Amin (Arabic literature, culture, and theater, Villanova U.) offers a history of the career of Alfred Farag, one of Egyptian theater's most significant playwrights, and a critical analysis of his work and the condition of Egyptian theater in the 1970s through the 1990s. While the playwright is best-known for his plays produced during the 1960s, the author, also a professional stage director, examines the development of his later work. She also discusses his experimentation and use of modernist, absurdist, and postmodern theatrical styles. The book also includes four of Farag's short plays and a monologue translated into English for the first time. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)