Drinking in America

by Eric Bogosian

These 12 monologues were originally performed in New York by the author.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Audiobook, Fiction, Humor, Theatre

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Eric Bogosian is an American actor, playwright, monologuist, novelist, and historian. Descended from Armenian-American immigrants, he grew up in Watertown and Woburn, Massachusetts, and attended the University of Chicago and Oberlin College. His numerous plays include Talk Radio (1987) and subUrbia (1994), which were adapted to film by Oliver Stone and Richard Linklater, respectively, with Bogosian starring in the former.
Bogosian has appeared in plays, films, and television series throughout his career. His television roles include Captain Danny Ross in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2006–2010), Lawrence Boyd on Billions (2017–2018), and Gil Eavis on Succession (since 2018). He also starred as Arno in the Safdie brothers' film Uncut Gems (2019). He has also been involved in New York City ballet production, and has written several novels as well as the historical nonfiction Operation Nemesis (2015).

Reviews

[Ashlley Elias · Rating 4 out of 5]

the text of his monologues, meh. but the little essay before about how he wrote it was pretty good stuff.

[Adrianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didn't read the play. I listened to the Audible Audio production but couldn't find it on Goodreads. It was dated but interesting. Funny, but darkly so. The production was probably better to be seen than heard. I think many of the funny gags (audience is laughing without dialogue) were more about staging/movement than the words alone. For monologues delivered by people about when they were (or currently) are drunk, it's tragicomic. You can stand above them while you listen, and you can laugh, but your laughter ends with a sadness. A life of drug or alcohol addiction may be humorous - at timesj- but ultimately, our laughter is about their demise, an end of their life.

[Lainie Vansant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, it’s probably not something I’ll come back to, but it’s a nice production. If you want to investigate masculinity or you’re into the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll thing, have at it. For more thoughts, check out my Substack:

https://open.substack.com/pub/lainiev...

[Kurt Wallinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually, I listened to the new Audible version of the book, but I can't add a new edition, so I am updating this one. It was a little hard to understand, mostly funny but sometimes very crude. Let the listener/reader beware of the language. It's short so it can be read or listened to in less than a couple of hours.

[Trin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite collection of his monologues (I think that's still Pounding Nails in the Floor With My Forehead), but the interstitial biographical bits and the photos are a delight.

[artemis · Rating 3 out of 5]

É muito legal ler as peças do Eric e meio que ouvir ele nas palavras - não necessariamente dizendo que não são personagens, mas tem uma genialidade que eu consigo ligar até ele muito tranquilamente.
Não foi minha peça favorita dele das que li até o momento (é impossível bater Talk Radio, acho), mas essa é realmente muito interessante. Adorei o monólogo do ator de comercial de cerveja.

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't add a new edition because Goodreads said that's now a no-no. So I will review the Audible audio version. I have to say for me it was a little uneven. Some of the 12 monologues were pretty darn good and others left me cold. It's not a bad listen.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good, Eric is the king of the post modern theatrical monologue - so good to experience these all again in a standalone volume.

[Andrea Janov · Rating 4 out of 5]

These characters felt so strongly part of a certain place and a certain time. Bogosian's way of capturing that can at times feel superficial, but only because it is so accurate and not dramatized.

[Jason Trevino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great monologues! It’s a great book to read while pacing across your living room, or even better, reading aloud.

There’s a video up on YouTube called “Eric Bogosian talks about his early career” which provides great background and context. Check it out!

Also found a complete “Funhouse” on YouTube. Definitely worth a watch.

Keep in your collection if you want some monologue material for auditions!

[Zac Stojcevski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time, Andre Rayo does a recorded version of the drunken half truth, half slurred ranting, rageful monologues of the holy idiot. When I read this in the 80s, this was so edgy and angry. Both this work and I have become a little faded and diluted, but both this work, and to a lesser extent myself, are still relevant.

[Reynald · Rating 5 out of 5]

its good and awsome