Best Film Books of 2011 Are Biographies
Here are 10 compelling film books published this year, listed alphabetically by title. Admittedly, I love old movies and classic Hollywood — and this list reflects that preference. One might ask, “Are these the best film books of the year?” I think so. The annotated slide show which accompanies this piece also includes five additional titles — including a couple of books which are not strictly film biographies. Each is also recommended and makes for great reading for those who love the movies.
Harlow in Hollywood: The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital, 1928-1937, by Darrell Rooney and Mark A. Vieira (Angel City Press)
John Huston: Courage and Art, by Jeffrey Meyers (Crown Archetype)
Myrna Loy: The Only Good Girl in Hollywood, by Emily W. Leider (University of California Press)
Pauline Kael: A Life in the Dark, by Brian Kellow (Viking)
Raoul Walsh: The True Adventures of Hollywood’s Legendary Director, by Marilyn Ann Moss (University Press of Kentucky)
The Rise and Fall of Lou-Tellegen, by David W. Menefee (Menefee Publishing)
Spencer Tracy: A Biography, by James Curtis (Knopf)
Syd Chaplin: A Biography, by Lisa K. Stein (McFarland)
Thomas Ince: Hollywood’s Independent Pioneer, by Brian Taves (University Press of Kentucky)
Wally: The True Wallace Reid Story, by David W. Menefee (BearManor Media)