Improv On Your Bookshelf

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One of our most frequently asked questions is “which improv books do you recommend?”. This can be a tricky question to answer, depending on what sort of outcome the reader is looking for.

Here are some books we like that are easily found through a quick web search, listed based on the intended outcome:

“I WANT TO READ THE CLASSICS.”

  • Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre by Keith Johnstone

  • Truth In Comedy by Charna Helpern, Del Close and Kim “Howard” Johnson

Improv theatres all over the world will reference these books… and, depending on their approach, that will sometimes mean choosing one over the other. It’s worth reading both, just to see it from both sides.

“I WANT SOMETHING QUICK AND SIMPLE.”

  • Jill Bernard’s Small Cute Book Of Improv by Jill Bernard

  • Improvising Now by Rob Norman

Jill Bernard’s book is literally the size and length of a children’s book but the simplicity packs a punch. Rob Norman’s book is considerably longer than that and covers more ground, but is similarly easy to breeze through.

“I WANT TO GET BETTER AT IMPROVISING.”

  • How To Be The Best Improviser In The World by Will Hines

  • Improvise: Scene From The Inside Out by Mick Napier

  • Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual

If you already have some improv knowledge under your belt you can’t go wrong with any of these.

“I WANT TO GET INTO LONGFORM NARRATIVE.”

  • Do It Now: Essays On Narrative Improv by Parallelogramophonograph

This one is short and can be read in an afternoon. Despite the short length, it manages to feel comprehensive, packing a lot of knowledge into just 75 pages.

“I WANT TO BE A BETTER OVERALL PERFORMER.”

  • Respect For Acting by Uta Hagen

  • The Inner Game Of Tennis: The Class Guide To The Mental Side Of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey

  • Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone

There are tons and tons of great books on acting out there, so paring this down to three is a bit of a pick-em. With that said, these are three books we feel confident would be useful for any and all improvisers who are looking to level up their performing chops.

“I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I GET OUT OF PERFORMING.”

  • Flow: The Psychology Of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Those feelings you’re feeling when you’re performing? (Or cooking a great meal? Or doing the crossword? Or working out at the gym?) This books talks about where that comes from and why it happens.

These are just some suggestions, but there are tons of good ones out there. Run a Google search! Find out what sounds right for you.

What do you think - did we miss any good ones? Tell us below!

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