August Books

Distant View of a Minaret and Other Stories

by Alifa Rifaat, Denys Johnson-Davies (Translator)

Stumbled on this thanks to the inimitable Mona Eltahawy. Incredibly vivid and powerful stories from someone who seems to understand life in Egypt for a muslim woman.

Much Ado About Nothing

by William Shakespeare

Come for the hilarity of mistaken identity; stay for the fantastic puns and wordplay. Read it in advance of the OG's company's performance, and was glad to have done so.

Nowhere to Run: The Story of Soul Music

by Gerri Hirshey

Disappointing. A little hagiographic, and I didn't learn much. Really expected to like it.

The Salterton Trilogy (The Salterton Trilogy #1-3)

by Robertson Davies

Thought I was going to like this more than I did. The characters were a little twee, and though I enjoyed the third book significantly more than the first two, a couple of plot developments at the end were implausible. Not his best, but saying that sets the bar quite high.