A Tale of Confinement and Conflict

Sherwood's theatrical work, The Petrified Forest, mirrors the structural and thematic essence of Idiot’s Delight. A disparate group of travelers find themselves ensnared within a Western bus station, held captive by a gunman driven by desperation. Amidst this tense backdrop, the assailant's looming violence threatens to unravel the social ideals cherished by an intellectual pacifist. Originally published in 1935, this play is now accessible through Dramatist’s Play Service, having been republished in 1998.

The Life and Times of Sherwood

For those captivated by Sherwood's life, James R. Gaines’s Wit’s End: Days and Nights of the Algonquin Round Table offers an intriguing exploration of the legendary social circle that included Sherwood alongside literary luminaries like Dorothy Parker and George S. Kaufman. This acclaimed work, regarded as the definitive account of the era, was brought to readers by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1977.

Sherwood and His Presidential Ties

During the tumultuous years of World War II, Sherwood served within the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. His Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Roosevelt and Hopkins, published in 1949, delves into the intricate relationship between the president and his contentious aide, Harry Hopkins. Enigma Books recently reissued this insightful volume in paperback form in December 2001.

Literary Parallels: Sherwood and Anderson

The name of playwright Maxwell Anderson frequently appears alongside Sherwood’s, as both artists emerged during the same era, exploring similar motifs, often through the lens of war. Anderson’s Winterset, which debuted concurrently with Idiot’s Delight, garnered the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award. This avant-garde play, scripted in verse, charts the journey of a young man determined to clear his father’s tarnished name. A fresh edition was released by Dramatist’s Play Service in 1998.

The Chronicles of Sherwood

John Mason Brown stands as the foremost biographer of Sherwood's life. His dual explorations into Sherwood's world include The Worlds of Robert E. Sherwood, Mirror to His Times, capturing the playwright’s evolution up to the brink of World War II in 1939, and The Ordeal of a Playwright: Robert E. Sherwood and the Challenge of War, detailing the war years and featuring Sherwood’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, There Shall Be No Night. Both volumes are published by Harper & Row, with the former released in 1962 and the latter in 1970.