Interaction Ritual：; essays in face-to-face behavior

Inabrilliantseriesofbooksaboutsocialbehavior,including"ThePresentationofSelfinEverydayLife,Asylums,"and"Stigma,"ErvingGoffmanhasexposedallthatisatstakewhenpeoplemeetfacetoface.Goffman'swork,onceofthegreatintellectualachievementsofourtime,isanendlesslyfascinatingcommentaryonhowweenactourselvesbyourresponsestoandourreadingsofotherpeople.Fromtheexemplaryopeningessayof"InteractionRitual,""OnFace-Work,"--afullaccountoftheextraordinaryrepertoireofmaneuversweemployinsocialencountersinorderto"saveface"--tothefinal,andclassic,essay"WheretheActionIs,"--anexaminationofpeopleinriskyoccupationsandsituations:gamblers,criminals,coalminers,stockspeculators--Goffmanastoundsuswiththeunexpectedrichnessandcomplexityofbriefencountersbetweenpeople.ForGoffman,asforFreud,theextremecasesareofinterestbecauseofthelighttheyshedonthenormal:Thestudyofthetrapezeartistisworthwhilebecauseeachofusisonthewirefromtimetotime.