David Mamet

As a grandmother and her granddaughter prepare food for Passover, the most joyous of Jewish holidays, the woman reflects on her past which included a pogrom. In the process the girl's perception of life is altered.

The Water Engine is a story of a poor young factory worker who invents an engine that runs on water. Big business tries to force him to sell the rights. Mr. Happiness is a companion piece where a host of a radio show attempts to help his listeners in their personal problems.

" ... A heartwarming burlesque of the American Dream served with a twist of bitter irony. Gino, a gentle old shoeshine man who dreams of owning a fishing boat back in his Sicilian birthplace, gets an offer he can't refuse--to take the rap for a Mafia murder committed by a man he resembles. In return he'll get more than enough money to buy his boat--when he gets out of jail. Jerry, a down-and-almost-out member of the gang, is assigned the task of turning...

The Chinaman contains 40 poems, most of which are published here for the very first time. Mamet presents a wide range of moods - from the bleak landscapes of "The Triumph of Gravity" and "Tremont Street" to the deceptive playfulness of "This and That"--And a wide range of characters - from the loving muse of "R." to the memorable outsiders of "Song of the Jew" and the title poem. What unites this collection is Mamet's mastery of form: all are written...

"Edmond is the brutal, probing, and controversial story of a man set morally adrift in a corrupt and violent world. Leaving a wife and marriage in which he finds no fulfillment, Edmond sets out to find sex, adventure, companionship, and ultimately, the meaning of existence. What he experiences is a nightmare odyssey through the underworld of New York City." -- from back cover.