William Goldman is one of the most successful screenwriters in Hollywood. This book describes how he got in the business, and how he has succeeded. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I found his stories about Olivier, Newman, Redford, etc. very interesting, and I think Goldman would be the perfect person to be seated next to a dinner party — his anecdotes are funny and revealing. Those looking for guidance on how to make it as a screenwriter will probably be somewhat frustrated by the book, although Goldman does discuss in detail his writing of Butch Cassidy. He also has an interesting section at the end of the book that consists of an idea for a screenplay accompanied by comments from directors and other screenwriters. This book is a must for anyone interested in movies.
Adventures in the Screen Trade
