Bottoms, Stephen J. The Theatre of Sam Shepard: States of Crisis, Cambridge University Press, 1998.

One of the most recent studies of Shepard's work, Bottoms's analysis of Shepard's plays begins with his early, experimental one-acts, performed in churches and garages around New York in the 1960s; through his mainstream, full-length dramas and films of the 1970s and 1980s; and ending with Simpatico, produced in 1994.

Dugdale, John, compiler. File on Shepard, Methuen Drama, 1989.

This useful reference book, part of a series covering leading modern dramatists, contains a chronology of Shepard's career; descriptions and reviews of all his plays, from 1964-1985; selected quotes from the playwright himself; and a helpful bibliography of books and articles about Shepard and his work.

Shepard, Sam. Cruising Paradise, Vintage Books, 1997. A collection of forty short stories that explore some of the same motifs and themes found in Shepard's plays: America, the open road...