Nice essay from a writer who is in need of pulling out his frustrations as a writer.

I believe that he has put forward some interesting analogies regarding the creation of three acts and our daily life, such as looking for drama in politics. However, the analysis about art versus entertainment is extremely superficial and vague.

It is an interesting lecture to spend a weekend on the go, yet it is not something that I would recommend for writers (as they recommended it to me). Also, I'm sorry to say that dismissing Bertolt Brecht's contribution to drama theory appears to be very naive to me.

Bertolt Brecht is a renowned figure in the field of drama, and his theories have had a profound impact on the development of modern drama. To simply ignore his contributions is unjust and shows a lack of understanding of the rich history and evolution of drama.

Writers should strive to have a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of various drama theories and not be too hasty in dismissing the works and ideas of great playwrights like Brecht.

In the Name of Him

I have always loved to listen to or read the words of the creators of artistic and literary works, and pay attention to their words, not their theories and research details. When a writer or poet thinks deeply and speaks out every word truly, he brings to the language the established or yet-to-be-established foundations in previous works. And these words are full of very important points, perhaps the essence of their works. In fact, these words are their potential works that are actually realized in their works. Reading this kind of books is very enjoyable and educational.

Recently, I read a book by "David Mamet", an American playwright, which belongs to the category I mentioned above: "Three Uses of the Knife". The book consists of three chapters and is about nature and drama. Apparently, its audience is playwrights, but this is not the case because the book does not have the structure of an academic book nor is it written specifically for a particular group. Mamet has thought deeply in this book.

I want to quote some parts of the book later so that you can get an idea of its work. This short book has been published by #Nashr_Bidgol.

"I used to say that a good writer discards what others hold dear. But I have come to a better criterion: a good writer holds dear what others discard."

"With the global cultural advance of Western-American, we see that taste, language, and education have taken on a downward and opportunistic trend, just like in a totalitarian government. The Germans brought forth Nazism in the name of the right to govern destiny and accepted their rule. We bring forth ignorance and vulgarity in the name of information and accept them."

"I remember that in school, they used to say that art flourishes in the abundance of grace. Abundance of grace allows culture and the individual to overcome the difficulties of life and actually also provides additional possibilities for construction so that he can use them to create art. However, in my opinion, the opposite of this statement is true. In the life of an individual, or in the life of a society or culture, art flourishes in the period of struggle and disappears in the period of abundance."

"A play is not about the good things that happen to good people. A play is more about the unbearable consequences that happen to people who are as good or bad as we are."

In the drama, we haven't created an opportunity to face our nature, our actions, and our lies. Because the subject of the drama is a lie.

At the end of the performance, the truth - which has been taken by surprise, with indifference, with cruelty, and with denial - will be revealed.

And in this way, we realize that the drama has come to an end.

The drama often presents a fictional world, but sometimes it can also mirror our real lives. We may act out different roles, hide our true selves, and tell lies. However, in the end, the truth will always prevail. It is through facing the truth that we can grow and learn from our experiences. The end of the drama marks a moment of realization and reflection,提醒着我们要勇敢地面对自己，无论是好是坏。只有这样，我们才能不断进步，成为更好的自己。

I'm not even finished reading this book, but I'm shocked to see that it first published in 2000 misattributes a Saint Augustine quote to Saint Paul. This is such basic research that could have been easily checked and corrected. It really makes me question the credibility of the author.

Moreover, the way the book dismisses genre fiction bugs me. I understand that different people have different preferences when it comes to literature, but to simply write off an entire genre seems rather narrow-minded.

However, there are some sentiments in the book that I am taking to heart. They resonate with me and offer valuable insights. On the other hand, there are also some ideas that I am completely dismissing as outdated and not useful for me in today's world.

Edit: Additionally, there are some indications that the author may be a Zionist, which further adds to my concerns about the objectivity and fairness of the book.

Maybe it's because this is a well-known older book, so others have taken its information and presented it elsewhere in better ways.

