Recommended
"In an appendix, Hauser presents a reading list as good as any I've seen on the art of directing--titles that suggest that his mind is full of surprising interests and quirky delights." – American Theatre magazine

Any serious student of directing should read, well, everything: dictionaries, literature, treatises, newspapers, cereal boxes...get in the habit of mining the world for inspiration. Of course, don't miss the standard texts, including Aristotle's Poetics; Stanislavski's trilogy, An Actor Prepares, Building a Character , and Creating a Role (note the clever "A, B, C" of the title sequence); and Richard Boleslavski's Acting: The First Six Lessons.

Here are some additional recommendations... (just click to purchase on Amazon.com)

A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing by William Ball – Lessons from a lifetime of directing. Authoritative and thoughtful, accessible and sensible.
Elia Kazan: A Life by Elia Kazan – The inside story of a great director's life and career. Filled with honest, valuable observations. Unsanitized for your inspection.
On Directing by Harold Clurman – One of the most respected American directors (and Kazan's mentor) expounds on the craft and his practice of it. Includes helpful and articulate discussions of what is variously known as a play's "spine," "through-action," "super problem," or "main action" -- an understanding of which is central to any director's authority and responsibility.
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable 16th edition by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, Adrian Room, and Terry Pratchett – A priceless reference tool. Mythological, religious, and literary references explained.
Envisioning Information and Visual Explanations both by Edward R. Tufte – The director's craft is largely visual. These bibles of visual thinking, written by one of the world's leading information designers, are not just about effective visual communication but are also outstanding exemplars of it.
Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang – What a find! An artist's entertaining and enlightening exploration of how shapes, colors, and pictures tell. Indispensable information for any director.
Mastering the Techniques of Teaching by Joseph Lowman – All good directors are, in large part, teachers. And all good teachers know the importance of dramatization. This excellent book understands the link, and more.
A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa, Murray Silverstein, et al. – Not applicable to directing per se, but a must-read for anyone interested in the codification of objective standards within what are normally considered subjective realms -- in this case, the built world of architectural design. One of the great books of the last century.
The Stage Director's Handbook 2nd Edition, prepared by Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, edited by John P. Bruggen and Joe Miloscia – A comprehensive resource for anyone interested in a directing career. See also www.sdcfoundation.org
“…a lucidity,
even elegance,
unknown among
contemporary
American how-to
books.”