Spike Lee wanted to be a basketball player. But when he grew to only five foot six inches, he realized he would have to pursue other dreams. And he succeeded -- beyond his wildest expectations -- becoming the most important black filmmaker in Hollywood.

Acclaimed author Jim Haskins paints an intriguing portrait of Spike Lee and his movies, from his middle-class boyhood in Brooklyn to his sassy and smart screen debut with She's Gotta Have It through the production of his most recent film, Get on the Bus.