Product Description

A student edition of Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play First staged in Britain in 1983, Glengarry Glen Ross is the tale of four real-estate salesmen in a cut-throat sales competition. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 and was made into a film, starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin, in 1992. "The finest American playwright of his generation" Sunday Times "A chillingly funny indictment of a world in which you are what you sell" Guardian "Nobody alive writes better American Here at last, carving characters out of language, is a play with real muscle" Observer "David Mamet, screenwriter of The Verdict and The Postman Always Rings Twice, is alongside Sam Shepard and Michael Weller, one of the most distinctive voices on the contemporary American stage" Michael Coveney, Financial Times

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #66879 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Review
The finest American playwright of his generation Sunday Times A chillingly funny indictment of a world in which you are what you sell Guardian Nobody alive writes better American Here at last, carving characters out of language, is a play with real muscle Observer David Mamet, screenwriter of The Verdict and The Postman Always Rings Twice, is alongside Sam Shepard and Michael Weller, one of the most distinctive voices on the contemporary American stage Michael Coveney, Financial Times

About the Author
David Mamet was born in Chicago in 1947. He studied at Goddard College, Vermont - later becoming Artist in Residence - and at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York. His first and many subsequent plays were first performed by the St Nicholas Theatre company, Chicago, of which he was a founding member and Artistic Director. In 1978 he became Associate Artistic Director of the Goodman Theatre, Chicago, where American Buffalo had been first staged in 1975, subsequently winning an Obie Award and opening on Broadway in 1977 and at the National Theatre in 1978. His greatest hits, Glengarry Glen Ross and Oleanna followed in 1983 and 1993 respectively.

Customer Reviews

"It is not a world of men, Machine."
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.

Damn good!
If I were you, considerate money spender, I would buy this right now. It is very good. May England beat Germany this Saturday, Amen. Amen.

...buy the film instead!
First off, I just want to say that the story of Glengarry Glen Ross is excellent. David Mamet did a super job writing the script. The book is only 64 pages in length and it takes less time to read it than watching the film! If you want my advice, buy the film, either in VHS or DVD format. The film is better than the book. The are extra scenes in the film that give the story and characters more depth and meaning... Sorry, but buy the film instead.