ABSTRACT
The Art of Crime: The Plays and Films of Harold Pinter and David Mamet is the first collection of essays dedicated to a critical assessment of the centrality and pervasiveness of crime, crime stories, and criminality in the work of Harold Pinter and David Mamet, writers whose work is typically linked by their facility with language, theatricality, and distinctive idiom. Scholars and critics typically include Pinter and Mamet among the century’s most influential writers, yet the aspect of criminality that is central to their work has received little critical attention. Whether contradicting or complementing one another, the international writers whose work is featured in this volume enhance this book by their expertise in the work of each-or both-writers. Collectively they initiate a compelling dialogue on criminality, con artistry, and power politics, engaging the reader in a fascinating discussion on the strategies each writer employs in order to plumb the depths of criminal behavior and intent on a personal level and in the public arena.
