Plot Summary

A Lie Of The Mind

Sam Shepard
Guide cover placeholder

A Lie Of The Mind

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1985

Book Brief

Sam Shepard

A Lie Of The Mind

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1985
Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Montana And California • 1980s

Publication Year

1985

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard centers on the tumultuous and interwoven lives of two families linked by the marriage of Jake and Beth, exploring themes of familial rivalry, trauma, and the complexities of love and memory. Women frequently encounter societal victimhood, and characters struggle to make significant emotional connections amid a backdrop of abandonment and violence.

Dark

Mysterious

Unnerving

Gritty

Melancholic

Reviews & Readership

4.3

1,281 ratings

68%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Sam Shepard's A Lie Of The Mind is lauded for its powerful and raw depiction of dysfunctional family dynamics and psychological depth. Critics appreciate Shepard's complex characters and intense dialogue, though some find the narrative's nonlinear structure challenging. The play is recognized for its emotional intensity and provocative exploration of identity and delusion.

Who should read this

Who Should Read A Lie Of The Mind?

A reader captivated by intense family dynamics, psychological depths, and American existentialism will relish Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind. Fans of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire or Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman will appreciate Shepard's raw portrayal of flawed relationships and personal struggles.

4.3

1,281 ratings

68%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Montana And California • 1980s

Publication Year

1985

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!