Discover the magic of the silver screen with Jewish Lives.

Barbra Streisand: Redefining Beauty, Femininity, and Power
By Neal Gabler

“Fascinating and insightful” —The Wall Street Journal
An enthralling appreciation of the monumentally gifted popular artist and cultural icon who challenged Hollywood’s standards of beauty and glamour

Warner Bros: The Making of an American Movie Studio
By David Thomson

“Witty and stunningly original” —Jeanine Basinger, author of The Star Machine
Behind the scenes at the legendary Warner Brothers film studio, where four immigrant brothers transformed themselves into the moguls and masters of American fantasy

Groucho Marx: The Comedy of Existence
By Lee Siegel

“Delightfully perverse” —The New York Times Book Review
A trenchant examination of an iconic American figure that explores the cultural and psychological roots of his comic genius

Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker
By David Mikics

“A joy to read” —Molly Haskell, author of Steven Spielberg: A Life in Films
An engrossing biography of one of the most influential filmmakers in cinematic history

Ben Hecht: Fighting words, Moving Pictures
By Adina Hoffman

“Electrifying” —Booklist, starred review
A vibrant portrait of one of the most accomplished and prolific American screenwriters, by an award-winning biographer and essayist

Steven Spielberg: A Life in Films
By Molly Haskell

“Uncommonly absorbing” —The New Republic
A film-centric portrait of the extraordinarily gifted movie director whose decades-long influence on American popular culture is unprecedented

Mel Brooks: Disobedient Jew
By Jeremy Dauber

“Entertaining and enlightening” —Kenneth Turan, author of Not to Be Missed: Fifty-Four Favorites from a Lifetime of Film
A spirited dive into the life and career of a performer, writer, and director who dominated twentieth-century American comedy