A. R. Gurney

  • 18

    Catalog books

  • 6

    Works

  • 1990 to 2011

    Strongest span

Who This Author Is

A. R. Gurney's plays probe manners, memory, and the quiet tensions of family life. From compact pieces like A Light Lunch and Office Hours to collected volumes spanning decades, his work blends wry domestic observation with moments of tenderness and regret, often staged as intimate conversations between characters.

Gurney's early plays and later collections—Nine Early Plays, the multi-volume collected plays, and script pairings such as Love Letters and Two Other Plays—trace recurring themes of social change, generational gaps, and the private rituals that define relationships, delivered in economical, character-driven scenes.

Best Place To Start

A. R. Gurney, Vol. V

Smith & Kraus • 2001 • standard commitment

It helps anchor a specific period of this author’s publishing run instead of blending into the undated shelf clutter.

Author At A Glance

Best known for: Intimate domestic dramas • Witty, character-driven dialogue • Short plays and revues

Genres and themes: Drama • Family and relationships • Social manners • Nostalgia

Who this author is best for: Readers who like close, character-focused plays about family dynamics and social etiquette will appreciate his work.

Start with the collected plays or accessible one-acts like A Light Lunch and Office Hours to sample his tone and voice.

Top Books To Start With

  1. A. R. Gurney, Vol. V

    Smith & Kraus • 2001 • standard commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2001 • 263 pages.

  2. A. R. Gurney, Vol. III: Collected Plays, 1984-1991

    Smith & Kraus Pub Inc • 2000 • longer commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2000 • 352 pages.

  3. A. R. Gurney, Vol. IV: Collected Plays, 1992-1999 (Contemporary Playwrights)

    Smith & Kraus Pub Inc • 2000 • standard commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2000 • 320 pages.

  4. A. R. Gurney: Nine Early Plays 1961-1973

    Smith & Kraus Pub Inc • 1995 • standard commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1995 • 252 pages.

  5. Love Letters and Two Other Plays: The Golden Age, What I Did Last Summer (Plume Drama)

    Plume • 1990 • standard commitment

    It stands out because it asks for less time than many of the longer volumes on this page.

  6. Office hours

    Dramatists Play Service, Inc. • 2011 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2011 • 56 pages.

  7. A light lunch

    Broadway Play Publishing Inc • 2009 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 2009 • 74 pages.

  8. Richard Cory (Formerly entitled WHO KILLED RICHARD CORY?).

    Dramatist's Play Service • 1998 • commitment varies by edition

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1998.

  9. Sweet Sue

    Dramatist's Play Service • 1998 • commitment varies by edition

    You want fast-paced plot twists rather than measured domestic scenes of Sweet Sue | You prefer experimental theatre inst…

  10. The Comeback

    Dramatist's Play Service • 1998 • commitment varies by edition

    You want plot-driven thrillers rather than quiet, conversational scenes | You prefer spectacle-heavy theater over intima…

How The Picks Compare

  • A. R. Gurney, Vol. V is the easier short commitment, while A. R. Gurney, Vol. III: Collected Plays, 1984-1991 asks for more reading time up front.
  • A. R. Gurney, Vol. III: Collected Plays, 1984-1991 gives you an earlier look at this author’s shelf, while A. R. Gurney, Vol. V leans later in the catalog.
  • A. R. Gurney, Vol. IV: Collected Plays, 1992-1999 (Contemporary Playwrights) is also useful if you want a different publishing lane from A. R. Gurney, Vol. V.

More Books By A. R. Gurney

Browse Next