"Clint Eastwood, who turned 95 in May, is a category unto himself. Hollywood used to be more solidly in the business of minting global stars and world-class auteurs, but nobody else since the advent of sound has succeeded so completely, or lasted so long, in both roles. To contemplate Eastwood's career, with the help of Shawn Levy's brisk and capable new biography, is to marvel anew at the man's uniqueness. . . . An intelligent and energetic chronicle that encompasses high-flown critique, lowdown tabloid gossip and savvy show-business reportage. . . . Amusing and illuminating." - A.O. Scott, New York Times Book Review (Editors Choice selection)
"Film critic Levy (King of Comedy) argues in this
sharp biography that Clint Eastwood is 'an inkblot in whom we see a variety of opposing ideas at once.' . . . Levy has a knack for memorable phrasing . . . It makes for a solid account of the good, the bad, and the ugly in the life of one of Hollywood's biggest stars." -
Publishers Weekly"This is the biography of Clint Eastwood we've been waiting for, bringing us closer to the man himself, and what makes him tick, than ever before." -
Sir Christopher Frayling, author of Sergio Leone". . . a fascinating, well-researched portrait of a complicated visionary talent." -
Library Journal (starred review)"Clint Eastwood, 95, may be one of the most well-known men in America, but
Clint author, Shawn Levy, writes with such insight and nuance that it's like getting to know the star of
Dirty Harry and
Unforgiven all over again." -
The Washington Examiner"Clint Eastwood released his latest film, the legal thriller 'Juror #2,' last fall, at 94, making his career - seven decades and counting - among the longest and most prolific in Hollywood history. In reckoning with his life and work, both behind and in front of the camera, Levy depicts Eastwood as an "inkblot" for a complex American century: a squinting paragon of aggressive masculinity and rough justice whose films showcase his love for the downtrodden, his libertarian politics and his fierce commitment to environmental conservation." -
New York Times"In the first literary exploration of the 95-year-old actor-director's career, Levy examines Eastwood's cinematic milestones and personal flaws (and his old-school Libertarian beliefs) in equal measure." -
The Hollywood Reporter, "The Hollywood Insider's Summer Reading List""For more than 60 years, audiences have been projecting their own images of and ideas about American masculinity onto Eastwood, obscuring the man himself. Levy digs into Eastwood's upbringing, relationships, and politics to create a three-dimensional portrait of one of our most enduring and enigmatic stars." -
A.V. Club"Shrewd. . . . Eastwood is not an easy person to biographize. The many things that make him a fascinating figure make him both a rich and risky subject. . . . Levy's own assessments are routinely insightful. . . . Levy captures the profound efficacy of Eastwood's 'masterpiece,'
Unforgiven." -
Washington Post"This fine-grained and deeply researched unfolding of Eastwood's life and career subtly tweaks familiar biographical formulas in a way that parallels what Eastwood has done with typical Hollywood practices, to reveal fascinating truths about Eastwood's art, and about cinema itself." -
Richard Brody, The New Yorker