However, I haven't found much that I haven't heard before in this book. The writing style is rather chaotic and inconsistent.

I often had to reread paragraphs to understand what the author was trying to convey.

Fortunately, it's a short book. Otherwise, I might have given up before finishing it.

On the positive side, this book does contain a wealth of great ideas about drama in both life and art.

It offers valuable insights into the nature of drama and how it can be explored and understood.

Despite its flaws, it still has something to offer to those interested in the subject.

Perhaps with a more focused and organized writing style, these ideas could have been presented more effectively.

Nevertheless, it's worth reading for the sake of the interesting concepts it contains.

You probably need to already have a deep appreciation for the work of David Mamet and the kind of person he is in order to truly relish this book.

Because this is more of a publication that gives you the sense of spending time with the guy rather than a well-structured and coherent essay about any particular subject.

You won't gain a wealth of knowledge about a wide range of things. Instead, you'll mainly be exposed to the opinions that David Mamet has about various stuff.

Fortunately for us, he has a plethora of opinions on what makes drama captivating.

This book is somewhat of a pick-your-own-poison type, where Mamet freely addresses different drama-writing topics.

I was most enamored with his insights on structure. The way he simplified what the first act of a story should be like in order to have a productive second act that will neatly tie the entire work together was really quite remarkable.

However, it does get a bit lost in a sea of opinions about other diverse topics, which range from what constitutes a good sports game to the place of Judaism in society.

Interestingly, he kind of accidentally spoils every football game in Friday Night Lights while doing so. If you've ever watched the series, it's bound to bring a smile to your face.

I probably approached this one in the wrong way. I'm not very well-versed in who David Mamet is or why I should care about him. But overall, it was... pleasant? I'm not entirely sure how meaningful it was, but it was pleasant nonetheless.

Como hay muchos manuales de dramaturgia y guion, imagino que quiso hacer algo distinto. Sin embargo, le salió distinto y malo. Quizás estaba tratando de innovar y romper con los patrones tradicionales, pero en el proceso, perdió de vista lo que realmente hace que un drama o un guión sea bueno. Puede que no haya tenido suficiente experiencia o conocimiento en la materia, o tal vez simplemente se equivocó de enfoque. De cualquier manera, el resultado no fue el esperado y se quedó corto en muchos aspectos. Es una pena, porque se puede ver que había intenciones buenas detrás de su trabajo, pero a veces, las buenas intenciones no son suficientes. En el futuro, quizás debería estudiar más los manuales y aprender de los ejemplos exitosos para poder mejorar y lograr los resultados que desea.

**Mamet And His Aphorisms**

The actual text of a play is often concise, yet it's the subtext that holds the real significance. This is vividly demonstrated in Mamet's "3 Uses of a Knife," which, despite being only 87 pages long, delves deeply into both the essence of theater and our innate desire to infuse drama into our politics and lives. Truth? What exactly is truth? Mamet posits that truth is merely a core. The pundit who claims that Marlowe or someone else truly wrote Shakespeare is, in Mamet's view, putting themselves above God, as if to say, "Look how clever I am, able to dismiss the Bard with a single thought." As Mamet astutely observes, truth takes a backseat to framing the question. The question is the wellspring of power, for how it is formulated will ultimately determine the outcome.

Early in a play, it's crucial to introduce the McGuffin, the object or idea that represents the protagonist's goal. Whether it's real or illusory doesn't matter. Mamet emphasizes what is known as the "spotlight fallacy," though he doesn't name it explicitly. Objects and events hold importance not because of their inherent value but because we赋予 them significance and label them as such. The first act sets the stage by invoking the quest, the raison d'être, the mythic and transcendent. The second act, however, presents a challenge as it often deals with the mundane. We can easily lose sight of the bigger picture, like draining the swamps, because the immediate problem, such as the alligators, demands our attention. To solve this, we might introduce a gun (on page 37) or a knife (on page 67) in the drawer as a foreshadowing device. But it must be used sparingly and only much later on, or else it will lose its impact.

