David Bordwell books in order
American film historian
- Lived
- 1947–2024
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 15
David Bordwell published 1 novel, 10 non-fiction books, 1 play and 3 other books, beginning with Film Art: An Introduction (1990).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with David Bordwell
Start here
Film Art: An Introduction
David Bordwell's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Film Art: An Introduction (1990)
Non-fiction in order
French Impressionist Cinema (1980)
The Classical Hollywood Cinema (1985)
Ozu and the Poetics of Cinema (1988)
Making Meaning (1989)
The Cinema of Eisenstein (1993)
On the History of Film Style (1997)
The McGraw-Hill Film Viewer's Guide (2000)
Film History (2002)
The Way Hollywood Tells It (2006)
Poetics Of Cinema (2007)
Plays in order
Narration in the Fiction Film (1985)
Other books in order
Filmguide to La Passion De Jeanne D'Arc. - (1973)
The Films of Carl-Theodor Dreyer (1981)
Figures Traced in Light (2005)
About David Bordwell
David Jay Bordwell was an American film theorist and film historian. After receiving his PhD from the University of Iowa in 1973, he wrote more than fifteen volumes on the subject of cinema including Narration in the Fiction Film (1985), Ozu and the Poetics of Cinema (1988), Making Meaning (1989), and On the History of Film Style (1997).
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
David Bordwell FAQ
- How many books has David Bordwell written?
- David Bordwell published 1 novel, 10 non-fiction books, 1 play and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read David Bordwell's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Film Art: An Introduction.
- What is David Bordwell's last book?
- Poetics Of Cinema (2007).
- What is David Bordwell's most famous book?
- Film Art: An Introduction (1990) is David Bordwell's most widely read book.
Authors like David Bordwell
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.