Before I read C. B. DeMille: The Man Who Invented Hollywood I had never heard of C. B. DeMille.  A man with vision and determination, DeMille was the mastermind behind classic films such as the Ten Commandments and King of Kings.  His influence still resonates in Hollywood by the mere fact that movies are made there today.  I was awed by DeMille’s ability to turn his humble beginnings into a crescendo of a career. DeMille was truly a legend.  This book does a good job of showing how minor events in DeMille’s career and personal life ended up impacting him in a huge way.   I would have liked to have learned more about the way that DeMille seemed to be restored to his Christian faith.

Author Robert Hammond is a screenwriter and the book reflects that.  The book itself was too short and choppy, more like a script than a book. I just wasn’t a fan of the writing style.  Although it was a decent background history of some of the major players in Hollywood’s early days, I felt that the book lacked feeling and character development.  There were some mild references to extramarital affairs, otherwise I would recommend this book to young children researching Hollywood and filmmaking.  Since the vocabulary is very basic and the chapters quite short, this book might be a useful resource for adults leaning to read the English language or for teenagers who are reluctant readers.

Robert Hammond earned an MFA in Creative Writing.  He is also an award winning screenwriter and producer.   You can view the book trailer CB DeMille book trailer .