Weasels and Wisemen: Ethics and Ethnicity in the Work of David Mamet [Hardcover]

Leslie Kane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 1999

Winner of two Obie Awards, a New York Drama Critics Award, and the Pulitzer Prize, David Mamet is widely considered to be one of the most prolific and powerful voices in contemporary American theatre. A seminal figure whose reputation as an innovative playwright and filmmaker demands an appraisal of his thought and the evolution of his craft, Mamet’s commitment to the dynamic of ethics and ethnicity heavily informs his work. Weasels and Wisemen is the first major study of Mamet’s work to investigate the moral vision and cultural poetics upon which this playwright’s vision is founded. Tracing the development of Mamet’s canon over a period of twenty years from his early unpublished play Marranos through his most recent work, Leslie Kane examines the subtle link between the moral vision and ethical behavior that distinguishes Mamet’s theatre and film. In addition, Kane uniquely highlights the significance of Jewish values and cultural experience that have been insufficiently acknowledged in Mamet’s canon. Mamet’s commitment to the dynamics of ethics, ethnicity, betrayal, loss, and survival are explored within his work as are his sensitivity to language, precision of social obligation, metaphor, and brilliant sense of comedy along with the pedagogical relationships and ethical contracts that characterize his entire body of work. All of Mamet’s major works and several of his shorter and lesser known plays, sketches, and monologues are addressed, exposing the reader to some of his most demanding writing. Highly original in its interdisciplinary approach, Weasels and Wisemen illuminates the sources and scope of the work of one of America’s foremost playwrights and immeasurably enhances the reader’s understanding of his artistic expression.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Kane, editor of David Mamet Review: A Casebook, has written an illuminating study of one of America's most recognizable voices (e.g., Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo). In his writing for both the stage and film, Mamet inspires heated discussion of ethics, morals, and our cultural concerns with power, the individual, and personal choices involving public and private acts. Kane explores the impact of Mamet's personal experience upon his aesthetic vision, clarifying the substantive Jewish content and methodology. Examining his entire oeuvre, she finds that Judaic thought and values are central to his artistic vision. With an extensive bibliography; recommended for all academic libraries and theater collections. (Index not seen.)ASusan L. Peters, Emory Univ. Lib., Atlanta
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“...recommended for all academic libraries and theater collections.” —Library Journal

“... a must for all academic collections supporting study of US drama.” —Choice

“Kane's consistently engaging prose style and her ability to bring the plays and films to life in the process of her discussion will encourage a broad spectrum of readers to respond to her invigoration arguments...” —David Mamet Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1st edition (June 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312160860
• ISBN-13: 978-0312160869
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,678,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insights into Mamet's oeuvre, April 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Weasels and Wisemen: Ethics and Ethnicity in the Work of David Mamet (Hardcover)

Kane has really tapped the pulse of Mamet's works, making this a must for anyone who has read or seen his plays/films. She manages to uncover much of the subtle influences and the not-so-subtle manifestations of ethical codes in our society that have informed Mamet's writing, and she does so in scholarly but accessible language. She also does not stray too far from the texts but supports her theories and arguments with a lot of direct citing, making sure that we don't get lost in a sea of theoretical lingo. A great aid to anyone hoping to get more out of this area of drama.