Further Reading - Books about props

Here is a list of books that may be helpful. Please note that these are in fact affiliate links so that maybe I can make a couple bucks for the time it's taken me to put all this together!

**The Illustrated Directory of Guns: A Collector's Guide to Over 1500 Military, Sporting, and Antique Firearms**

It's good to have a physical catalogue of guns that you can flip through or pass to a director.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skyhorse; Illustrated edition (Jan. 18 2022)
* Authour: David Miller
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1510756574
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1510756571

**They Don't Pay Me To Say No: My Life in Film and Television Props Paperback**

A great book written by a propmaster, Dean Goodine. Full of wonderful stories about his life and the industry. Fun and easy to read.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ FriesenPress (May 18 2022)
* Author: Dean Goodine
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 354 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1039144314
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1039144316

**Jane's Guns Recognition Guide**

This is the book that I have and have referred to a few times. Hopefully there will be a new edition out soon.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Paperbacks; 5th edition (May 27 2008)
* Author: Richard D. Jones
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061374083
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061374081

**The All New Illustrated Guide to Everything Sold in Hardware Stores**

Super useful book for identifying what an odd piece of hardware might be called

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cool Springs Press; Illustrated edition (May 15 2017)
* Author: Steve Ettlinger
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1591866863
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1591866862

**The Backstage Handbook: An Illustrated Almanac of Technical Information**

More designed for stage than film and TV, there is still a lot of useful information in this book.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Broadway Press; 3rd edition (Jan. 1 1994)
* Author:
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0911747397
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0911747393

**The Prop Building Guidebook: For Theatre, Film, and TV**

I can't personally vouch for this one, I'm waiting to get it myself, but it is well reviewed.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 2 edition (March 8 2017)
* Author: Eric Hart
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 428 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1138183679
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1138183674

**Pocket Reference 4th Edition**

So much reference information in this book! The internet in our pocket makes this a little obsolete, but when there's no internet available or you want to keep referring to something, this book is amazing.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sequia; 4th edition (Oct. 19 2010)
* Author: Thomas J. Glover
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 864 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1885071620
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1885071620

**The Fake Food Cookbook: Props You Can't Eat for Theatre, Film, and TV**

I've not had a chance to check this book out yet myself, but I'm intrigued.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (March 28 2018)
* Author: Tamara L. Honesty
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 242 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 113821227X
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1138212275

**The Prop Effects Guidebook: Lights, Motion, Sound, and Magic**

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (Feb. 22 2018)
* Author: Eric Hart
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 188 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1138641138
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1138641136

**Fake Love Letters, Forged Telegrams, and Prison Escape Maps: Designing Graphic Props for Filmmaking**

Not every show has a seperate art department. A behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary and meticulous design of graphic objects for film sets

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Phaidon Press (Feb. 26 2020)
* Author: Annie Atkins
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 071487938X
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0714879383

**Tales of a Film Prop Man**

Experience the glamour and excitement of the film industry through the eyes of Pete Benson, an unexpected hero who stumbled into a career as a film Prop Man with no prior experience.

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atmosphere Press (May 17 2023)
* Author: Pete Benson
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 186 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639889019
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639889013

**Lights & Sirens: A Writer's Guide to Emergency Response Teams**

This may be designed for writers but the protocols and information are useful for props people too!

* Publisher ‏ : ‎ Writers Digest Books (March 1 1998)
* Author: James Cowan
* Language ‏ : ‎ English
* Paperback ‏ : ‎ 246 pages
* ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 089879806X
* ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0898798067