A Bright Ray of Darkness

“Explores the demands of acting and the delusions of manhood with tremendous verve and insight…the work of an author who knows every aspect of the profession from the inside… Hawke is a genius at conjuring the hush of the auditorium, the thrill of live actors, the magical sense of a performance moving through time. He’s written a witty, wise, and heartfelt novel… a deeply hopeful story… Bravo.”
—Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“Ethan Hawke pens a Valentine to theatre in A Bright Ray of Darkness. His new novel is also a prayer for the stage and a reminder of the healing power of performance.”
—The Austin Chronicle

“[Hawke’s] writing evokes both the beauty and tawdriness of New York. And he teaches the reader a lot about theater… an engaging book for those who love theater and Shakespeare.”
—The Christian Science Monitor

“Ethan Hawke is a true writer and his duality as an artist is skillfully reflected in A Bright Ray of Darkness. Hawke circles, descends, and crawls into his characters skin. Grimy shadows pass over the footlights, into the bowels of the theatre, where a struggling actor, perhaps mirroring the writer, seeks the vine of redemption, and claws his way into becoming. Bright Ray is a riveting work.”
—Patti Smith
 
“A brilliant insider’s account of the joys and terrors of acting, the trials of celebrity, and the secrets of Henry IV.”
—Kirkus Reviews