Books for Actors
Great books to enhance your knowledge of the craft, business and understanding of acting
Great Books Every Actor Should Read
Our list of recommended books about the craft and business of acting.
ACTING TECHNIQUE
ACTING; THE FIRST SIX LESSONS
by Richard Boleslavsky
THE INTENT TO LIVE: ACHIEVING YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL AS AN ACTOR
by Larry Moss
THE ART OF ACTING
by Stella Adler
SANFORD MEISNER ON ACTING
by Sanford Meisner
RESPECT FOR ACTING
by Uta Hagen
AN ACTOR PREPARES
by Konstantin Stanislavski
ON THE TECHNIQUE OF ACTING
by Michael Chekhov
THE POWER OF THE ACTOR: THE CHUBBUCK TECHNIQUE
by Ivana Chubbuck
A CHALLENGE FOR THE ACTOR
by Uta Hagen
No Acting, Please
by Eric Morris and Joan Hotchkis
ACTIONS: THE ACTORS’ THESAURUS
by Marina Caldarone and
Maggie Lloyd-Williams
FINE ON ACTING: A VISION OF THE CRAFT
by Howard Fine
ON-CAMERA ACTING
ACTING IN FILM
by Michael Caine
SECRETS OF SCREEN ACTING
by Patrick Tucker
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA: REVISED EDITION
by Tony Barr
AUDITIONING
AUDITION
by Michael Shurtleff
A STAR IS FOUND: OUR ADVENTURES CASTING SOME OF HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST MOVIES
by Jane Jenkins and Janet Hirshenson
COMEDY & IMPROV
IMPROVISATION FOR THE THEATER
by Viola Spolin
THEATER GAMES FOR THE CLASSROOM: A TEACHER’S HANDBOOK
by Viola Spolin
THE EIGHT CHARACTERS OF COMEDY: GUIDE TO SITCOM ACTING AND WRITING
by Scott Sedita
THE BUSINESS OF ACTING
THE ACTOR’S LIFE: A SURVIVAL GUIDE
by Jenna Fischer
SELF-MANAGEMENT FOR ACTORS: GETTING DOWN TO (SHOW) BUSINESS
by Bonnie Gillespie
BREAKING AND ENTERING: A MANUAL FOR THE WORKING ACTOR
by Philip Carlson
THE ACTOR’S GUIDE TO SELF-MARKETING
by Carla Renata
THE ACTOR’S JOURNEY
A LIFE IN PARTS
by Bryan Cranston
YES PLEASE
by Amy Poehler
IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, WOULD I HAVE THIS LOOK ON MY FACE?
by Alan Alda
THE ACTOR’S LIFE: A SURVIVAL GUIDE
by Jenna Fischer
VOICE & MOVEMENT
FREEING THE NATURAL VOICE
by Kristin Linklater
BODY LEARNING: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE
by Michael J. Gelb
ARTISTIC INSPIRATION
THE CREATIVE ACT: A WAY OF BEING
by Rick Rubin
SCREENWRITING & DIRECTING
ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE
by William Goldman
THE ART OF DRAMATIC WRITING
by Lajos Egri
SCREENWRITING IS REWRITING: THE ART & CRAFT OF PROFESSIONAL REVISION
by Jack Epps Jr.
ON DIRECTING FILM
by David Mamet
MAKING MOVIES
by Sidney Lumet and
Richard M. Davidson
SAVE THE CAT!: THE LAST BOOK ON SCREENWRITING YOU’LL EVER NEED
by Blake Snyder
SCREENPLAY: THE FOUNDATIONS OF SCREENWRITING
by Syd Field
MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT
by Linda Seger
STORY: SUBSTANCE, STRUCTURE, STYLE, AND THE PRINCIPLES OF SCREENWRITING
by Robert McKee
SCREENWRITING FOR HOLLYWOOD
by Michael Hauge
FILM DIRECTING: SHOT BY SHOT
by Steve D. Katz
FILM/TV DIRECTOR’S FIELD MANUAL
by Rob Spera