Reviews

I saw all 8 hours of Angels in America on one marathon Broadway day in 1994. (Paul Newman sat nearby. We didn’t keep in touch.) It’s still the best show I’ve ever seen. (Sorry Hamilton.) So I’m a sucker for this Slate-produced oral history of 250 actors, directors, critics, etc., from Tony Kushner to Meryl Streep to Barney Frank. If you’ve seen the show (or the HBO movie), you know it’s not your typical drama about AIDS, Mormons, Roy Cohn, drag queens, heaven & the Reagan administration. If you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for?

tracithomas's review against another edition

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4.0

A total dream for a theater geek like me. I loved the format of oral history and hearing so much about an icon play over 30+ years. If you love theater craft and history this book is all that and more. It went on long sometimes and often lacked context...which is also the nature of the beast.

lediamond4's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

I’ve only very recently discovered oral histories as reading material and I’m absolutely hooked. Is there a better way to learn and understand history than through the eyes of those who lived/experienced it?

Not only was this a compelling historical account of the AIDS crisis in America with social and political commentary, but I also learned so much about how plays are written and produced. There were many moving pieces and the authors put them all together almost seamlessly.

threeara's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

What an absolute treat for anyone interested in theater in general or Angels in America in particular. It is such an entertaining read, I laughed out loud and I teared up I couldn't put it down. I'm glad I own a copy because I plan to return to this book.

anjumstar's review against another edition

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5.0

Um, amazing. I never felt like I was in the mood to read this book (I had just finished the Daily Show oral history book, so I was fatigued on that style) but it always managed to suck me in. It must just be my love of this show, but getting any new grain of information about such a epic--and definitely, at times, confusing--show was incredible. I loved the little anecdotes that people were telling and the chapters about the characters, specifically, might have been my favorites. This book is a must-read for anyone who likes this show, and probably any theatre person. If you're a theatre person, you gotta know Angels in America.

tscott907's review

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5.0

I knew this book was going to change my life because Angels changed my life, and I loved it. Expansive, heartfelt, honest reporting that is often very funny. So many different perspectives that were a delight to read. Everyone should read this book — just as everyone should read Angels — and then come talk to me so we can gush about both.

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