Mamet firmly opposes the "Death of My Kitten" soliloquy, where the lead character explains the backstory that has shaped them. This hearkens back to an appendage of Greek theater where the character addresses the Gods. Instead, Mamet believes in showing, not telling, through the actions and interactions of the characters.

The "problem" play itself presents a conundrum. It's a sleight of hand, a trick done with mirrors. We pat ourselves on the back for being so clever to see what the characters eventually learn, such as Harold Hill selling a dream rather than instruments, or that Willy Loman could have been saved (albeit less interestingly) if we had given him some advice earlier. The accidental becomes essential, as in his "Spanish Prisoner" where no one notices the Japanese tourists, and this satisfies what we already know on some level.

The man, Mamet, is undeniably intelligent, gifted, and brilliant. His command of language is both lyrical and incisive. His work is not only worth reading but also worthy of being revisited. It serves as a valuable supplement to any of his other works. Highly recommended. And the index at the back is a pleasant surprise in such a short work, proving to be extremely helpful for looking up specific details.

Dense and complex as expected,

the content presented was truly a labyrinth of ideas. However, it was also thought-provoking in ways I had not foreseen.

Each sentence seemed to hold a hidden gem of wisdom, waiting to be discovered by the diligent reader.

It was more inspirational than I had anticipated, as it challenged my preconceived notions and pushed me to think outside the box.

The author's ability to convey such profound concepts in a concise yet engaging manner was truly remarkable.

I found myself constantly reflecting on the ideas presented, and they have since had a lasting impact on my own thinking and perspective.

This piece of writing is a testament to the power of words to inspire, educate, and transform.

It's short. It's convoluted. It refuses to be a step-by-step manual for writers.

Instead, Mamet condenses his thoughts on writing for the theatre and life. He presents his ideas in a way that is not straightforward but rather requires the reader to engage deeply and think critically.

It's less of a book than a conversation with the reader. Mamet seems to be having a dialogue with you, sharing his insights and experiences, and challenging you to consider your own approach to writing and living.

Oh, if you're looking for an easy read, this isn't it. This is a book that demands your attention and effort. But if you're willing to put in the work, it can offer valuable lessons and perspectives that can enrich your understanding of the creative process and the human experience.

For years, this particular book simply sat on my bookshelf, gathering dust and remaining unread.

I seized upon one of my many days confined to bed with a cold as the perfect excuse to finally pull it out and give it a go.

As I reached the end of the book, I found myself somewhat uncertain about how to feel.

Certainly, there were moments within its pages that offered great insights into the world of art - its purpose, its limitations, and the tools at its disposal.

A few sentences really stood out as kernels of wisdom, almost like Koans that invited deep reflection.

However, when the book veered into a reflection on politics, whether it was about dictators like Hitler or American foreign policy, I felt my attention wavering.

While Mamet, without a doubt, has well-informed opinions on such matters, that wasn't the reason I had picked up his book in the first place.

Known as an award-winning playwright, TV producer, and someone who isn't afraid to express himself in essays, I had been hoping for a more intense focus on art in and of itself, rather than on matters of state.

Even so, I did manage to glean enough from the book to make the reading experience worthwhile, but not quite enough to give it a wholeheartedly glowing review.

All in all, it was a somewhat mixed bag.

I have no idea how to rate this as, frankly speaking, I didn't understand a single word of it.

It was completely beyond my comprehension. My sincere recommendation would be to skip this particular piece. Instead, one should watch his truly wonderful MasterClass lectures.

In those lectures, he discusses the exact same concepts, but he does so in plain and simple English. This makes it much easier for the audience to understand and absorb the information.

By choosing to watch the MasterClass lectures, viewers can gain a better understanding of the concepts and also enjoy the engaging and informative style of the presenter.

So, rather than struggling with this incomprehensible text, it is advisable to opt for the more accessible and valuable MasterClass lectures.