until the very last show presented by Jeremy Clarkson.....

The inspiring profile brought to life in the major motion picture A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks in theaters Thanksgiving, plus a collection of warm advice and encouragement from America’s favorite neighbor....

A deeply personal and revealing Hollywood-survival story.....

This is the story of William Shatner’s half-century career and private life....

James Gandolfini: The Real Life of the Man Who Made Tony Soprano is the first biography of the actor, who died in June 2013 at age 51, widely recognized as one of the best - and most defining - actors of his generation....

The Queer Art of Failure is about finding alternatives - to conventional understandings of success in a heteronormative, capitalist society; to academic disciplines that confirm what is already known according to approved methods of knowing; and to cultural criticism....

From a veteran culture writer and modern movie expert, a celebration and analysis of the movies of 1999 - arguably the most groundbreaking year in American cinematic history....

This book, written by one of the greatest comedy geniuses of all time, takes listeners inside the classic film's marvelous creation story....

From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film....

Perhaps no actor has been able to retain their popularity into old age as well as Sean Connery. However, it is surprising that many of his films have not been acclaimed....

Life is full of choices. Right now, yours is whether or not to buy the autobiography of a mid-grade, kind of hammy actor....

The one and only Zadie Smith, prize-winning, best-selling author of White Teeth, is back with a second unmissable collection of essays. No subject is too fringe or too mainstream....

Japanese culture and animation scholar Susan Napier explores the life and art of extraordinary Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, including his significant impact on Japan and the world, to provide a definitive account of his oeuvre....

British Legends: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Chaplin comprehensively examines Chaplin's life and films, exploring the controversies and the ways in which his life and works are mutually informative....

This audiobook follows the wild ride that was Hollywood in the 70s - an unabashed celebration of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll and a climate where innovation reigned supreme....

In this concise, crisply written guide, Patricia Aufderheide takes listeners along the diverse paths of documentary history and charts the lively, often fierce debates among filmmakers and scholars....

From The New Yorker’s fiercely original, Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic, a provocative collection of new and previously published essays arguing that we are what we watch....

In How Star Wars Conquered the Universe, veteran journalist Chris Taylor traces the series from the difficult birth of the original film through its sequels....

Chateau Marmont has sat atop the Sunset Strip for nearly a century, like the Rock of Gibraltar. It is a place filled with deep secrets but is hidden in plain sight, and its evolution parallels the growth of Hollywood itself....

On January 10, 1999, a mobster walked into a psychiatrist's office and changed TV history. By shattering preconceptions about the kinds of stories the medium should tell, The Sopranos launched our current age of prestige television.... 

Based on in-depth reporting and interviews with those involved, and updated with a new introduction by the author, The Late Shift is a blow-by-blow account of the fight that ensued as stars, agents, and executives maneuvered for control of the most profitable program in TV history....

This is the unauthorized, uncensored, and unbelievable true story behind the making of a pop culture phenomenon....

The UK's most trusted (and scathing) film reviewer asks: who needs the professionals now that everyone's a critic....