# Recommend me some "behind the scenes" books **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727 "2011-02-09T03:10:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/21 "2011-02-09T20:55:55Z")
_Cockpit Confessions of an Airline Pilot_ by Steve Keshner is a fantastic book about the day to day life of a pilot - not for a big commercial airline, but the proverbial “cargo plane full of rubber dog shit.” The author flew for several different airlines, most of them obscure. If this book is to be believed, pilots are some of the raunchiest, most promiscuous, dirty-minded men on earth. There is a _lot_ of dirty, dirty talk in this book. Not for the faint of heart. It’s also very poorly edited. But it’s hilarious, and comes from the heart. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/22 "2011-02-09T21:11:59Z")
Steven Bach’s _Final Cut_, about the making of \*Heaven’s Gate \*and the downfall of United Artists. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/23 "2011-02-09T21:18:58Z")
**Sesame Street: Unpaved** is awesome and I second the recommendation, but also check out [Street Gang](http://www.amazon.com/Street-Gang-Complete-History-Sesame/dp/0670019968), a newer book that focuses mostly on the development of Sesame Street. It’s great! ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/24 "2011-02-09T21:23:08Z")
I also vote for the SNL book and the Beatles book mentioned above. I found this in a secondhand store, and found it fascinating: [The Big Show - High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards](http://www.amazon.com/Big-Show-Dealings-Backstage-Awards%C3%82%C2%AE/dp/0571211909/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297286538&sr=1-11) ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/25 "2011-02-09T21:23:49Z")
_The Devil’s Candy_ by Julie Salomon is an extremely well-researched book about the disastrous filming of _Bonfire of the Vanities_. I’ve read a few Hollywood behind-the-scenes books, and this one is significantly better than the others. It’s far more concerned with analysing and documenting exactly how it all went so wrong rather than just relying on lots of salacious gossip. I forget the author and title, but there’s another pretty good book about the fight between Paramount/Eddie Murphy and Art Buchwald over the genesis of the film \*Coming to America. \*Buchwald wins, but ultimately, the battle was important because it revealed once and for all the sleazy accounting that Hollywood had used for decades to hide profits. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/26 "2011-02-09T21:39:26Z")
Seconding both of Peter Biskind’s books mentioned above by **JohnT**. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/27 "2011-02-09T21:41:00Z")
I always liked “If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a ‘B’ Movie Actor”; by Bruce Campbell. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/28 "2011-02-09T22:00:00Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I always liked “If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a ‘B’ Movie Actor”; by Bruce Campbell. Which I have… signed. 😃 Bruce was the first famous person who got to meet our new baby - she was about 3-4 weeks old when the book-signing occurred, so the signature is made out to her. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/29 "2011-02-09T22:07:16Z")
Another good one I just remembered… [Masters of Doom](http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Doom-Created-Transformed-Culture/dp/0375505245), which discusses the creation of id Software, Doom, Quake and the separation of the Carmack/Romero partnership. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/30 "2011-02-09T22:21:03Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Another good one I just remembered… > > [Masters of Doom](http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Doom-Created-Transformed-Culture/dp/0375505245), which discusses the creation of id Software, Doom, Quake and the separation of the Carmack/Romero partnership. Yes, yes, yes - this one is excellent! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/31 "2011-02-09T22:23:51Z")
…which reminds me of Hackers, by Levy, about the birth of computer hacking, networking and DARPA/Arpa/the Internet… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/32 "2011-02-09T23:10:48Z")
[You’ll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again](http://www.amazon.com/Youll-Never-Lunch-This-Again/dp/0451170725) by Julia Phillips. She may not be the most reliable narrator, but it’s as much a “This is how Hollywood screws woman producers” expose as it is a “This is how my life fell to pieces” memoir. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/33 "2011-02-10T01:09:16Z")
