Kicking a Dead Horse - by Sam Shepard (Paperback)

About the Book

After successful runs in Dublin and London, "Kicking a Dead Horse" will have its American premiere in June at New York's Public Theatre, starring Stephen Rea, in this play that is classic Shepard . . rueful . . . highly entertaining ("Sunday Independent").

Book Synopsis

A solitary man digs a hole in the ground, near a dead horse. Amidst the clutter of food and equipment stands Hobart Struther, who has ridden all the way out to the middle of nowhere on a holy mission. But one day into his "Great Sojourn," things are looking bleak. His horse has choked to death, he's miles away from civilization, and there's not a person around to talk to - other than himself. As Hobart examines his rise -- how he built a vast art collection while ensconced in a comfortable Park Avenue lifestyle -- he digs deep into his own history, unearthing truths about his past while still struggling to find the answers he needs. With Shepard's linguistic flair, subtle humor, and probing insights, Kicking a Dead Horse is an invigorating addition to the works of one of America's most innovative playwrights.

Review Quotes

"Classic Shepard, rueful and paradoxic. . . . Highly entertaining." --Sunday Independent"Witty. . . . the writing is razor sharp." --Irish Independent"Bold. . . . Kicking a dead horse he may be, but it never feels as though Shepard is flogging it." --Irish Times

About the Author

SAM SHEPARD was the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of more than fifty-five plays, three story collections, and two works of prose fiction. As an actor, he appeared in more than sixty films, and received an Oscar nomination in 1984 for The Right Stuff. He was a finalist for the W. H. Smith Literary Award for his story collection Great Dream of Heaven. In 2012 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Trinity College, Dublin. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, received the Gold Medal for Drama from the Academy, and was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. He died in 2017.