David Mamet A Life in the Theatre [Paperback]

This comprehensive biography uses extensive theater and film archives to reveal Mamet's ideas on writing, acting, and directing, covering his beginnings in Chicago, his relationship to Judaism and reputation for machismo, as well as discussions of and excerpts from early plays and stories that have never before been referenced in print.City of Fact South of the Northeast Kingdom Off-Loop South Side Gypsy The American Way Soldier of Fortune A Jew in the Nineties Kickass or Kissass Coda: Boxing with Brecht Afterword

'Nadel aims high. . . synching up the full range of Mamet's work with his closely guarded personal affairs. It helps that the raw material on both counts is memorably vivid.' - The New York Times Book Review

'This is compelling stuff - front row seats to the life of one of America's most influential playwrights. Mamet moves me and makes me jealous like few other writers can; this little jewel of a biography helps me appreciate the man as much as the work. An essential read.' - Neil LaBute, Writer/Director

'Drawing upon David Mamet's essays, interviews, and literary works, as well as the recollections of actors and directors with whom this seminal has worked, Ira Nadel has written a thoughtful, compelling, and often gritty account of the life and career of one of the 20th century's most gifted writers. Nadel's biography skillfully juxtaposes Mamet's life in Chicago and Vermont with the machismo, marginality, and Jewish identity that inform Mamet's life and work.' - Leslie Kane, Emeritus Professor of English, Westfield State College, USA,and author Weasels and Wiseman: Ethics and Ethnicity in the Work of David Mamet

'A fascinating biography of one of America's greatest living playwrights. A must read for anyone interested in the theatre.' - Amanda Foreman, author of the Whitbread-award winning Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

Praise for Ira Nadel:

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