Average customer rating:
- powerful, but preferred the movie
- A quick read
- A Modern American Masterpiece
- Characterizes an Age
- "It's not a world of men, Machine."
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Glengarry Glen Ross
David Mamet
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0802130917 |
Book Description
Winner of the 1984 Pulitzer Prize, David Mamet's scalding comedy is about small-time, cutthroat real esate salesmen trying to grind out a living by pushing plots of land on reluctant buyers in a never-ending scramble for their fair share of the American dream. Here is Mamet at his very best, writing with brutal power about the tough life of tough characters who cajole, connive, wheedle, and wheel and deal for a piece of the action -- where closing a sale can mean a brand new cadillac but losing one can mean losing it all. This masterpiece of American drama is now a major motion picture starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, Alex Baldwain, Jonathan Pryce, Ed Harris, and Kevin Spacey.
Customer Reviews:
powerful, but preferred the movie.......2007-01-17
This is the second of my purchases from Amazon recommendations, and the second near-bulls-eye.
The plot is impeccable and ever-advancing, as the salesmen earn our scorn and lose our confidence in their characters at an incredible pace. It is all too easy to imagine such amoral lost souls floundering. Not that I know any such people or really believe many are on the loose. The ending is the most devastating and true to character of any I have read in a long time.
I dinged off one star because the screenplay with Jack Lemmon is even better. Long streams of interruptions, curses and sweat from superb actors is simply more compelling than reading the best play.
A quick read.......2006-03-22
Its the first time I've ever read a book and finished it before the movie version of the same thing ended. Sure, its the theatre book but, wow...how they did a screen play adaptation from that I'll never know. Its one of those rare instances where you need to see the movie first, then read the book.
A Modern American Masterpiece.......2003-07-07
This powerful and moving play--winner of the 1984 Pultizer Prize for Drama--uses the world of real estate sales to depict four salesmen who who work, or maybe struggle, to "close a deal" with less than ideal clients (financially speaking). The key word here is "closing." Throughout the play we hear the mantra "Always be Closing" as these men compete for the highest sales, which can lead to better sales leads and maybe even a new Cadillac.
The characters make this play powerful. Shelly, in his 50s, has a great history as a salesman but struggles today. The play begins with him negotiating--almost begging--for a prime sales lead. Unfortunately the dog-eat-dog world that currently employes him has little or no appreciation for his current failures and past success. Meanwhile Shelly tries to pass off his current performance (or lack of) as a slump, a move that somewhat reminds me of Willy Loman making excuses. Though Willy Loman and the characters of this play live in the same American dream of manifest destiny, the similarities are limited. Starting with Shelly, the characters of Mamet's play seem to have a more vicious inward-looking and selfish perspective toward life. Their American dream seems shallow and selfish compared to Willy's.
We see this same selfishness in scene two where Moss and Aaronow discuss the opportunity to steal the best customer leads (lists of names) from their own office, sell them to a competitor, and then maybe go work for that competitor. Like Shelly, these two salesmen appear selfish as they first fantasize about the midnight adventure only to find that one of them is quite serious.
Next comes Roma, the apparently most successful salesman of this group who is in his 40s. Not seeing Roma until the third scene, we cannot help but wonder if he will one day end up with a merciless boss who doesn't care about past sucesses (just like Shelly and the others who are in their 50s)? Roma seems to articulate the most certain morality of the main characters. He initially appears most anchored, but toward the end he talks with a customer experiencing sales remorse and we are left to wonder about Roma as well.
The play's end is quite compelling. We are not surpised in one sense, giving the ethical code of this bunch. Yet, we are quite surprised to see who emerges "alpha male" inside this office. I cannot help feeling some compassion for these salesmen who manipulate, scheme, and appear to think little of anyone but themselves. It is an amazingly simple and powerful conclusion.
