Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Some ways to think about documentary -- Description -- Definition -- Intellectual contexts -- Pre-documentary origins -- Books on documentary theory and general histories of documentary -- 2. Beginnings : the Americans and popular anthropology, 1922-1929 -- The work of Robert Flaherty -- The Flaherty way -- Offshoots from Flaherty -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 3. Beginnings : the Soviets and political indoctrination, 1922-1929 -- Nonfiction -- Fiction -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 4. Beginnings : the European avant-gardists and artistic experimentation, 1922-1929 -- Aesthetic predispositions -- Avant-garde and documentary -- Three city symphonies -- End of the avant-garde -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 5. Institutionalization : Great Britain, 1929-1939 -- Background and underpinnings -- The system -- The films -- Grierson and Flaherty -- Grierson's contribution -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 6. Institutionalization : United States, 1930-1941 -- Film on the left -- The march of time -- Government documentaries -- Nongovernment documentaries -- American and British differences -- Denouement -- An aside to conclude -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 7. Expansion : Great Britain, 1939-1945 -- Early days -- Indoctrination -- Social documentary -- Records of battle -- Films of the period -- Books on the period.

8. Expansion : Canada, 1939-1945 -- Founding of the National Film Board -- Theatrical series -- Nontheatrical Films -- Summary -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 9. Expansion : United States, 1941-1945 -- Training -- Indoctrination -- Records of battle -- Social documentary -- Comparisons : Great Britain, Canada, the United States -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 10. The unfulfilled promise : postwar documentary, 1945-1952 -- Personnel and leadership -- Sponsorship -- Subjects -- Approaches and techniques -- Final observations -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 11. In pursuit of excellence : National Film Board of Canada's Unit B, 1948-1964 -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 12. A new channel : documentary for television, the "golden years," 1951-1971 -- Historical background -- Documentary series -- Special characteristics of television documentary -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 13. British Free cinema and social-realist features, 1956-1963 -- Critical background -- Free Cinema films -- Political and cultural context -- Social-realist features -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 14. Direct Cinema and Cinâema Vâeritâe, 1960-1970 -- Historical background -- New technology and first films -- Direct Cinema vs Cinâema Vâeritâe -- Effects on documentary subjects and styles -- Aesthetic and ethical considerations -- Films of the period -- Books on the period.

15. English-language documentary in the 1970s : power of the people -- Veteran filmmakers -- New directions in Vâeritâe -- Social and political emphases -- Historical documentary -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 16. English-language documentary in the 1980s : video arrives -- Cable and satellite technology -- The personal essay film -- The historical film -- Strictly political -- Racial and ethnic minorities -- Representing gay and lesbian culture -- Music and performance -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 17. English-language documentary in the 1990s and beyond : reality bytes -- Business and technology : the bad and the good -- American public television -- The Ken Burns phenomenon -- Canada soldiers on -- Developments in the United Kingdom -- American independents -- Theatrical documentary -- Films of the period -- Books on the period -- 18. Some other ways to think about documentary -- Technological promises -- Aesthetics and content -- Finance -- Intimate doings of reality -- Newer theory -- The future -- Conclusion -- Books on the period -- Appendices -- One : film festivals -- Two : Academy-Award winning documentaries -- Three : the National Film Registry -- Four : the Grierson Award -- Five : the Ida Awards.

This history of documentary film concentrates mainly on the output of the film industries in the US, the UK and Canada. The authors outline the origins of the form and trace its development over the next several decades. Each chapter concludes with a list of the key documentaries in that time period or genre.