Dr Thomas A. Christie is a Scottish author with research interests in popular culture, literary analysis, interactive fiction and modern cinema. He has many years of experience as a literary and publishing professional, working in collaboration with several publishing companies on both sides of the Atlantic including Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Applause Books, Crescent Moon Publishing and Robert Greene Publishing. His full-length works to date have focused upon subjects such as cinema history and literary criticism, as well as the production of original prose fiction.His work has featured at international venues including at the Centre Pompidou in Paris as part of a major exhibition focusing on the filmography of award-winning director Richard Linklater in December 2019, and in conjunction with the Banco do Brasil Cultural Centre in Rio de Janeiro relating to an extensive exhibition on the life and films of cinematic polymath Mel Brooks in February 2020. He and his books have featured in many publications including The Smithsonian Magazine, The Digital Bits, Dwell, The Media Education Journal, History Scotland and Retro Gamer.A passionate advocate of the written word and literary arts, Tom was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2018. Fellowship to this learned society is only awarded to those who can demonstrate that they have made significant contributions to social change, progress and development, and who support the RSA's mission to find practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA Fellowship is a community of leaders in the fields of art, literature, journalism and business who have made noteworthy contributions to society, culture or the arts.Tom is also a member of the Royal Society of Literature, the Society of Authors, the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society and the Federation of Writers Scotland. Over the years he has produced original writing for respected organisations such as the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum and the Dementia Services Development Centre, a leading independent higher education research unit based at the University of Stirling. Additionally, he is regularly involved in public speaking events and has delivered guest lectures and presentations about his work at many locations around the United Kingdom.Tom holds a PhD in English Studies, on the subject of Scottish Literature, from the University of Stirling. He has also been awarded a first-class Honours degree in Literature and a Master's degree in Humanities, specialising with distinction in British cinema history, from the Open University in Milton Keynes. He is currently an associate lecturer with Forth Valley College in Stirling.

RICHARD LINKLATER

A new study of the American filmmaker Richard Linklater (b. 1960) whose movies include Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, Before Sunrise and A Scanner Darkly.

This new edition ¿ the only full-length appreciation of Linklater¿s available anywhere ¿ includes his latest films ¿ Me and Orson Welles and Inning By Inning.

FROM THE FOREWORD

Welcome to the world of Richard Linklater, the extraordinary US movie director from Austin, whose broad range of films - from indie (Slacker) to mainstream (School of Rock) - makes it impossible to pigeonhole him. What is not open to debate is quality of his output - his films are entertaining, intelligent, philosophical, innovative, adventurous, unpredictable, eclectic... to be honest, the adjectives could go on ad infinitum.

Welcome also to the world of Thomas A. Christie, whose pioneering attempt to pin down the elusive nature of the maverick auteur makes for a follow-up to his recent volume on Liv Tyler. This new work bears all the hallmarks of the earlier book - wide-ranging and meticulous research, and intelligent commentaries on each film, backed up by well informed and even-handed opinions. In chapter after chapter Christie demonstrates his knowledge of Linklater, his films and movieland in general - you feel safe in his cinematic hands. His opinions are authoritative - you know that Christie¿s judgements are the result of viewing and analysis of Linklater¿s oeuvre, seen through a sharp and perceptive mind. Christie shows once again that he is master of fine detail and formulated opinion, expressed in the clearest narrative prose. We couldn¿t ask for a better guide to the world of Linklater.

If you don¿t know Linklater¿s films, this book will make you want to see them. If you feel you know them all already, think again ¿ yoüll want to re-view them again and again after reading Christie¿s thought-provoking volume.

THOMAS CHRISTIE has a life-long fascination with films and the people who make them. Currently reading for a PhD in Scottish Literature, he lives in Scotland with his family.

He is the author of Liv Tyler, Star in Ascendance: Her First Decade in Film (2007) and The Cinema of Richard Linklater (2008) which are also published by Crescent Moon.