"The book is to be applauded for its bridging of cultural theory with the animated film and for pressing film theorists and philosophers to address this overlooked popular art." - "Choice". "The Illusion of Life: Essays on Animation" is the first book to theorize animation. Twelve essays use poststructuralist and postmodernist approaches to illuminate the nature of the animated film and contribute to the theorizing of the idea of animation. In examining the relation of animation to representation and simulation, the contributors engage with the most significant and contemporary issues of the arts and media of our culture.