News

For the latest news about Alison’s books, please visit Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Praise for Making The Best Years of Our Lives

  • Detailed and often rewarding... Anyone who loves The Best Years of Our Lives will appreciate [Macor’s] efforts. — Wall Street Journal

  • Macor succeeds in delivering a thoughtful and well-researched portrayal… Fans of the wartime film will no doubt enjoy this close examination. — Hometowns to Hollywood

  • Macor’s fascinating book details many factors that converged to make one of Hollywood’s greatest films about war and its aftermath. — Shepherd Express

  • [A] comprehensively researched book… An eloquent testimony to the power of film. — Library Journal

  • [Macor] traces the journey from script to screen, focusing on production history, personal connection, and lasting resonance. — The Alcalde

  • An illuminating account of the film’s journey to the screen and its impact on the nation. — The Film Stage

Rewrite Man #1!

(Date: July 30, 2017) Rewrite Man is BookPeople’s top seller in Film.

BookPeople #1 display for Rewrite Man

Interview with Gunnar Hansen — Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface

(Date: September 27, 2013)

Gunnar Hansen… Recently he was in Austin to talk about his new book, Chain Saw Confidential. We met for coffee and pancakes at Kerbey Lane…

Q: Unlike some other books… Did you always plan to focus on this aspect of the production?

GH: The great thing to me was that I got to hear other people’s perspectives…

Q: How and when did you decide to write this book?

GH: I got approached to do the book probably 15 or 20 years ago…

Q: When I show The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to my students… Does that surprise you?

GH: I think that’s part of the power of the movie…

Q: The time you’ve taken to write the book… Why was it important to include that context?

GH: In a way the part of the book that was the most fun to write…

Q: Did you write the book chronologically?

GH: I did…

Q: Any part that surprised you while doing the book?

GH: I think some of the fights at the production level…

Q: Warren Skaaren… Did Tobe Hooper or Kim Henkel ever mention this interview?

GH: I remember so clearly…

I’m trying to get rid of the myths…

I wasn’t very interested in the money…

Q: In promoting the book, has anything been surprising to you?

GH: There will always be a Chainsaw Massacre fan audience…

Q: The photographs are terrific… Do you have a favorite photo?

GH: The last photo is my favorite…

  • CHAINSAWS wins Peter C. Rollins Book Award

    (Date: February 2011) CHAINSAWS has won the 2012 Peter C. Rollins Book Award! The award is given annually by the Southwest Texas Popular Culture and American Culture Association…

  • From Film Comment

    By Mike Jones | May/June 2010

    “Macor sketches an intriguing flow-chart of like-minded Austin eccentrics…”

  • From The Austin American-Statesman

    By Chris Garcia | Friday, February 26, 2010

    “Fine-grained and peppered with vivid anecdotes…” read more

  • From The Austin Chronicle

    By Kimberly Jones | Thursday, February 25, 2010

    “Macor neatly charts the evolution of Austin into a regional filmmaking hub…” read more

  • From Austin360.com

    By Chris Garcia | Monday, January 11, 2010

    History of Austin film in one big book

    The 346-page tome chronicles the people and movies that put our burgh on the celluloid map…