Product guide

Chasing the Light: Oliver Stone’s Hollywood Memoir

Chasing the Light is Oliver Stone’s memoir of the years before his breakthrough with Platoon, following his early writing and directing work, Vietnam experience, and struggles to establish himself in Hollywood. This Kindle edition pairs that personal story with accounts tied to films including Midnight Express, Scarface, Salvador, and Platoon.

At a glance

Recounts Stone’s formative years before Platoon brought him wider recognition.
Covers his writing and filmmaking work on titles including Midnight Express, Scarface, Salvador, and Platoon.
Describes his Vietnam experience, early career setbacks, and Hollywood work from the 1970s and 1980s.

Price

$3.99Save 83%

Reference price: ~~$23.99~~

Price checked: Nov 12, 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

Connects a personal career narrative with the development and production of well-known films.
The Kindle listing specifies screen-reader support and enhanced typesetting, alongside Word Wise and Page Flip.

Technical specifications

11 specifications

Edition details
Publisher	Mariner Books
Publication date	July 21, 2020
Language	English
Print length	373 pages
ISBN-13	978-0358345664

Kindle details
File size	19.2 MB
Screen Reader	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	Enabled
X-Ray	Enabled
Word Wise	Enabled
Page Flip	Enabled

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Readers interested in Oliver Stone’s life and filmmaking career.
Film-history readers curious about Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s.
Readers seeking a memoir that combines Vietnam experience with behind-the-scenes movie-making accounts.

Less suited to

Readers looking for a technical filmmaking manual rather than a personal memoir.
Readers who want a broad biography of Hollywood rather than Stone’s own account.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.5 / 5 · 1,926 ratings

5 stars70%70%
4 stars21%21%
3 stars7%7%
2 stars1%1%
1 star1%1%

Customer feedback describes the memoir as engaging and readable, praising its writing, perceived honesty, vivid descriptions of war, and detail about filmmaking and historical context. That emphasis suits readers seeking both Stone’s personal account and production stories. Feedback supplied here highlights positive impressions but does not establish how readers evaluate every part of the book.

Positive themes

Readers praise the writing and readability.
Customer feedback highlights the personal account, perceived honesty, and vivid descriptions of Vietnam and filmmaking.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chasing the Light about?

It follows Oliver Stone’s early life and career, including his Vietnam experience, the challenges of breaking into filmmaking, and work connected to films such as Platoon, Scarface, and Salvador.

Is this a Kindle edition?

The supplied product details list Kindle features including screen-reader support, enhanced typesetting, X-Ray, Word Wise, and Page Flip.

How long is the book?

The Kindle listing gives a print length of 373 pages and a file size of 19.2 MB.