Playwright David Mamet has forged a considerable reputation, particularly in the theaters of New York and London, for dialogue that is austere, sharp, complex, sophisticated and realistic, a skill that transferred successfully to Hollywood with the movie version of his play Glengarry Glen Ross. His first collection of essays, The Cabin, gave Mamet enthusiasts the chance to see more directly what the author thinks about the world. This second miscellaneous collection of 24 essays again gives a lively scattershot view of his concerns and obsessions: sketches of friends; a memoir of child abuse; an essay on anti-semitism; thoughts on an early job writing pornography captions; much about the theater, including his beginnings on Broadway. Definitely a clue to the mind behind the dramatic art.
