Books by William Goldman

When a routine burglary in an elegant, upscale Virginia mansion goes awry, career thief Luther Whitney finds himself witness to a brutal murder involving none other than Alan Richmond, the youthful, charming and thoroughly corrupt President of the United States. Torn between fear for his life and devotion to his family and country, Luther must make a decision that will change not only his own destiny, but the destiny of the world as we know it. Based on the best-selling thriller by David Baldacci, William Goldman's screenplay captures the paranoia, greed, and corruption of politics through the ages and around the world.

Five friends negotiate the treacherous waters of 1960s New York.

Scylla, a secret agent who was left for dead in Lincoln Center, is secretly patched up and prepares for a mission that could change the fate of the world.

A young writer obsessed by the past finds himself involved in an odyssey of violence, tragedy, and a search for a murderer.

First time in paperback: The inside scoop on how some of America's finest screenwriters broke into the movie biz, including Cameron Crowe, Nora Ephron, Lawrence Kasdan, and Nick Kazan.
The First Time I Got Paid for It is a one-of-a-kind collection of essays by more than 50 leading film and television writers, with a foreword by screenwriting legend William Goldman. Linked by the theme of a writer's "first time"-usually the first time they got paid for their work, but sometimes veering off into other, more unconventional, "first times"-these always entertaining (and sometimes hilarious) pieces say what it takes to succeed, what it takes to write well, and other aspects of maintaining creativity and integrity while striving for a career in Hollywood. Richard LaGravanese (The Fisher King, The Horse Whisperer, Living Out Loud) confesses that his first paid writing job was crafting phone-sex scripts. Nicholas Kazan (Reversal of Fortune, Matilda) explains why, in Hollywood, an oral "yes" often turns out to be a written "no." Peter Casey writes about the unparalleled pitch meeting for the award-winning series "Frasier." Virtually every big name writer in Hollywood has contributed to this collection, making it essential research material for anyone trying to make it in the entertainment industry and a perfect read for movie and television buffs everywhere.

Las Vegas security officer Nick Escalante, an ex-Marine, chances on to a bizarre kidnapping threat and is plunged into a nightmare world of false identities, vicious grievances, and gruesome encounters.

The author of "Adventures in the Screen Trade" provides an inside look at the Cannes Film Festivals and the Miss America Pageant from his unique perspective as a judge, offering anecdotes about the judging process.

Starting out as a boy in the Catskills, Corky develops into a brilliant and famous magician whose long-hidden secret and expert skills attract dark forces intent on destroying him.

In a classic thriller that did for dentists what Psycho did for showers, runner Tom "Babe" Levy races toward his goals of athletic and academic excellence, until an unexpected visit from his brother throws him into a world of terror, treachery, and murder. Reprint.

Maverick tries to raise the remaining three thousand dollars he needs to enter a high stakes poker game in St. Louis.

Producers, directors, screenwriters, agents, editors, financiers, distributors, exhibitors, and other insiders talk about the practical and business aspects of making motion pictures, in an updated handbook that incorporates the latest changes, innovations, technologies, and movements in the industry.

A classic swashbuckling romance retells the tale of a drunken swordsman and a gentle giant who come to the aid of Westley, a handsome farm boy, and Buttercup, a princess in dire need of rescue from the evil schemers surrounding her. Reader's Guide available. Simultaneous.

The author of The Princess Bride recounts the magical fable of Luigi the Gondolier and the secret of the sudden silence of the singing gondoliers of Venice's Grand Canal. Reprint.

In the glittering world of Hollywood peopled with stars, hopefuls, and hasbeens, hungry and cunning producers, starlets, moguls, and whores are willing to sacrifice everything for an elusive place at the top.

And insider's take on Tinseltown shares behind-the-scenes views of Mel Gibson, Kathy Bates, Michael Douglas, Richard Donner, Clint Eastwood, and many other Hollywood players and celebrities.

A seven-year-old orphan becomes ill when she is separated from the faded pink blanket that she loves.

Aaron, Walt, Jenny, Branch, and Rudy, are bound together by traumatic past events and their quest to achieve their dreams against the frenzied backdrop of 1960s New York City, in a sweeping novel filled with an unforgettable cast of characters.