Book excerpt: In a career that spans more than four decades, FrederickWiseman has made thirty-eight films that together form a monumental chronicle of latetwentieth- century institutional and cultural life. The dilemmasWiseman poses in his films moral, philosophical, legal, medical, technological, political, religious and aesthetic are both urgent and vexing, from his controversial debut, Titicut Follies (1967), the only American film ever censored for reasons other than national security or obscenity, to his recent critical and commercial success La Danse The Paris Opera Ballet (2009) and forthcoming film Boxing Gym (2010). FrederickWiseman, the first publication in English to provide a comprehensive overview ofWisemans work to date (including projects for theatre and opera), features original essays by a variety of distinguished writers, critics, filmmakers and actors, and byWiseman himself. Richly illustrated with stills from his films, this volume is an incisive examination of one of cinemas most fearless and innovative filmmakers.