At 75, Clint Eastwood appears to be at the top of his game. His latest film, Million Dollar Baby , garnered four Oscars, including Best Director and Best Motion Picture—reprising his triumph with Unforgiven . Now, drawing on exclusive interviews with Eastwood, biographer Douglas Thompson looks at the life and artistry of one of Hollywood’s most revered stars. Over four decades, Clint Eastwood has become a Hollywood legend, his success on both sides of the camera assuring him his place in cinema history. Born the son of a steel worker in 1930, Eastwood’s drive for success led him to his first break, in 1959, on the TV series Rawhide . Eastwood broke from television in 1964 with A Fistful of Dollars —his steely gaze and strong, silent screen presence made the film a surprise box-office smash. In 1971, his performance in Dirty Harry cemented his reputation as an electrifying talent, and he has since gone on to star in and direct some of the most...