I wanted to love this book and I did in certain parts. I enjoyed the poetry section much more than the Theater section. I found the author interesting but also with a condescending and repetitive tone. I am eager to find this authors poetry. The one poem included in this book was incredibly moving.

Let's start by confessing that I did not know Keith Garebian, but I have written plays myself, worked in the theatre and do write poetry. Of course I have looked up some of mr Garebian's work (as a theatre critic and as a poet), as that seems only fair when reviewing this book.

It's an interesting mix of short essays, that at their best give room for thought, and at their worst seem a tad 'closed off'. Mr Garebian has the tendency to base most of his essays on what he doesn't like, which can get a bit repetitive, and it he has preponderance for using straw man arguments - saying that a certain form of poetry isn't accepted or liked, stopping just short of saying "as we all know..".

One essay did rub me the wrong way. In it, mr Garebian balks at the idea of actors doing research (for a part) into the lives of black people - what has happened to using your imagination, he asks. He seems to completely miss the point that such research is not just about a (perhaps misguided) thirst for realism, but more about showing respect to an underpresented and much maligned group of people. Sort of how I took the time to read up on mr Garebian before reading his book.