Jim Pangrazio: 23 books

The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein traveled to Berlin in July of 1939 to complete the transaction that would secure the safety of his two sisters now living in an Austria that had become part of Nazi Germany. For a large sum of Wittgenstein gold the regime would reduce the status of the sisters to...

What if workers with grievances followed simple and obvious practices that gave them a chance to achieve their goals, rather than obeying rules established by the enemy that assure their defeat? And what if communities that consist largely of those workers realized that they can never establish decent...

It is the near future. A meeting of the standing committee of the Chinese political bureau has been called to discuss the need for a transition. Which direction should they take - toward bourgeois political democracy, or given the evident weaknesses of world capitalism and the corruption and increasing...

A bunch of high school students are sick of being trained to pass tests rather than receiving a real learning experience. So instead of a test taking rehearsal they decide instead to take over their classroom to play their unique version of volleyball. When the principal and security cop intervene...

Jerry is in court to fight a minor disturbing the peace charge that occurred during his one-man protest against the increasing authoritarianism when the courtroom is seized by a different sort of protestor; a man with bombs wanting to publicize the damage done to his family by some of our crooked...

A wake is being held at the home of the deceased. The younger people treat the circumstances lightly playing a charade featuring a famous saying about death. The older folks take their behavior as a show of disrespect. But as furniture made by the now dead Gianni collapses beneath his mourners, and...

Something is troubling Sue. Two older acquaintances, Henry who used to work with her father and is now retired and Elsie the owner of the diner where the action takes place, engage her in conversation because they are concerned that she may do herself harm. Turns out her concerns also involve her...

In an SRO stuffed with people living on the margins of society is Leo, a young man who spent years in a mental institution because his epilepsy was judged a mental illness. The experience left Leo with a morbid attachment to a fictional character that suffered the same misdiagnosis. This fascination...

A hallmark of historic antisemitism is the bigot's firm belief that a small group of Jews secretly control government and the economy for their personal benefit. On Top of Mount Zion takes the prevailing opinion of most Americans that American Jews control our Mideast foreign policy to favor the interests...

Most Americans feel that our basic rights as expressed in the Constitution have been circumvented by the combined actions of Congress, the president, and the court system. These three short plays are examples of why we all should be concerned. The Near New Normal depicts what may be the thought process...

The United States has it's own unique way of conducting foreign policy. One which all other countries criticize while secretly wishing they could emulate. This short play depicts all that went into the preparation of Secretary of State John Kerry's dramatic presentation of alleged poison gas crimes...

In a meeting between Trump and Clinton, Hillary initially rips into him for his stupidities. During the course of their arguments Don reveals a method to his madness which Hillary feels means that he can be trained to become a better more effective president. By the end both have been transformed into friendly enemies.

Four persons in their early 20’s have decided that a more satisfying life may be achieved with a few minor social adjustments. Toward that goal they are participating in group therapy sessions conducted by Lauren, a practitioner of dialectical cognitive behavioral therapy. A certain camaraderie...

The economy has collapsed once again and the government has tried every remedy other than anything that would harm the continued profitability of big business. The general population has had enough of suffering for the greed and criminality of others and has expressed its anger in a not so peaceful...