The American Vein is a pioneering reference book on film in television. It is the first comprehensive work to consider films that have been made especially for the small screen, either as TV movies or as series segments. It classifies them under the names of the people who created them. The main body of the book lists over 280 directors who have made films for television; they are grouped to indicate their importance, their fame, and their achievement. Each entry lists a director's television work, giving the title of the film or series, plus the name of the segment and its date of production. This is followed by an incisive and often provocative assessment of the work of the director, which indicates its particular flavor. The American Vein also contains a chronological history of American television from 1948 and a section which lists the main television series, along with the names of the most important directors who have helped make them successful.