Adventures in the Screen Trade – William Goldman

A wonderfully readable insight into the world of a top Hollywood screenwriter, the book combines a how-to guide with some deliciously gossipy anecdotes. The stories of the making of All The President's Men and A Bridge Too Far are a hoot.

This was published in 1982 when Burt Reynolds was the number one star worldwide, which sometimes makes the insights feel dated but occasionally illuminates for us how things have changed.