The Documentary Tradition

Originally published in 1971, The Documentary Tradition is the essential survey of the development and achievements of one of the most distinctive and influential genres of film. Edited by the distinguished filmmaker and historian Lewis Jacobs, the book has become an indispensable reference for both students and practitioners of the documentary.

The second edition traces the development of the genre from the 1920s to the 1970s. The section on the documentaries of the 1970s is introduced by his own survey of the filmmaking of the period, "From Political Activism to Women's Consciousness," and accompanied by a selected list of documentaries of the 1970s together with photographs from a number of these films. The bibliography of works on documentary films and filmmakers has been expanded.