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Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1993

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Book Brief

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Tony Kushner

Angels in America

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1993
Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Play • Fiction

Genre
Setting

New York City • 1980s

Publication Year

1993

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Angels in America by Tony Kushner spans 1985 to 1986 in New York, following the lives of interconnected characters dealing with AIDS, sexuality, politics, religion, and mental illness. Gay couple Prior and Louis face Prior's AIDS diagnosis. Mormon couple Harper and Joe struggle with Harper's mental health and Joe's hidden sexuality. Ambitious lawyer Joe is mentored by powerful yet unscrupulous Roy Cohn.

Mysterious

Melancholic

Inspirational

Emotional

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Angels in America by Tony Kushner is hailed for its ambitious exploration of AIDS, sexuality, and politics in 1980s America. Critics praise its rich, complex characters and bold intertwining of the personal with the political. However, some consider its narrative structure overly sprawling. Overall, it's deemed a seminal, thought-provoking work in contemporary theater.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Angels in America?

Readers who relish profound, politically infused dramas with complex character studies would enjoy Angels in America by Tony Kushner. Fans of Beloved by Toni Morrison or The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer, who appreciate narratives addressing social and personal struggles amidst historical backdrops, will find this work compelling.

Character List

Prior Walter

A white gay man diagnosed with AIDS, grappling with illness and visions while experiencing significant personal growth and agency over the course of the story.

A white, Jewish, gay man struggling with guilt and conflict avoidance, whose decisions and relationships drive much of the narrative's emotional tension.

A white, Mormon, closeted gay lawyer whose internal conflict between personal identity and societal expectations causes upheaval in his marriage and career.

Joe’s wife, a white Mormon woman coping with mental illness and addiction, escaping her troubled reality through vivid hallucinations.

A fictionalized version of the historical lawyer, portrayed as powerful and ruthless, whose interactions reveal his complex humanity and societal impact.

A Black gay man, nurse, and former drag queen, who provides compassionate support to those around him while navigating the racial and political complexities of his environment.

Joe's mother, a straightforward and sometimes stern Mormon woman who relocates to New York, ultimately forming a connection with a new community.

A mysterious, powerful figure representing divine intervention, whose presence and messages influence the characters' journeys and decisions.

Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Play • Fiction

Genre
Setting

New York City • 1980s

Publication Year

1993

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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