While I'm far from a bookworm, every now and then I sit down with something to read (mostly film-related, of course). One of the most enjoyable books I've read in the past few years has been Peter Biskind's Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, which chronicles the rise of "New Hollywood" through the 60's and 70's. This text covers a wide variety of directors (Coppola, Bogdonivich, Scorsese, Spielberg, Friedken, Malick, etc.) and actors (Nicholson, Hopper, Beatty, etc.) who got their big breaks during this time. Biskind's ample research helps put into perspective the transition between the days of old studio heads and the new talent that shook up cinema. While the book is informative, it also falls on the gossipy side, letting the reader chew on all of the behind-the-scenes festivities the "New Hollywood" crowd enjoyed (I still wonder how Dennis Hopper has survived all these years). All in all, this is a great guide to an important period in film and one that movie fans should appreciate.
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