Screamingly funny, though to truly appreciate these plays (and the original book, The Art of Coarse Acting), you need to be either a fan of the theatre or a participant (at any level). These plays lampoon the very worst in amateur theatricals, and are deliberately written so that if you do them "well", they're so bad that they make you laugh. This is the essence of the Coarse experience. If you're in the theatre, then you must read the original book, followed by these plays. The pla... (show more)

Screamingly funny, though to truly appreciate these plays (and the original book, The Art of Coarse Acting), you need to be either a fan of the theatre or a participant (at any level). These plays lampoon the very worst in amateur theatricals, and are deliberately written so that if you do them "well", they're so bad that they make you laugh. This is the essence of the Coarse experience. If you're in the theatre, then you must read the original book, followed by these plays. The plays won't quite make sense to you unless you've been first grounded in the Coarse Acting concept. Personally, I'd love to do any of these plays, but I can't find anyone that will produce them. One problem with biting satire is that the average Playreading Committee associated with any given theatre will contain all too many members who simply won't get it. More's the pity. (show less)

A book that I did not read voluntarily; I was managing a business and the corporate headquarters decided to send all of us to a seminar based on this book. I note with a little amusement that I might have given it another half-star were that not the case. However, it's an effective book, and contains a lot of good and practical advice that people in leadership positions ought to know (and you'll find as you go along that most of the people you've encountered in life in such positions really c... (show more)

A book that I did not read voluntarily; I was managing a business and the corporate headquarters decided to send all of us to a seminar based on this book. I note with a little amusement that I might have given it another half-star were that not the case. However, it's an effective book, and contains a lot of good and practical advice that people in leadership positions ought to know (and you'll find as you go along that most of the people you've encountered in life in such positions really could use a healthy dose of this book). There are MANY competing books in this genre, especially tie-ins to popular seminar programs, but you need not go to such a seminar to benefit from this book (true of any Carnegie book). I won't go so far as to say it's required reading, but it's a good idea even if you have been through programs such as Willingham's Integrity Selling and some of the other "hot" combinations of written material and presentation. Many of the newer works did considerable "borrowing" from Carnegie. Why not read the original? (show less)