Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead [Paperback]

Eric Bogosian (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Introducing the published version of his latest solo show, Bogosian laments that, thanks to TV, "we float in a matrix of billions of image fragments, sound bites, plot-line, news reports and ad copy." Pounding Nails (which opened last February) is his new attempt to make sense of this flotsam. As in his previous one-man shows, Bogosian presents a series of unconnected monologues--some comic, some satiric, some poignant--delivered by various oddball denizens of his fertile, feral brain: spaced-out drug dealers, self-satisfied suburbanites, and fire-breathing talk radio hosts. This time, however, Bogosian seems more amused than disgusted by the decaying world around him, as if his anger has been tempered by a touch of hope--or is it resignation? The result is a work every bit as powerful and well written as Drinking in America or Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll but much less didactic and considerably more accepting of his various characters' foibles and flaws. Jack Helbig

About the Author

Eric Bogosian is the OBIE-award winning writer and performer of "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll", and "Drinking in America", as well as his plays "Suburbia" and "Talk Radio", both made into major motion pictures.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group; Reprint edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559360968
• ISBN-13: 978-1559360968
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #228,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Bogosian. Dark, cutting, insightful and deeply funny., January 8, 2009

By 

Bampfylde "Bam" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead (Paperback)

'Pounding nails' is an excellent showcase of Bogosian's one-man-show style of writing monolouges.

It is a series of scenes in which the characters he portrays speak directly to the audience, or to another unseen character offstage.

It is a very dark, critical, and insightful take on the contemporary American way of life, as seen through the eyes of the various characters that populate the script. Although cynical and often very funny, the characters posses a striking level of humanity that you don't often see from other cynical comedians/writers.

Overall, an excellent script that is a must for anyone interested in theatre, which can be performed by a solo artist, or by a series of actors.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is my personal battle cry, July 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead (Paperback)

"Blow Me," the final piece of writing in this book, sums up my entire exsistence. For a long time after buying this book, I read the monologe daily. It seems to confirm every negative thought I've ever had about American life. And the strategies that Bogosian offers to survive it don't seem that irrational. Who doesn't long to feel something real for just two or three seconds? Bogosian's work as a whole seems to pin point the reality in America's superficial facade. You might find his work extreme or offensive. But you can't hide from the awesome truth of it. And if you don't agree with me, well, BLOW ME.

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart, raw and funny, August 25, 2006

By 

morthtein (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead (Paperback)

Bogosian's work just keeps getting sharper and wittier. That may be an overstatement - I think I prefer Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll - but as is his norm, he's got funny characters living great little stories. I love his work, and this is no exception.