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A Whore's Profession: Notes and Essays
A Whore's Profession brings together, for the first time, David Mamet's acclaimed volumes of notes and essays, including, The Cabin, Writing in Restaurants, Some Freaks and On Directing Film. Poignant, intimate, insightful and witty by turns, these writings are an essential accompaniment for David Mamet's plays, and an education for anyone interested in theatre, film, and writing.
In these wise, revealing, and endlessly amusing pieces, David Mamet touches upon many aspects of his life as a writer. In Writing in Restaurants he reflects modestly on his career, while Some Freaks discourses loudly and entertainingly on aspects of contemporary culture - like the movies, Disneyland and on being a tourist. On Directing Film shows his ebullient and practical approach to his own film-making. Central to these essays is Mamet's own work as a writer, and it is in The Cabin that Mamet comes closest to defining himself. Included are autobiographical vignettes from childhood and youth describing the gamut of human emotion, from childhood fear to adult nostalgia in the re-creation of the past.
In these wise, revealing, and endlessly amusing pieces, David Mamet touches upon many aspects of his life as a writer. In Writing in Restaurants he reflects modestly on his career, while Some Freaks discourses loudly and entertainingly on aspects of contemporary culture - like the movies, Disneyland and on being a tourist. On Directing Film shows his ebullient and practical approach to his own film-making. Central to these essays is Mamet's own work as a writer, and it is in The Cabin that Mamet comes closest to defining himself. Included are autobiographical vignettes from childhood and youth describing the gamut of human emotion, from childhood fear to adult nostalgia in the re-creation of the past.
480 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1994
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210 people want to read
About the author
David Mamet
228 books739 followersDavid Alan Mamet is an American author, essayist, playwright, screenwriter and film director. His works are known for their clever, terse, sometimes vulgar dialogue and arcane stylized phrasing, as well as for his exploration of masculinity.
As a playwright, he received Tony nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988). As a screenwriter, he received Oscar nominations for The Verdict (1982) and Wag the Dog (1997).
Mamet's recent books include The Old Religion (1997), a novel about the lynching of Leo Frank; Five Cities of Refuge: Weekly Reflections on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (2004), a Torah commentary, with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner; The Wicked Son (2006), a study of Jewish self-hatred and antisemitism; and Bambi vs. Godzilla, an acerbic commentary on the movie business.
As a playwright, he received Tony nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988). As a screenwriter, he received Oscar nominations for The Verdict (1982) and Wag the Dog (1997).
Mamet's recent books include The Old Religion (1997), a novel about the lynching of Leo Frank; Five Cities of Refuge: Weekly Reflections on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (2004), a Torah commentary, with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner; The Wicked Son (2006), a study of Jewish self-hatred and antisemitism; and Bambi vs. Godzilla, an acerbic commentary on the movie business.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 17, 2025
A collection of several volumes of fairly miscellaneous nonfiction fragments, essays, speeches, articles etc.
Mamet writes with great energy and confidence, but is also often very opinionated, macho and American in outlook.
Nevertheless, he is fairly entertaining on a great variety and range of topics. His practical, exacting views of storytelling and directing in theatre and movies are provocative and insightful, even if you don't always agree with his insistent ways of looking at things.
There is also a fair bit of nostalgia, grumpiness, and the stirrings of some of the neo-conservative views he seems to hold. As a reader, I did not feel much warmth or rapport with him, but I was still able to appreciate the vigour and thoughtfulness of some of his cultural and social critique.
His passion for the theatre and for dynamic storytelling principles is intriguing and infectious. At his best, he cuts through artistic pretensions and distils the simple crafts and techniques of making art that almost anyone might learn and attempt to use.
Mamet writes with great energy and confidence, but is also often very opinionated, macho and American in outlook.
Nevertheless, he is fairly entertaining on a great variety and range of topics. His practical, exacting views of storytelling and directing in theatre and movies are provocative and insightful, even if you don't always agree with his insistent ways of looking at things.
There is also a fair bit of nostalgia, grumpiness, and the stirrings of some of the neo-conservative views he seems to hold. As a reader, I did not feel much warmth or rapport with him, but I was still able to appreciate the vigour and thoughtfulness of some of his cultural and social critique.
His passion for the theatre and for dynamic storytelling principles is intriguing and infectious. At his best, he cuts through artistic pretensions and distils the simple crafts and techniques of making art that almost anyone might learn and attempt to use.
June 14, 2024
dios mío de mi vida lo q he tardado en leerme esto!! las conversaciones con los alumnos me aburrían un poco, pero sus experiencias y los relatos sobre su vida salpicados de sus ideas me han gustado mucho. (lo mejor: leer el ejemplar de mi madre q le regalaron el año q nací yo y ver todos sus subrayados 🤍)
February 25, 2018
The Cabin and On Directing Film are the best collections as they both have interesting things to say about David Mamet‘s life and his ideas on storytelling. The passages with somewhat generic takes on American politics and women weren’t all that interesting to me.
January 30, 2022
I love this book.
November 23, 2017
Mamet was the first writer i found who was a thinker and a doer. he is a gambler, a bit nutty but he also has wisdom and insight. he shows animal instinct, creativity, love of quality, doubt and freedom can coexist
November 6, 2015
Intimate, Insightful and witty
May 2, 2017
Essays are an important but they can fall in to the trap of outmoded for the reader because they are by nature a collection of the writers thoughts over time. They are some amazing essays in this book. "The Cabin" stands out and also "Poll Finds" also Mamet's humanity and questioning of the human dilemma.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews