Siege of the Arts
Collected essays and criticism, from the distinguished director of the American Repertory Theater and critic for The New Republic. Reading reviews of productions I couldn't see, of plays that I probably couldn't find in print, can be tedious, but Brustein writes with grace and he always has a point deeper than mere consumer advice. His notes on theater history (especially "Jews and the American Theater") and critical assesments of major figures (especially Sondheim, Albee, and Mamet) are often fascinating.