r/improv•8 yr. ago

The Big Ol' List of Improv Books

Pinned

Title	Author(s)	Kindle?	Notes	Discussion
How To Improvise a Full-Length Play: The Art of Spontaneous Theater	Kenn Adams	Y
The Complete Improviser	Bill Arnett	Y		link
Jill Bernard's Small Cute Book of Improv	Jill Bernard	N
Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual	Matt Besser, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh	N		link
Aerodynamics of Yes	Christian Capozzoli	Y		link
Improvising Better: A Guide for the Working Improviser	Jimmy Carrane and Liz Allen	N		link
The Inner Game of Improv: 5 Steps to Getting Bigger in Your Improv Career	Jimmy Carrane	Y	Kindle Only
Long Form Improvisation and American Comedy: The Harold	Matt Fotis	Y
The Comedy Improv Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to University Improvisational Comedy in Theatre and Performance	Matt Fotis	Y
Improv Comedy	Andy Goldberg	N
Group Improvisation (Second Edition)	Peter Gwinn and Charna Halpern	N		link
Truth in Comedy	Charna Halpern, Del Close and Kim Johnson	N		link
Art by Committee: A Guide to Advanced Improvisation	Charna Halpern	N	Includes DVD	link
Long-Form Improv: The Complete Guide to Creating Characters, Sustaining Scenes, and Performing Extraordinary Harolds	Ben Hauck	Y		link
Acting on Impulse: The Art of Making Improv Theater	Carol Hazenfield	N
How to be the Greatest Improviser on Earth	Will Hines	Y		link
Improvisation at the Speed of Life: The TJ and Dave Book	TJ Jagodowski, Dave Pasquesi and Pam Victor	N		link
Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre	Keith Johnstone	N		link
Impro for Storytellers	Keith Johnstone	Y		link
University Improv Comedy Society Manual	Nathan Keates	Y
The Art of Chicago Improv: Short Cuts to Long-Form Improvisation	Rob Kozlowski	N		link
The Second City Almanac of Improvisation	Anne Libera	N		link
Improvise Scene from the Inside Out	Mick Napier	N		link
Behind the Scenes: Improvising Longform	Mick Napier	N		link
Improv ABC: The A-Z Guide to Becoming An Unstoppable Improviser	Ben Noble	Y
Improvising Now	Rob Norman	N
Do It Now: Essays on Narrative Improv	Parallelogramophonograph	N		link
Directing Improv: Show the Way By Betting Out of the Way	Asaf Ronen	Y		link
The Improv Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Improvising in Comedy, Theatre, and Beyond	Tom Salinsky and Deborah Frances-White	Y
The Improviser's Way: A Longform Workbook	Katy Schutte	N
Process: An Improviser's Journey	Mary Scruggs and Michael Gellman	N
Improvisation for the Theater: A Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques: A Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques	Viola Spolin	Y		link
Theater Games for the Lone Actor	Viola Spolin	N		link
Improv For Everyone	Greg Tavares	Y	Avail on Kindle Unlimited
Improv Wins	Chris Trew and Tami Nelson	Y	Avail on Kindle Unlimited	link
The Triangle of the Scene: A simple, practical, powerful method for approaching improvisation	Paul Vaillancourt	Y

Not included: memoirs, oral histories, improv for business, improv for life, etc. If there is an error or you think a book should be added, please let me know!

I will be adding a comment for each book, so feel free to add your thoughts and impressions about that book in that specific thread! Upvote books you think should be read by improvisors!

Posted Nov 27, 2017, 6:18 AM UTC · edited

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