The death and life of drama : reflections on writing and human nature /

Lee's reflections, essentially a series of essays, consider dramatic writing, specifically screenwriting, from philosophical and psychological points of view. Not addressing the intellectually faint of heart, he tackles such issues as how dramatic structure relates to Freudian and Jungian theories, and considers weighty matters of morality, the nature of civilization, and the perception of time. Discussions of the philosophical theories of Kant, Nietzsche, Hume, and others are not often encountered in screenwriting books. A thorough notes section supports the text, though an index would be helpful as well. Lee makes frequent, appropriate references to dozens of films, ranging from the popular (Raiders of the Lost Ark) to the more esoteric (Fanny and Alexander). Readers seeking a nuts-and-bolts approach to the craft should look elsewhere; Lee invites readers to meditate, as the title suggests, on writing and human nature. A poet, playwright, screenwriting instructor, and author of two previous screenwriting books, Lee offers fellow travelers--students of the human condition--a nice addition to the genre that will be welcomed by the philosophically inclined. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and higher. S. B. DeMasi Suffolk County Community College--Ammerman Campus