I read this play in a single evening. I could not put it down. The tensions Mamet creates are compelling and many. Not since Miller's "The Crucible" have I read such a powerful play. Though this is the first work I have read from Mamet, I think I can begin to see why his work is so highly regarded. I am only sorry that the play is short and does not require more than one evening to finish. I would have enjoyed spending more time with the text.
Characterizes an Age.......2003-06-10
This is, to a great degree, the true David Mamet play. It exemplifies his distinctive characters, his powerful but conflicted men, his insight into moral collapse, and his famous jagged writing style. But it's also more than that.
"Glengarry Glen Ross" casts its jaundiced eye on the attitudes of competitiveness and unbridled capitalism, and their destructive effects, that have characterized the last 25 years. In his conclusion, with the death of loyalty in the face of get-ahead-at-any-cost, Mamet demonstrates just why so many of us who have to work for a living are angry and unhappy these days.
The use of language in this play, with its musical use of fragmented sentences and almost operatic vulgarity, is as epoch-making as the content. Many aspiring playwrights who have great vision but lack Mamet's gift for lyrical speech have tried--and failed--to emulate the use of language in this play. Very little new material has come out of the American theatre in the past two decades that hasn't borne the stamp of language created in this play.
Read it. See it. Stage it. This play is the defining artistic statement of the final quarter of the Twentieth Century.
"It's not a world of men, Machine.".......2003-01-14
David Mamet's 1984 Pulitzer Prize winner "Glengarry Glen Ross" is an electrifying play filled with drama, tragedy, and bitter and sarcastic humor. This is a play that shows you the world of business and just how cold and calculating it can be. It also shows us just how cold and calculating human beings can be as well.
The play is about real estate salesmen who will do just about anything to get a sale. "Always Be Closing" is the motto to follow, however when they don't get the good leads they need, it makes it more difficult for them to close the deals. What's worse is that if they don't pick up the pace, more than one of them will find themselves out of the job. There are the "Glengarry Leads;" the premium leads, but they're reserved for closers only. Things take a dramatic turn when the office is broken into and the leads are nowhere to be found, leading us to a memorable climax.
I read the play after seeing the film. I enjoyed reading it just as much as I enjoyed seeing the movie. There are a few things that were added to the film version in order to make it a full length movie, but all of the important elements and classic lines are all there. Mamet has a great ear for dialogue and writes the way people talk. Sure, some people will think there's a lot of swearing and profanities, but this play is a reflection of the business world. And this is the way people talk. It is amazing how well written and structured it is.
"Glengarry Glen Ross" is a terrific drama and an enjoyable play to read. I recommend it to anyone who loves a great read. You'll have it finished in no time. The pages literally turn by themselves. Dripping with sharp dialogue, memorable characters, and quiet suspense and action, "Glengarry Glen Ross" is an outstanding achievement in American drama. Read this one as soon as you can.
Average customer rating:
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David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross: Text and Performance (Casebooks on Modern Dramatists)
Leslie Kane
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0815335903 |
Book Description
The 12 original and two classic essays offer a dialectic on performance and structure, and substantially advance our knowledge of this seminal playwright. The commentaries examine feminism, pernicious nostalgia, ethnicity, the mythological land motif, the discourse of anxiety, gendered language, and Mamet's vision of America, providing insights on the theatricality, originality, and universality of the work. Although the dominant focus is on Glengarry Glen Ross, several essays look at the play against the background of Mamet's Edmund, Reunion, and American Buffalo, whereas others find fascinating parallels in Emerson, Baudrillard, Conrad, Miller, and Churchill. The book also includes an interview with Sam Mendes, the director of the highly acclaimed 1994 revival of Glengarry Glen Ross in London, conducted specifically for this collectio. A chronology of major productions and the most current and comprehensive bibliography of secondary references from 1983-1995 complete the volume.
Customer Reviews:
Good book.......2000-03-13
I haven't been able to buy this book, but I have read it. It is very good, and doesn't just talk about the play, about half the essays are significantly focused on the movie version of Glengarry Glen Ross, and there are a few that are completely focused on it. I believe one even makes a case that the movie is better than the play (which I agree with). A great book if you are interested in Mamet's work of genius!
