Overview
An exuberant, darkly humorous novel by the National Book Award-nominated author of Fieldwork Celebrated stage actress Mona Zahid wakes up on Thanksgiving morning to the clamor of guests packed into her Manhattan apartment and to a wave of dread: her in-laws are lurking on the other side of the bedroom door; she's still fighting with her husband; and in just a few weeks she will begin rehearsals as Shakespeare's Cleopatra, the hardest role in theater In an impulsive burst, Mona bounds out the door with the family dog in tow--""I forgot the parsley!"" is her lame excuse--to find her estranged mentor, Milton Katz, who was recently forced out of the legendary theater company he founded amid accusations of sexual misconduct. Mona's escape turns into an overnight adventure that brings her face-to-face with her past, with her creative power and its limitations, and, ultimately, with all the people she has ever loved. Beguilingly approachable and intricately constructed, at once funny and sad and wise, Mona Acts Out is a novel about acting and telling the truth, about how we play roles to get through our days, and how the great roles teach us how to live.
Full Product Details
Author: Mischa Berlinski ,
Alyssa Bresnahan
Publisher: Recorded Books
Imprint: Recorded Books
Edition: Unabridged edition
ISBN: 9798228350830
Publication Date: 14 February 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Audio
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
""It's unlikely fodder for a comic novel, yet Berlinski pulls it off, laughing not at Milton's trespasses but at the ridiculousness of being human--especially in the theater and especially in New York."" -- ""New York Times"" ""Readers who know their Shakespeare will thrill to Berlinski's brilliant distillation of the power and relevance of the plays and characters, but those who don't will find they can easily come along for the ride. And a great ride it is. Wonderfully constructed, witty, warm, wise, and filled with an extraordinary sense of the relation between theater and life."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"" ""Rhapsodic and enlightening about Shakespeare, full of fun on every page...an early literary delight of 2025."" -- ""Minneapolis Star Tribune"" ""Sharp-witted and weighty...Berlinski deserves a standing ovation for this bravura performance."" -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)""
Author Information
Mischa Berlinski is the author of several books, including Fieldwork, a finalist for the National Book Award. He has written for the New York Review of Books, Men's Journal, and Harper's Magazine, and his writing has appeared in Best American Essays and Best American Travel Writing. Alyssa Bresnahan is a dynamic dancer, actor, and audiobook narrator. She has narrated over two hundred audiobooks, has earned twenty Earphones Awards, and was named one of AudioFile magazine's Golden Voices. In 2009 she was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best fiction narration.
