About this title: A guide to the acting profession by a leading American playwright. He advises aspiring actors on topics such as judging a role, approaching the part, working with the playwright, undertaking auditions, and the relationship with agents and the business in general.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780679442493ISBN:0679442499
Description: Good. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dustcover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "from the library of" labels. ******PLEASE NOTE****** Orders placed after Dec. 7 cannot be guaranteed delivery before Christmas unless you select EXPEDITED shipping! Thank you & Happy Holidays! read more
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. 1997-Hardcover----Used-Good-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 1997-02-22
ISBN-13:9780679772644ISBN:0679772642
Description: Fair. First 1/2 of the book (60 pages) has heavy underlining & margin notes. The second 1/2 is completely unmarked. Cover is in great condition. Prompt shipping & FREE delivery confirmation. read more
Edition: Reprint
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Pantheon Books, New York, New York
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780679442493ISBN:0679442499
Description: Good in Good jacket. 0679442499 This book has some shelf wear as well as marks and chipping on the jacket and pages. This book is 127 pages. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780679772644ISBN:0679772642
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Edition: First edition.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780679442493ISBN:0679442499
Description: Fine in fine dust jacket. Ex-library. Great Copy despite usual ex library markings. Text is crisp, clean and unmarked. Binding is tight. Dust Jacket is protected in plastic cover. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 160 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Edition: NEW ED
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: FABER AND FABER Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 1998
ISBN-13:9780571192618ISBN:0571192610
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 128 pages. (128 pages) a guide to the acting profession by a leading american playwright. he advises aspiring actors on topics such as judging a role, approaching the part, working with the playwright, undertaking auditions, and the relationsh1p with agents and the business in general. edition new ed (Paperback) read more
Description: ISBN 0-679-44249-9 Octavo (8.5 in. by 6.0 in. ); 127pp.; very good hardcover; fine dust jacket; remainder mark to edge of text block; crisp; clean; bright; unread. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Pantheon Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780679442493ISBN:0679442499
Description: Fine in Fine jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Signed by Author TEXT UNMARKED. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Pantheon Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780679442493ISBN:0679442499
Description: Fine in Fine jacket. Signed by Author FINE stated 1st edition (& 1st printing) in a FINE dust jacket (price intact). AUTHOR SIGNED (in blue ink on the half-title page) read more
"Dispelling LOTS of myths, straight-up advice for young actors, a reminder to older actors who are too full of themselves, who begin to believe what their reviews say about them.
Wanna be an actor? Read this book, save yourself a lot of work."
"This incendiary book by Mamet will incite some to passionate displays of polemic and others to equally passionate displays of praise. At least he's equitable. The actor has a very difficult job to do. Mamet simplifies and cuts to the quick. The thesis is that the actor, armed with imagination and action, can do what he was always meant to do: the play. "The plays the thing." I will not attempt to distill this book here, but I will say that, having now read it nearly ten times (not exaggerating), it never fails to inspire me and remind me of why I started acting, and why I continue to do it. As Alec Baldwin said, "Devour every word.""
"Nothing has quite shaken my foundations quite like this book has. I'm not in complete agreement with it though, but there are bits and pieces that are valuable for any actor, so it's worth a read."
"I recently directed a show in which I was influenced by the writings of Meisner and Stanislavsky to coax very personal performances from my actors. The actors in question were very young (13 and 14 year olds), so I didn't really walk them through the details of The Method, but I did encourage them to dig inside of themselves and find connections to their characters that would allow them to more convincingly play some rather dark moments that would never be accomplished by the typical brand of 'acting' that middle schoolers usually bring to the table.
The success of that show and the bravery and maturity shown by those actors single handedly obliterated most of what David Mamet says in this rather odd little book, a volume in which the author derides and openly mocks Method Acting, and from what I could glean, Acting in general.
Normally, if such an industry giant as David Mamet said something so counter to my experiences, I would immediately question my beliefs. Since, however, one of Mamet's opening chapters warns against Ancestor Worship, while reading this book, I felt very comfortable rolling my eyes and laughing out loud and coming to the pretty strong determination that Mr. Mamet 1) hates actors, and 2) had no clue what he's talking about. As a man who primarily writes (and directs), Mr. Mamet may be under the impression that the text is the only thing worth looking at and thinking about, but he shows himself to be quite an ass to suggest that actors (and directors) need bring nothing to the table aside from the ability to memorize and recite lines.
On a sidenote: much of Mamet's mockery of the 'art' of acting sounds a whole lot like the 'bad acting' that Stanislavsky also mocks in his volume, "An Actor Prepares". Stanislavsky, however, goes on to explain the difference between 'bad acting' and effective acting. Mamet just gives a few examples of 'bad acting', and expects this to represent the entire profession, then deficates on the entire endeavor. Wierd.
All that being said, I really couldn't put it any better than one of the previous reviewers here on GoodReads who said it like this:
"As an actor, i'm bothered - as a theatre historian - i'm amused."
This is a very amusing read, thus the three stars, but it really is amusing for all the wrong reasons."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
![True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor [Paperback] By Mamet...](http://images.alibris.com/isbn/9780679772644_t.gif)
rating