Average customer rating:
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Glengarry Glen Ross
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000FLVKAS |
Product Description
Theatre program. Cast includes Alan Alda, Liev Schreiber, Frederick Weller, Tom Wopat, Gordon Clapp, Jeffrey Tambor. Vol. 121, No. 5.
Product Description
Theatre program. Cast includes Joe Mantegna. Vol. 2, No. 11.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Journal of Men's Studies, published by Men's Studies Press on September 22, 1999. The length of the article is 5018 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Brass Balls: Masculine Communication and the Discourse of Capitalism in David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross.
Author: Andrea Greenbaum
Publication:
The Journal of Men's Studies (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1999
Publisher: Men's Studies Press
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Page: 33
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Term paper due tomorrow? Need to cram for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?
Turn to "Drama for Students" to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by Thomson Gale--the world's leading source of literary criticism and analysis--this e-doc contains: plot summary; character analysis; author biography; an overview of the play's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.
Why choose "Drama for Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: Thomson Gale--and "Drama for Students."
Download Description
Term paper due tomorrow? Need to bone up for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?
Turn to "Drama for Students" to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by the Gale Group--the world's leading source of literary criticism and analysis--this e-doc contains: plot summary; character analysis; author biography; an overview of the play's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.
Why choose "Drama for Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: The Gale Group--and "Drama for Students."
Product Description
This edition published by Samuel French is 4.75 in X 7 in and contains complete play. Winner of 1984 Pulitzer prize for drama.
Customer Reviews:
Fen buries himself in a rural election and digs up murder.......2001-06-25
The title of this Gervase Fen mystery is dredged from English folklore: "Buried on Monday, buried for health, /Buried on Tuesday, buried for wealth; /Buried on Wednesday, buried at leisure, /Buried on Thursday, buried for pleasure; /Buried on Friday, buried for fun, /Buried on Saturday, buried at one; /Buried on Sunday after eleven, /You get the priest and you go to heaven."
A more macabre folk jingle than, say "Monday's child is fair of face..." but appropriate for a murder mystery that our detective-don solves while standing for Parliament in rural England.
Along with the eccentric detective Gervase Fen, Professor of English Language and Literature in the University of Oxford, Edmund Crispin also features one of his eccentric animals in "Buried for Pleasure." This time it is a 'non-doing' pig that falls in love with the village's pub manager.
The plot also works in that most obvious of red herrings: an escaped lunatic who believes himself to be President Woodrow Wilson. His normal mode of dress is a pince nez, and he must be the only lunatic in literature who declares, as he is captured and led away, "I warn you that if my Fourteen Points are not adopted, Western Europe will be at war again within a decade." Since "Buried for Pleasure" takes place in 1949, his prophecy was correct, although tardy.
We never do find out exactly why Fen is standing for Parliament. One of the other characters challenges him to explain his motives:
"'Well, what on earth...I mean, why are you standing for Parliament? What put the idea into your head?'
"Even to himself Fen's actions were sometimes unaccountable, and he could think of no very convincing reply.
"'It is my wish,' he said sanctimoniously, 'to serve the community.'
"The girl eyed him dubiously.
"'Or at least," he amended, 'that is one of my motives. Besides, I felt I was getting far too restricted in my interests. Have you ever produced a definitive edition of Langland?'
"'Of course not,' she said crossly.
"'I have. I've just finished producing one. It has ...psychological effects. You begin to wonder if you're mad. And the only remedy for that is a complete change of occupation.'"
Read this book not so much for the mystery, but for Fen's final campaign speech when he decides that he doesn't want to get elected after all.
As for the mystery, Crispin ties all of his loose ends together in a climactic automobile chase that involves the lunatic who thinks he's President Wilson, the Cockney pub manager and her non-doing pig, the murderer, a candidate for Parliament, and the rector who is plagued by a poltergeist.
And the poltergeist.
"Buried for Pleasure" is vintage Crispin.
The best of Crispin. A stellar read.......2001-02-24
For my money, this hilarious book is the best mystery by Crispin, better even than the (also wonderful) Moving Toyshop. Literate, intriguing, and funny. The book has a mood and flow that really comes together, with never a false note. Scene after scene hits the mark, with high points including the testimony of the "mullocking" couple, Fen's speech to his political meeting, and the memorable and mellow final scene. They don't write books like this anymore. Highly recommended.
A Hilarious Classic.......2000-08-04
All of Edmund Cripsin's mysteries featuring Oxford don Gervase Fen are hilarious. THE MOVING TOYSHOP is the only one commonly found in bookstores and is (rightly) considered a classic of the genre. However, for my money, BURIED FOR PLEASURE is the best of the Fen mysteries. It's certainly the funniest, with priceless bits including one of literature's best hauntings and a most memorable pig.
Gervase Fen's non-campaign for parliament isn't just insanely funny--it also includes some very intelligent insight into the political process, and reminds us that a great deal of good sense underlies a comic approach to many things. This is one of the best detective novels ever written.
Customer Reviews:
Professor Fen stands for Parliament and exposes a murderer.......2001-06-25
The title of this Gervase Fen mystery is dredged from English folklore: "Buried on Monday, buried for health, /Buried on Tuesday, buried for wealth; /Buried on Wednesday, buried at leisure, /Buried on Thursday, buried for pleasure; /Buried on Friday, buried for fun, /Buried on Saturday, buried at one; /Buried on Sunday after eleven, /You get the priest and you go to heaven."
A more macabre folk jingle than, say "Monday's child is fair of face..." but appropriate for a murder mystery that our detective-don solves while standing for Parliament in rural England.
Along with the eccentric detective Gervase Fen, Professor of English Language and Literature in the University of Oxford, Edmund Crispin also features one of his eccentric animals in "Buried for Pleasure." This time it is a 'non-doing' pig that falls in love with the village's pub manager.
The plot also works in that most obvious of red herrings: an escaped lunatic who believes himself to be President Woodrow Wilson. His normal mode of dress is a pince nez, and he must be the only lunatic in literature who declares, as he is captured and led away, "I warn you that if my Fourteen Points are not adopted, Western Europe will be at war again within a decade." Since "Buried for Pleasure" takes place in 1949, his prophecy was correct, although tardy.
We never do find out exactly why Fen is standing for Parliament. One of the other characters challenges him to explain his motives:
"'Well, what on earth...I mean, why are you standing for Parliament? What put the idea into your head?'
"Even to himself Fen's actions were sometimes unaccountable, and he could think of no very convincing reply.
"'It is my wish,' he said sanctimoniously, 'to serve the community.'
"The girl eyed him dubiously.
"'Or at least," he amended, 'that is one of my motives. Besides, I felt I was getting far too restricted in my interests. Have you ever produced a definitive edition of Langland?'
"'Of course not,' she said crossly.
"'I have. I've just finished producing one. It has queer psychological effects. You begin to wonder if you're mad. And the only remedy for that is a complete change of occupation.'"
Read this book not so much for the mystery, but for Fen's final campaign speech when he decides that he doesn't want to get elected after all.
As for the mystery, Crispin ties all of his loose ends together in a climactic automobile chase that involves the lunatic who thinks he's President Wilson, the Cockney pub manager and her non-doing pig, the murderer, a candidate for Parliament, and the rector who is plagued by a poltergeist.
And the poltergeist.
"Buried for Pleasure" is vintage Crispin.
Average customer rating:
- No 'Fan' of sci-fi.
- Ryman's better at longer lengths
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Unconquered Countries: Four Novellas
Geoff Ryman
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312099290 |
Customer Reviews:
No 'Fan' of sci-fi........2005-08-20
Though wildly inventive, the elements of science fiction in this work feel grounded by humanity and spirituality. I still actively disliked almost all of the stories, though I was never disinterested in the fates of the characters. Ryman is an absorbing, daringly unconventional writer, with an anthology worth perusing just for a taste of the unique.
