{"product_id":"9781628975130","title":"True Story: A Trilogy","description":"\u003ci\u003eTrue Story: A Trilogy\u003c\/i\u003e gathers together three documentary plays by award-winning playwright and poet Dan O’Brien concerning trauma, both political and personal. \u003ci\u003eThe Body of an American\u003c\/i\u003e speaks to a moment in history when a single, stark photograph—of a US Army Ranger dragged from the wreckage of a Blackhawk helicopter through the streets of Mogadishu—altered the course of global events. In a story that ranges from Rwanda to Afghanistan to the Canadian Arctic, O’Brien dramatizes the ethical and psychological haunting of journalist Paul Watson. In \u003ci\u003eThe House in Scarsdale: A Memoir for the Stage\u003c\/i\u003e the playwright applies journalistic principles to investigating the source of his childhood unhappiness, as he searches for the reason why his parents and siblings cut him off years ago. The more he learns about his family, the more mysterious the circumstances surrounding their estrangement become, until his sense of self is shaken by rumors regarding his true parentage. The trilogy concludes with \u003ci\u003eNew Life\u003c\/i\u003e, a tragicomedy that finds Paul Watson in Syria and the playwright in treatment for cancer, while together they endeavor to sell a TV series about journalists in war zones. \u003ci\u003eNew Life\u003c\/i\u003e explores the paradox of war as entertainment, and dares to dream of healing after catastrophe. These three gritty yet poetic plays stand as a testament to the value of witnessing, honoring, and perhaps transcending the struggles of living.","brand":"Dan O'Brien","offers":[{"title":"Deep Vellum |  Paperback \/ softback | Trade paperback (US) |  2023-10-20","offer_id":44230052118783,"sku":"9781628975130","price":23.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0329\/9075\/7001\/files\/BNCImageAPI_ceb4e683-4754-4789-a80c-769c4910445f.jpg?v=1692994059","url":"https:\/\/riverbookshop.com\/products\/9781628975130","provider":"River Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}