This is such a rich discussion, so many great books I haven't read yet! Because my latest book is so new, I'm daring to mention it to the group--I've already mentioned it to Jim. It's Documentary Film: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford U Press). It just came out in Jan., and has garnered some nice mentions. I like Michael Rabiger's comment: "This is the first book about documentary I've encountered that tackles its identity, history, evolution, and major controversies enjoyably and in brief. I marvel at how much ground Pat Aufderheide covers and the clarity she brings to documentary's many functions, paradoxes, and contradictions. Maybe religion alone has more." It's one of those tiny little books in the Oxford Very Short Intro series, 160 pp and $9.95. If you need a desk copy or a review copy, I'd be happy to arrange. Pat Aufderheide, Professor and Director Center for Social Media, School of Communication American University 3201 New Mexico Av. NW, #395 Washington, DC 20016-8080 www.centerforsocialmedia.org [log in to unmask] 202-885-2069 "Frank, Michael" <[log in to unmask]> Sent by: Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]> 05/19/2008 11:03 AM Please respond to Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]> To [log in to unmask] cc Subject Re: [SCREEN-L] Books about film Because so much of film involves narrative, some materials on narrative structure and narratology would seem to be necessary. One of the best - distinguished by its clarity and modesty - is Seymour Chatman's Story and discourse: Narrative structure in fiction and film, Cornell University Press. (1993). And because the role of "interpretation" has emerged as a particularly vexed question, Susan Sontag's essay "Against Interpretation" would seem to be required, if only because it explores "The fact that films have not been overrun by interpreters" -- or at least that seemed to be the case in the prelapsarian year of 1963. mike -----Original Message----- From: Film and TV Studies Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of James Monaco Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 4:41 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [SCREEN-L] Books about film For a new edition of How to Read a Film we're preparing a list of 100 (or so) books everyone learning about the medium should read. Besides the obvious classics I'm looking for more obscure titles -- and not necessarily directly about film (or tv). (For example, I learned a lot about the language of film from Alexander Kira's sixties study, The Bathroom.) If you have any suggestions for this list (even if it is your own work) I'd appreciate hearing them. Thanks (and apologies for cross-posting). JM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= James Monaco 212 777 5463 UNET 2 Corporation 212 777 5534 (fax) 80 East 11th Street 800 269 6422 (sales) New York NY 10003 http://UNET.net http://HEPDigital.com ---- Learn to speak like a film/TV professor! Listen to the ScreenLex podcast: http://www.screenlex.org ---- To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask] ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu