Camera Man
Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century

Intro -- Title Page -- Dedication -- Introduction -- Preface: 1895 -- Part I: Thrown -- Chapter 1: They Were Calling It the Twentieth Century -- Chapter 2: "She Is a Little Animal, Surely" -- Chapter 3: "He's My Son, and I'll Break His Neck Any Way I Want To" -- Chapter 4: "The Locomotive of Juveniles" -- Chapter 5: A Little Hell-Raising Huck Finn -- Chapter 6: The Boy Who Couldn't Be Damaged -- Chapter 7: "Make 'Me' Laugh, Keaton" -- Part II: Flying -- Chapter 8: Speed Mania in the Kingdom of Shadows -- Chapter 9: Pancakes at Childs -- Chapter 10: Comique -- Chapter 11: Roscoe -- Chapter 12: Brooms -- Chapter 13: Mabel at the Wheel -- Chapter 14: Famous Players in Famous Plays -- Chapter 15: Home, Made -- Chapter 16: Rice, Shoes, and Real Estate -- Chapter 17: The Shadow Stage -- Chapter 18: Battle-Scarred Risibilities -- Chapter 19: One for You, One for Me -- Chapter 20: The "Darkie Shuffle" -- Part III: Falling -- Chapter 21: The Collapsing Façade -- Chapter 22: Grief Slipped In -- Chapter 23: Elmer -- Chapter 24: The Road Through the Mountain -- Chapter 25: Not a Drinker, a Drunk -- Part IV: Landing -- Chapter 26: Old Times -- Chapter 27: The Coming Thing in Entertainment -- Coda: Eleanor -- Acknowledgments -- About the Author -- Notes -- Copyright.

"As one of the most famous faces of silent cinema, Buster Keaton was and continues to be revered for his stoic expressions, clever visual gags, and acrobatic physicality in classics such as Sherlock Jr., The General, and The Cameraman. In this spirited biography, every aspect of Buster Keaton's astonishing life is explored, from his humble beginnings in vaudeville with his parents to his meteoric rise to Hollywood stardom during the silent era. Based on vigorous research of both Keaton and the film industry, it also delves into the dark sides of fame, such as Keaton's ill-advised businesses deals and alcoholism, to his unexpected resurgence in the 1940s as his contributions as both an actor and director were finally celebrated. This is a fascinating and uniquely astounding look at both the classic era of Hollywood and one of its most beloved stars"--