The World of Shaft: A Complete Guide to the Novels, Comic Strip, Films and Television Series

by Steve Aldous

Mention Shaft and most people think of Gordon Parks' seminal 1971 film starring Richard Roundtree in a leather coat, walking the streets of Manhattan to Isaac Hayes' iconic theme music. But the black private dick who inspired the blaxploitation film genre actually made his debut on the printed page as the creation of a white novelist.
Ernest Tidyman was a seasoned journalist down on his luck when he decided to try his hand at fiction. Shaft was the result, giving Tidyman the break he was looking for. He went on to become an Academy Award winning screenwriter and respected film producer.
Based on extensive research of Tidyman's personal papers, this book tells the story of Shaft from the perspective of his creator. The author provides new insight and analysis of the writing of the Shaft novels, as well as the production of the films and TV series. First-ever coverage of the forgotten Shaft newspaper comic strip includes previously unseen artwork.

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 2015

About the author

Steve Aldous has a lifelong interest in crime fiction, cinema and music. The author of a number of well-received books and articles on popular culture, including a study of Ernest Tidyman's John Shaft ("The World of Shaft"), the music of the rock band Genesis ("The Songs of Genesis"), and "The Harry O Viewing Companion", which examines the classic 1970s TV detective series. He lives in Bury, Lancashire in the UK.

Reviews

[Keith Hollinshed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shaft may be a bad mother but this is a very good book. If like me you have read the books and watched the films and wanted to know more then this the book for you. They say that no one understands him but his woman but after you might understand him a bit more.