America's Film Legacy is a guide to the most significant films ever made in the United States. Chosen by filmmakers and the public under the auspices of the Library of Congress, the 450 titles in the National Film Registry run the gamut from big-budget Hollywood blockbusters to landmark independent, documentary, animation, and avant-garde masterpieces and experimental shorts, and each year 25 more films are added to the list. Unlike opinionated "Top 100" and arbitrary "Best of" lists, these are the real thing: groundbreaking films that make up the backbone of American cinema. Some are well-known, such as Citizen Kane, The Jazz Singer, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Birth of a Nation, and Boyz n the Hood. Others are more obscure, such as Blacksmith Scene (1893), The Blue Bird (1918), The Docks of New York (1928), Star Theatre (1902), and A Bronx Morning (1914). These are the films that made the medium what it is today.

Daniel Eagan's beautifully written and authoritative book is for anyone who loves movies and who wants to learn more about them. An introduction explains how the National Film Registry was formed, and the ongoing need for film preservation. Each entry includes cast and crew credits and a synopsis that explains the importance of the film as well as where and how it was made. Rounding out the entries are sequels, remakes, source materials, and information about where to view the films. Organized alphabetically for easy browsing, it can also be read straight through as a history of film.