Thank you to publisher Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy of “Backstage: Stories of a Writing Life.” It can be seen as a companion piece to Leon’s previous memoir “Wandering Through Life.” Ms. Leon’s Brunetti series has been a favorite of mine for years, and a highlight of this book is the chapter that has a letter to Commissario Guido Brunetti. In “Backstage” Leon takes readers through her life as a reader and a writer…favorite authors and life experiences that have influenced her writing. And of course, opera, a love of Leon’s.

Dona Leon’s autobiography is a fabulous collection of the influences that have made her. From time teaching school to teaching English to helicopter pilots in Tehran to travelling to Italy. She reflects on the importance of writers she has admired and learnt from, especially Ruth Randall the best writer of crime novels in her view. We also get the explore the wonders of Venice that have influenced her many Inspector Brunetti novels. Including an amazing tour of churches and their dubious collections of relics. The piece from this that is so beautifully written is her interview with two prostitutes and the story that they tell. What a beautiful addition to understanding what has formed her. Thanks to @netgalley and the publisherfor the opportunity to review this book. I really enjoyed the writing.

Donna Leon's latest book, "Backstage: Stories of a Writing Life", is a treat for me as a longtime fan of her Guido Brunetti series. I think I've read every one of them (some, twice!) and I've always loved the rich sense of place, the nuanced characters, and her beautiful writing. Following her characters through the years. This new collection of essays, however, was a mixed bag for me. . It didn't have the carefully shaped feel of essays honed for standalone publication; instead, it felt more like a series of impressionistic, almost stream-of-consciousness musings.

But "Let Leon be Leon" is a fine motto by me, so I just went with it.

The essays cover a wide range of topics, including her childhood in New Jersey, her time living in Iran, reflections on Venice and her deep appreciation for music and opera. However, the most rewarding parts of the collection to me were Leon’s reflections on the craft of writing itself. These sections felt like a master class, and they reminded me of George Saunders’s "A Swim in a Pond in the Rain."

Adapted from a class he teaches at Syracuse, Saunders takes Russian short stories and writes a chapter on how to read for writers, explaining through them how narrative functions, why we stay immersed in a story, and why we resist it. The process of writing, Saunders reminds us, is a technical craft, but also a way of training oneself to see the world with new openness and curiosity.

Throughout the book, Leon shares her admiration for other writers, and her insights are so compelling. She offers a sharp analysis of writers like Patricia Highsmith, noting how her character Tom Ripley "bursts with life and charm," and Ross Macdonald, whose work she describes as exploring how "events from the past worm their way into and destroy lives of people living in the present."

She expresses a particular fondness for Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford, whom she praises for his "intelligence and sensibility." Leon considers Rendell’s novel "A Judgment in Stone" one of the best crime books ever written and provides a detailed breakdown of its structure. She points out that the opening line names the killer, the victims, and the motive, but the novel’s true genius lies in its exploration of the "why." This breakdown, along with her equally fascinating analysis of Barbara Vine's "A Dark-Adapted Eye," reveals Leon's deep understanding of what makes a crime novel compelling. (It is worth noting that Barbara Vine is, in fact, a pseudonym for Ruth Rendell). I was so intrigued that I've downloaded both of them!

Leon also provides specific insights into her research process. She writes that "one of the most important parts of a writer’s life is the research." For her novel "Blood from a Stone", she needed an expert's expert on bloodstone diamonds and was introduced through friends to a successful diamond dealer. That anecdote has a very surprising twist—and Leon tells the whole story, a fascinating look into the unexpected twists and turns of a writer's life.

In her most profound musings on writing, Leon points out that authors are constantly trying to "seduce" readers into seeing characters and stories in a certain way. She argues that even "Hemingway, famous for his absence from his texts, is always busy nudging us towards the opinions he wants us to have."

Backstage is a book for those who love to read about writing and who want to see how a master storyteller thinks. While it may not feel as polished as her novels, its charm lies in its authenticity and the invaluable lessons it offers on the art of storytelling.

I’ve been reading Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti novels for over thirty years. It remains a complete delight for me when a new episode is released each year. She’s most definitely one of my ‘must read’ authors. A couple of years ago, she released a memoir entitled Wondering Through Life, which was, in essence, a random collection of memories and adventures told in chronological order. I enjoyed it, even though it lacked any real insight into her life as a writer – something I was desperately hoping for. Perhaps this book would provide that missing element?

