About the Book:

A fresh, invigorating look into the art of film and the minds of filmmakers and filmgoers, The Power of Movies is certain to change the way you watch movies.

How is watching a movie similar to dreaming? What goes on in our minds when we become absorbed in a movie? How does looking "into" a movie screen allow us to experience the thoughts and feelings of a movie's characters? These and related questions are at the heart of The Power of Movies, a thoughtful, invigorating, and remarkably accessible book about a phenomenon seemingly beyond reach of our understanding. With enthusiasm and probing intelligence, Colin McGinn — "an ingenious philosopher who thinks like a laser and writes like a dream," according to Steven Pinker — enhances our understanding of both movies and ourselves in this book of rare and refreshing insight.

What people say:

"Lively … Illuminating … McGinn has struck gold." — The Wall Street Journal

"Enlightening. … Lucid, rewarding." — The New York Times Book Review

"Persuasive … Astute … McGinn synthesizes ideas about seeing movies with the passion of a buff." — Entertainment Weekly

About the Author:

Colin McGinn is a British philosopher currently teaching at the University of Miami where he is a Cooper Fellow. He has also held major teaching positions at Oxford University and at Rutgers University. He is the author of more than fifteen books, including Shakespeare's Philosophy: Discovering the Meaning Behind the Plays.