If you want to go old school, [Bring On the Empty Horses](http://www.amazon.com/Bring-empty-horses-David-Niven/dp/0399115420) by David Niven is a good read about the Golden Age of Hollywood. [It Would Be So Nice If You Weren’t Here](http://www.amazon.com/Would-Nice-You-Werent-Here/dp/0679731342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297299814&sr=1-1) is another good one, this one by Charles Grodin. In fact, he’s written a couple of others that I thought were funny and inspiring (such as [We’re Ready For You, Mr. Grodin](http://www.amazon.com/Were-Ready-You-Mr-Grodin/dp/0025457950/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_5) and [How I Get Through Life](http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Through-Life-Witty/dp/0688125786/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_3). And we can’t forget the classic [Daddy’s Boy](http://www.amazon.com/Daddys-Boy-Shocking-Account-Famous/dp/0385297300) by Chris Elliott. I’ve switched to Gold Toe socks because of this book, which is probably more than you want to know, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/34 "2011-02-10T02:59:59Z")
I have lost all faith in my school’s library. They have literally none of these books on hand…I have to interlibrary loan them all. Which takes FOREVER… Oh well…keep em coming everyone! ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/35 "2011-02-10T04:20:28Z")
I second the recommendations for **The Final Cut** and **The Devil’s Candy**. Music:“Dreaming Out Loud” by Bruce Feiler tracks three hot new country music acts in the 90s to show how the country music industry totally changed both its sound and way of doing things. Even if you don’t like this music it’s a great read. Movies:“Hit and Run”, Griffin and Masters. See how two sleazy operators somehow were given control of Columbia Pictures, and how they ran through billions while enriching themselves. In a similar mode read “Fade Out” by Peter Bart on the fall of MGM Pictures. Sports:“The $1 League” (on the USFL) and “Thin Ice” by Larry Sloman (on the 1980 NY Rangers) are hard to find but worth the look. In Sloman’s book you’ll be amazed to find out what the atheletes are willing to admit to the author. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/36 "2011-02-10T06:01:06Z")
> [@Lunar\_Saltlick](#): > > _The Devil’s Candy_ by Julie Salomon is an extremely well-researched book about the disastrous filming of _Bonfire of the Vanities_. I’ve read a few Hollywood behind-the-scenes books, and this one is significantly better than the others. It’s far more concerned with analysing and documenting exactly how it all went so wrong rather than just relying on lots of salacious gossip. Beat me to it, so let me mention… **The Battle of Brazil** , about Terry Gilliam’s efforts to make _Brazil_, the studio interference, and how it almost didn’t get released at all. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/37 "2011-02-10T13:09:25Z")
Well, for music you have: - **Hit Men** , about the men behind the growth of hit singles in the late 50’s and early 60’s and 70’s - from the Brill building pop hits through the big record labels and all the cocaine and flash - **Mansion on the Hill** , about the emergence of rock as a corporate business, with the management and careers of Dylan, Springsteen, Jackson Browne used to show all the back-room maneuvering… ---
**Author:** ![kivrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@kivrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kivrin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/38 "2011-02-10T21:02:23Z")
_The Year of the King_ by Antony Sher, about playing Richard III for the RSC in Stratford in (I think) 1981. Lots of stuff about the professional and social workings of the RSC at that time. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/39 "2011-02-10T22:10:42Z")
Old stuff, but Mort Walker’s _Backstage at the Strips_ shows you behind the scenes at the comic strips > **[Backstage at the Strips: Walker, Mort: 9780595089017: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Backstage-At-Strips-Mort-Walker/dp/0595089011)** > > Backstage at the Strips \[Walker, Mort\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Backstage at the Strips Even older, Steven Whitfield;'s _The Making of Star Trek_ came out while the series was still airing – the first such book about a TV show I’m aware of, and cwas reprinted many times > **[Star Trek: the Making of the TV Series: Whitfield, Stephen E., Roddenberry,...](https://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Making-Stephen-Whitfield/dp/1852863633)** > > Star Trek: the Making of the TV Series \[Whitfield, Stephen E., Roddenberry, Gene\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Star Trek: the Making of the TV Series So has Jerome Agel’s **The Making of Kubrick’s 2001** : > **[The Making of Kubrick's 2001: Jerome Agel: 9780451071392: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Making-Kubricks-2001-Jerome-Agel/dp/0451071395)** > > The Making of Kubrick's 2001 \[Jerome Agel\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Making of Kubrick's 2001 which should be read side-by-side with Arthur C. Clarke’s **The Lost Worlds of 2001** : > **[The Lost Worlds of 2001: Clarke, Arthur C.: 9780451078650: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Worlds-2001-Arthur-Clarke/dp/0451078659)** > > The Lost Worlds of 2001 \[Clarke, Arthur C.\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Lost Worlds of 2001 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727/40 "2011-02-10T23:22:29Z")
I just watched a great documentary called _Waking Sleeping Beauty_, which isn’t a book so is outside the OP’s purview, but it was still a fascinating look at Disney Animation’s renaissance in the 1990s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-behind-the-scenes-books/570727.md?page=1)