Well, to a large extent, it does. But this knowledge - her teaching - is spread out in nuggets throughout the many short sections that make up this book. Sometimes she’s reflecting where her ideas for her books came from (black street sellers in Venice prompting Blood from a Stone) or how research is required to better understand a key theme or topic (meeting a Diamond Man in preparation for the same book). Then there’s the need to research characters (meeting a prostitute in preparation for Death and Judgement). At other times she’s commenting on a book she’s read and much loves and drawing out key elements that make this story so memorable. It’s all here. It’s just spread around.

Her life as a teacher whilst finishing her master’s degree (New Jersey) and later when attempting to complete a PhD. on Jane Austen (Iran) prompt a number of interesting pieces. Her account of leaving Iran is particularly dramatic and scary, as it was driven by events surrounding the country’s revolution of 1978-79. Much later, she led a course on how to write a crime novel in Ernen, Switzerland, where she met a group of book lovers whom she still meets up with to discuss literature.

A further group of pieces focuses on her love for baroque opera and some memorable books she’s read. These are, without exception, very detailed, and here, her love and appreciation for her subject matter shines through. But personally I found these somewhat hard going, for two reasons: firstly because I have no affinity for opera and secondly because none of the books she focuses on are ones I’ve either read or plan to read. I’m sure others will have a different view.

My only criticism of this collection is that though I enjoyed the vast majority of the pieces, I did find it a difficult book to read for any length of time without taking a break. The content is sometimes light and even amusing, but at other times it’s dense and challenging (for me, this was the sections on opera and books). Also, I couldn’t understand the order in which the pieces were placed – it felt random and somewhat disjointed. It didn’t flow. That said, it’s a collection I may well find myself dipping back into from time to time in the future. It really is full of rich pickings.

"A memorable collection of stories and essays on writing, reading, teaching, and Venice by the celebrated author of the bestselling Guido Brunetti series.

Donna Leon's memoir, Wandering Through Life, gave her legions of fans a colorful tour through her life, from childhood in New Jersey to adventures in China and Iran, to her love of Venice and opera. Nowhere, however, did she discuss her writing life.

In Backstage, Donna reveals her admiration for, and inspiration from, the great crime novelists Ruth Rendell and Ross Macdonald, examining their approach to storytelling as she dissects her favorite books of theirs. She expresses her love for Charles Dickens's Great Expectations and her appreciation for Sir Walter Scott's generosity of spirit. And she chronicles the amount of research she undertakes to be able to present authentically, through Guido Brunetti and his colleagues, places and characters far from her own experience - from interviewing a diamond dealer in Venice to open up the world of blood diamonds, to meeting, through back channels, a courageous sex worker and women's rights activist to depict accurately the trafficking of women in Italy. By contrast, the idea and opening scene of one of her novels came to her as she was walking through Venice.

Venice is central in her memory, whether recounting the semi-comic irritation of a noisy elderly neighbor or the origins of the city's Carnevale. Her teaching career yields memorable tales: helping a young Black boy in a Newark, New Jersey, elementary school; instructing young Iranian pilots in English just before the 1979 Iranian Revolution; and taking her students at a Swiss private high school to the famous Frank Zappa concert in Montreux interrupted by fire.

Throughout, she is as good a storyteller about herself as she is a chronicler of Guido Brunetti's crime adventures. Readers will be as caught up in her world as she is in his."

Because every great book has a story behind it, and Donna Leon has written a lot of books...

Essay collections are tricky, even for authors as wonderful as Donna Leon. While I enjoyed a few of the "behind the scenes" stories and inspiration for her novels, I didn't garner any particularly relevant insight into the writing world, and found the essays oddly unsatisfying. I'd rather go re-read her mysteries, which I adore. Still, avid fans might enjoy spending more time with her via her essays.

I’m a huge fan of Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti mystery series set in Venice. I’ve read and loved all 30+ installments. I also enjoyed her 2023 memoir, Wandering Through Life.