Why two stars, then? I think Ryman's works will find real appeal in only serious fans of the sociological and/or political science fiction genres. Unless you're just looking for novelty.
Ryman's better at longer lengths.......2002-07-22
I read this earlier in the summer, and I have to admit to having forgotten most about the stories here, but I remember being vaguely disappointed after finishing the collection. I like Ryman a lot--his novel, The Child Garden, is one of my favorite novels, and I thought that both Was and 253 were very good. Maybe I just like him at longer lengths?
* "A Fall of Angels" -- Too much science, not enough story. That was my impression, wanting more of what was going on to be explained in a non-mathematical way. This story seemed to lack that sense of wonder--almost lifeless. It has some interesting concepts, but it is too busy to congeal into a pleasing tale.
* "Fan" -- This was my favorite of the collection, a neat look at an obsessive fan of a new pop star, and what happens when you "meet" the object of your dreams. It really examines the relationship between the "star" and the "fan." It is a rich vein of inquiry, and Ryman taps the jugular here. Both surprising and illuminating, it also holds your attention throughout, even though the protagonist is not very appealing.
* "O Happy Day!" -- A "what if" story about a horrible set of circumstances existing between men and women, and a repeat of the horrors of the mid-20th century. The situation looks grim, but only if we forget to be human. A well done bit of cautionary tale. Enjoyable!
* "The Unconquered Country" -- An award-winner, but it has never done that much for me. Overly subtle?
Book Description
"In our ever more crowded and interconnected world, a vast menagerie of microorganisms travels incessantly from animals to humans, as well as from one human to another. During this movement, the microbes can mutate, and this makes animals an important reservoir for generating human disease. Beasts of the Earth provides an engaging tour through history that demonstrates how the microbes that emerge can change our lives: from their effect on the fall of the Roman Empire to the latest SARS outbreak."—Bruce Alberts, president, National Academy of Sciences
"This important book provides a novel perspective on the current and future status of human disease. Highly recommended."—Joanne P. Webster, Ph.D., reader in parasite epidemiology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London
"This book brings a very important subject to our attention—the never-ending emergence of new human diseases . . . in every instance defying our predictions, in every instance reminding us of the complexity of our world, in every instance challenging our capacity to prevent and control the threat."—Frederick A. Murphy, D.V.M., Ph.D., distinguished professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis
"This book is a wonderful combination of very readable scientific and historical underpinnings of past and present epidemics of the spread of diseases from animals to people."—Sidney M. Wolfe, M.D., director, Public Citizen's Health Research Group, Washington, D.C.
Humans have lived in close proximity to other animals for thousands of years. Recent scientific studies have even shown that the presence of animals has a positive effect on our physical and mental health. People with pets typically have lower blood pressure, show fewer symptoms of depression, and tend to get more exercise.
But there is a darker side to the relationship between animals and humans. Animals are carriers of harmful infectious agents and the source of a myriad of human diseases. In recent years, the emergence of high-profile illnesses such as AIDS, SARS, West Nile virus, and bird flu has drawn much public attention, but as E. Fuller Torrey and Robert H. Yolken reveal, the transfer of deadly microbes from animals to humans is neither a new nor an easily avoided problem.
Beginning with the domestication of farm animals nearly 10,000 years ago, Beasts of the Earth traces the ways that human-animal contact has evolved over time. Today, shared living quarters, overlapping ecosystems, and experimental surgical practices where organs or tissues are transplanted from non-humans into humans continue to open new avenues for the transmission of infectious agents. Other changes in human behavior like increased air travel, automated food processing, and threats of bioterrorism are increasing the contagion factor by transporting microbes further distances and to larger populations in virtually no time at all.
While the authors urge that a better understanding of past diseases may help us lessen the severity of some illnesses, they also warn that, given our increasingly crowded planet, it is not a question of if but when and how often animal-transmitted diseases will pose serious challenges to human health in the future.
