Movie Star Chronicles: A Visual History of the World's Greatest Movie Stars

From Amy Adams to Zhang Ziyi, this is an encyclopedic love letter to cinema, describing 330 of the industry's most notable stars. Smith, a journalist who specializes in film, distinguishes between everyday actors and movie stars, who deal with that distinction's many benefits and pitfalls. Each entry breaks down stars' work by date, genre, some box office numbers, and award wins and nominations, with occasional entries further punctuated by additional full-page photo spreads showcasing their more notable roles. As comprehensive as the book is, it's not without shortcomings. Though Bollywood and world cinema are given their due, there are notable absences. The entries are relatively light on commentary, save brief mentions of stars' successes and flops or perceived missteps along the way. There is, however, some worthwhile analysis, the bulk of it existing in intermittent interludes such as "The Musical Star," "Screen Sirens," and "Character Actors vs. Stars" that detail specific subgenres. This is a fantastic visual resource for any cinema lover. Its entries are playful, not dry, and contain enough detail to satisfy the trivia-obsessed without overwhelming the average reader. (Oct.)