Tennessee Williams was as fascinating as any character he conceived, and his life was as deep, restless, funny, and meaningful as any drama he ever wrote. Indeed, Williams continuously mined his life, those around him, and unconscious for material as he caught the wave of post-war America’s self-expression. In order to continuously go deeper in pursuit of his craft Williams required various devices and substances-alcohol, sex, drugs, imbalanced company, etc.-to get there at great personal cost. While ultimately tragic, Williams’ life as told by John Lahr makes an amazing tale, both inspirational and cautionary.