Show people: a history of the film star

In effect Newton (Leiden Univ., Netherlands) presents the history of film told through famous actors and the notable movies in which they starred. He discusses 50 stars across 40 chapters grouped into five sections: "The Silent Star" (e.g., Charlie Chaplin), "The Golden Age" (e.g., Katharine Hepburn), "National Cinemas--Stars for the Nation" (e.g., John Wayne), "New Wave Stars" (e.g., Sidney Poitier), and "Posthuman Stars" (e.g., Scarlett Johansson). Each chapter presents a brief biography of the actor and descriptions of his/her most influential films. Each of the stars included brought something new to film culture, and Newton highlights and contextualizes that "something" in contemporary work. Infused throughout are musings on the ephemeral nature of stardom, from rise to fall. But rather than presenting a thesis of the mechanisms of gaining and maintaining popularity, this book discusses multiple stars, allowing the reader to make comparisons across time and draw parallels and distinctions. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. --Stephen Reysen, Texas A&M University-Commerce