What We're Reading: Jan

A Short History of Film by Wheeler Winston Dixon and Gwendolyn Audrey Foster

Have you ever wondered how and where movie making got its start? This title is an enjoyable and readable trip through American and foreign film history for "movie-lovers" and "movie-learners" alike. Directors, actors, genres and more are covered from the 1880s to the present. A timeline is included that puts filmmaking in a historical context and the essays show how social events influenced the movies and how movies influenced society. More than 240 photos and illustrations highlight the text. There is an extensive bibliography in case you'd like to read more about film noir or Fellini or any other topic. Overall, the book is a concise and entertaining history of the movies...the movies that delight and enlighten us all.