Winner of two Obie Awards, a New York Drama Critics Award, and the Pulitzer Prize, David Mamet is widely considered to be one of the most prolific and powerful voices in contemporary American theater. A seminal figure whose reputation as an innovative playwright and filmmaker demands an appraisal of his thought and the evolution of his craft, Mamet's commitment to the dynamic of ethics and ethnicity heavily informs his work. "Weasels and Wisemen" is the first major study of Mamet's work to investigate the moral vision and cultural poetics upon which this playwright's vision is founded. Tracing the development of Mamet's canon over a period of twenty years from his early unpublished play "Marranos" through his most recent work, Leslie Kane examines the subtle link between the moral vision and ethical behavior that distinguishes Mamet's theater and film.