About the book: 2021 / Before “Platoon” "brought international success to Oliver Stone; he fought in Vietnam and was wounded twice. Returning from the war, he entered New York University, where he studied filmmaking with Martin Scorsese. At night, Stone drove a taxi, and during the day he worked as a producer's assistant and wrote scripts, receiving refusals over and over again. This book is the story of the director of "Platoon" and "Salvador", the screenwriter of "Midnight Express", "Conan the Barbarian" and "Scarface" ", a talented and honest man who fought against circumstances and temptations, improvised and fought his way to make his movie. This is a story about growing up during the years of great change, when people lived with politics and social problems, defeats and loss of confidence, early successes and arrogance. This is a contemporary account of the faces of the American film industry of the 1970s and 1980s, the crooks and the heroes - people who, with their mere presence, bring you good or destroy you if you let them. And, of course, this book is about the love of cinema and life itself.