"A collection of literary essays on topics ranging from war to love, success to death"--

""Government, like Circe, turns men into swine," David Mamet writes in his latest political tour de force. Prepare to be challenged, enlightened, and entertained by The Disenlightenment as Mamet dissects the modern world with enthusiasm, wisdom, and lots of references to movies about the mafia. Once a stalwart of liberal thought, Mamet now turns his penetrating gaze on the cultural milieu that nurtured his artistic growth, revealing how America's elites have twisted our institutions into tools of manipulation. With his one-of-a-kind wit, he exposes the intricate dance between power and myth, unmasking how the elites manipulate media and culture to maintain control. The Disenlightenment fearlessly tackles topics from war to love, success to death, offering a fresh perspective on the human condition. His observations, ranging from the carnival-like nature of politics to the power of language, reflect a society where traditional values are under siege"--

Open city : an introduction -- Box jumper -- The Kennedys -- The shill -- The springbok -- The bally and the tip -- No coups in England -- "A dream is a wish your heart makes -- Road trip -- Hypothermia -- Decision height -- Dese dem dose -- Come smoke a Coca-Cola -- The temp score and the look back -- The generation of the desert -- Intersectionality -- "The poor are always with us" explained -- The zero point -- Woody Allen and the IDF -- Armageddon -- Firewall -- Upstage of the couch -- The hangman's rope -- Failing up and down -- The Benjamins -- Lesbians and whaling -- Some maxims of Napoleon -- Stonewall -- Herman Melville and the Jews -- Motherless children -- Song of praise -- Bartenders' guide : the Shirley Temple and the Molotov -- Munchausen by proxy -- My romance -- Oklahoma -- What shall we give the sun god? -- Maverick -- Carmen Miranda and the Panama Canal -- The farmhouse -- The wheel -- The bus station -- Gandhi n' me -- Inherit the wind -- The New Zealander -- The long way around the barn