Considering Aaron Sorkin: Essays on the Politics, Poetics and Sleight of Hand in the Films and Television Series [Paperback]

Thomas Fahy (Author)

List Price:	CDN$ 35.69
Price:	CDN$ 35.43 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save:	CDN$ 0.26 (1%)
	o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca. Gift-wrap available.

Only 1 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want it delivered Tuesday, May 29? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout.

Product Details

Paperback: 223 pages
Publisher: McFarland & Company (Jan 1 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786421207
ISBN-13: 978-0786421206
Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 15 x 1.3 cm
Shipping Weight: 318 g
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #591,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Book Description

Aaron Sorkin is one of the most notable voices in Hollywood, attracting millions of weekly viewers with his television series The West Wing and scoring box office success with films like A Few Good Men and The American President. With a musician’s sense of rhythm and writing skills honed in the theater, Sorkin crafts dialogue that brings characters to life. His crisp, tight language is both exciting to listen to and poetic in its beauty and power—but what lies behind the slick, sophisticated exchanges between Sorkin’s characters? Does Sorkin’s ability to captivate viewers with rapid-fire, humorous dialogue lull them into overlooking an inherent political agenda, a sense of elitism, and gender bias prominent throughout his work? Aaron Sorkin’s skill as a writer garners him accolades, even from his critics: complex, nuanced, sometimes subtle but often forceful, Sorkin’s work is best understood when viewed from a variety of perspectives.

This collection of essays on the work of Aaron Sorkin affords greater insight into the complexities of his writing, drawing connections between the film and television output of today’s most prominent and influential screenwriter. Scholars from various fields—film, literature, art history, political science, and more—examine the thematic content and rhetorical strategy of Sorkin’s writing. Eleven essayists explore the subtle, pervasive and often contradictory messages woven throughout Sorkin’s work, from politics to portrayals of women, and consider his impact on film, television and culture. An interview with Aaron Sorkin precedes the essays, each of which has notes and a bibliography. An appendix covering film and television credits is included.

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

Customer Reviews

There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.ca

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Share your experience with this product with others

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com ^(beta)

Amazon.com: 3.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection on a great writer!, Mar 24 2005

By Dan - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Considering Aaron Sorkin: Essays on the Politics, Poetics and Sleight of Hand in the Films and Television Series (Paperback)

This is a really engaging and smart book. I'm a huge fan of The West Wing and Sports Night, and A Few Good Men is one of my favorite films. So I was especially interested in reading a book that discusses all of Sorkin's works -- not just The West Wing but Sports Night and movies like The American President and Malice.

The book begins with a lengthy interview with Sorkin, and it is followed by eleven essays that examine the strengths and even some of the weaknesses in Sorkin's writing. This is a great read for any fan of Sorkin's work, and I highly recommend it.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to know what makes Aaron Sorkin's work tick?, July 30 2005

By mrshvd3 "mrshvd3" - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Considering Aaron Sorkin: Essays on the Politics, Poetics and Sleight of Hand in the Films and Television Series (Paperback)

This is a collection of essays by people in various fields, and the chapters cover the spectrum of Aaron Sorkin's work. And there is a dialogue between Fahy and Sorkin at the beginning.

I was most interested in the observations on "WW" and "The American President", those being my favorites. I found quite a few viewpoints that either confirmed what I felt I had already discovered about "WW" and "TAP" (and other Sorkin works), or gave me more to think about that I hadn't already considered.

Sort of like, "Oh, yeah! I noticed that, too!" or "Hmmm...I hadn't thought of that."

It's a good analysis without being heavy-handed, entertaining without being frivolous.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars for the literate Sorkin fan, May 14 2006

By J. D. Frane - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Considering Aaron Sorkin: Essays on the Politics, Poetics and Sleight of Hand in the Films and Television Series (Paperback)

This is a great collection for the literate Sorkin fan. It makes connections among all his works, including his films. (I didn't even realize that he wrote the screenplay for the film Malice.) It debates issues. And it raises interesting and thoughtful questions.

I highly recommend it.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews 3.4 out of 5 stars