Customer Reviews:
Yes, humans are beasts too.......2007-05-28
This short, compact book provides a solid introduction to the topic of diseases and how they spread from animals to humans. The two authors examine how this has occurred throughout history, and how it has affected history. The book takes care to distinguish between bacteria, viruses, and prions, and provides examples of each of them crossing the species barrier to infect humans. The authors also show how human behavior, whether it be agriculture, medical research, or leisure, enhances the spread of microbes from animals to humans. The book provides many examples, giving the where, when, how, and why. The authors also do a good job of citing the scientific literature; both books and publications in peer-reviewed journals. I enjoyed this book and believe you will too.
Good doctors, evolutionarily informed but NOT BIOLOGISTS.......2006-07-15
This short review is being written as I am reading the second chapter. The evolutionary theme is appropriately strong. If we cannot make people appreciate the forces and import of evolution in this context, we never will.
BUT that said, the details reveal that the authors may be good medical doctors, good virologists, but they are very bad general biologists. In these 21 pages, I have found that
1. sea otters are called "pinnepeds" ie the suborder of mammals to which seals belong, when they are really carnivores related to weasels;
2. "rhesus monkeys" are Old World primates, while "macacques" (actually the group of Old World monkeys to which rhesus macaques belong) are New World primates;
3. getting hantavirus from air-borne spores originating in rodent droppings is considered "Direct transmission" while getting prion diseases from eating infected cattle is not;
4. "animals and humans" is a consistently used phrase, rather than the accurate "human and non-human animals";
5. "primates including rhesus monkeys,gibbons, apes,and chimpanzees" incorrectly splits chimps out from the apes--and in fact gibbons are "lesser apes" and an early part of the ape lineage.
In some cases, the mistakes change the message substantially--transmission from cats to otters occured within an order--the Carnivora--not across orders of mammals. I find myself doubting other facts given, such as the lack of yellow fever deaths among Old World monkeys. It certainly causes deaths among New World monkeys and Haddow & Ellice in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene mid-1900's reported cyclical epidemics among galagos, Old World prosimians, members of the Primates that evolved before Old World monkeys.
I am reading this book because I am preparing to teach a seminar on behavior and disease in non-human animals. It will be hard to use it an accessory reading if these errors in basic biology keep occuring. Shame on Rutgers University Press for not doing a better job of editing. Any good undergraduate biology major could have done it for them. These factual errors mar what is otherwise a very valuable book.
Hard to imagine.......2005-03-03
Imagine a scenario where Donald Duck's droppings are falling on Porky Pig who eats them and then drops his into a pond to grow more algae so that Nemo and his friends will grow bigger faster, spreading increasingly lethal strains of the flu to the rest of the world. What nonsense is this, you say? Donald, Porky and Nemo would never do such a thing. Such is the scenario that came to my mind as I started to appreciate the lethal intermingling of viruses and species DNA going on in China and elsewhere today. Meanwhile, back in the USA, Bambi is wasting away from BSE and Garfield is giving toxoplasmosis to a pregnant mom who will have a baby who will become bipolar or schizophrenic.
A fascinating historical overview of an increasingly important current subject. Would like to have seen at least some exploration of the vaccine/AIDs connection and the insecticide/manganese connection for mad cow and BSE.
A mind boggling book.
David Moyer, Author "Too Good to be True? Nutrients Quiet the Unquiet Brain"
A Beast Of A Book.......2005-03-03
This book, in short, tells the spectacular tale (more like spectacular tail!) of our relationships with animals. Although the subject can be seen as dry by many, Torrey and Yolken do a great job at making the subject lively and easy to understand. The subject especially pertains to us with the recent mad cow, SARs, and bird flu outbreaks.
We as humans often get so caught up in our own species that we forget about the animals around us and their effect on us. However, we live in a highly connected world where animals play a very vital. This is why we need to have a book like Beasts of the Earth to point out these human-animal interactions that we encounter everyday.
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