John Williams: Adventures on Earth is the first major biography of the foremost composer for films in cinema history. Synonymous with an entire art form, which he helped legitimize, Williams wrote the memorable scores and hummable themes for a staggering number of popular touchstones across multiple generations—among them Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and the Harry Potter series—and earned more Oscar nominations than any individual artist in the history of the motion picture Academy. He also composed dozens of concerti, fanfares, and other concert works and was a national presence as music director of the Boston Pops for more than a decade. He inspired countless children to pursue a career in the orchestra and won the respect of the classical community worldwide. With unprecedented interview access to Williams, this will be the definitive portrait of a beloved but famously private doyen of 20th century pop culture. Featuring 175 exclusive interviews—including with Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Miller, Mia Farrow, Hans Zimmer, Yo-Yo Ma, session musicians, family members, and friends—Adventures on Earth is the first and last word on the great court composer of the cinema age, the musical conductor of our collective memory.

Coming soon from Oxford University Press.