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RR 2017/139 The Alfred Hitchcock Encyclopedia Stephen Whitty Rowman & Littlefield Lanham, MD and London 2016 xv + 531 pp. ISBN 978 1 4422 5159 5 (print) ; ISBN 978 1 4422 5160 1 (e-book) £52.95 $80
Almost undeniably, Alfred Hitchcock was a director whose name became synonymous with a certain kind of edgy, tension-filled and quirky masterful cinema. Much has consequently been written about his career, achievements and life, some less flattering than others. Thankfully, this work provides a relatively balanced, useful and highly readable reference and guide to the man, along with his films, actors and collaborators for any reader.
The book opens with a brief contents list, acknowledgements and a three-page introductory essay, by the author. This essay, while proving a fine opening to Hitchcock's life and work, also denotes the book's intended audience as the student of cinema and film. Notably though, the text throughout is genuinely pitched at a level accessible to a wide, general readership. The intended readership level is well represented in the main body of text that follows, with entries written in engaging, informative and accessible cross-referenced fashion. Whether this diminishes the value for...