While Backstage includes some stories from her life, many of her observations and thoughts in these essays are more esoteric, delving into the writing process and the structure of opera. The reader learns about her favorite authors and what makes their books so special.

What I enjoyed most were more tales of her life as a teacher in pre-revolutionary Iran, her life in Venice, and, in particular, her personal note to the fictional Brunetti and an encounter with Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Just as a tourist may wander through Venice, this book meanders back and forth from one topic to another. It is almost as if the reader has stopped for a cup of coffee or glass of wine and conversation with Ms. Leon.

This nonfiction work may not be for everyone, but fans of Donna Leon and her Brunetti will enjoy it, as will readers interested in the writing process and opera buffs.

I haven’t yet finished all of Donna Leon’s Brunetti novels, but I’m well into the 20’s, so was thrilled to recieve this arc of her memoir.
Written in a very conversational way, one could almost imagine sitting with her over a series of meetings, hearing her tell these stories.
Full of references to Shakespeare, opera, and other works of literature from the classics to her favorite modern crime writers, you end up with a lengthy list of art to go away and enjoy, if you haven’t already discovered it (and almost all the works she mentions are new to me). Writing advice and opinion are interspersed with anecdotes from her own history and thoughts on what makes a great book or opera work the way that it does.
The tone reminds me of the Brunetti books in a lot of ways as she tells her own story, and if you’re a fan of those I think you’ll love this.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Donna Leon is a master storyteller and this memoir is like a heart to heart chat that tells you about her passions, people she met, places she saw
Excellent, highly recommended
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The author of the wonderful Brunetti series shares her personal experiences in this short, non-fiction volume. Some of the stories are already in her memoir, “Wandering through Life”, but much of the content is new. Mostly, about her writing, her friendship with other authors and many interesting people. It feels sometimes a bit disconnected, like when she goes from her trip through Italy to her love for the Patrick O’Brien’s “Master and Commander” series but, in general, this feels like sitting for coffee with Leon and listening to her talk. I loved her letter to Brunetti, as well as the part where she discloses how she gets the ideas for her novels. Being familiar with the series, I caught every reference. She is unquestionably a great writer and when she talks about the authors and books that have inspired her, it is easy to see the imprint on her novels. I also enjoyed her thoughts about opera. While not a how-to manual, it should still be required reading for aspiring writers. Fans of Commissario Brunetti will also love this book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press.

I learned a lot about Donna Leon from reading her thoughts on various topics. Typically backstories and memoirs ish books humanize this one characterized her. She has a high opinion of her intellect and worldview.

Think I’ll stick to her fiction books.

Backstage - Donna Leon - 28th February 2025 ***

This book of essays is like visiting a friend for tea or coffee or maybe an ombra and sitting down comfortably and listening to them talk about this and that. In this particular case this and that is about being an ex-pat in pre-revolution Iran, Venice and the foibles of neighbours, Baroque opera and favourite books and authors.

Leon's Guido Brunetti books have an easy flow which she brings to the table here as well.

An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Edelweiss and Netgalley.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I absolutely love the author and feel so happy to be able to read this

Wonderful

I went into this expecting, I don't know, something approximating a coherent narrative concerning the author and her, well, writing life. What I got was a decidedly mixed bag of disjointed, let me call them "essays" for lack of a better term, by a lady who clearly thinks very highly of herself, and boy, does she like to hear herself talk.
There are some things of interest here, but like everything else they get chopped up into bits and pieces that pop up here and there throughout this messy casserole of a book, making an appearance when you least expect them to, only to fall by the wayside again after a couple paragraphs because the author has to voice some opinions on, I don't know, the books of Patrick O'Brian or some Neapolitan Catholic rite she was once invited to attend.
The stories she tells about her time in Tehran before and during the revolution come across as the puerile adventures of an American abroad, e.g. regarding the "meaning" of inititials among the Western expats (spoiler alert: it involves the question of who bedded whom). If you don't like, or even don't know your feelings regarding, baroque opera going in, you'll hate it once she starts going on (and on. And on. And on) about it. In a fairly painful case of "okay, Boomer", Ms Leon claims to be a huge fan of Iranian music legend Googoosh, but seems to be under the impression that Googoosh fell off the face of the Earth once Ms Leon left Iran (based on her observation of the lack of activity in the comment section of the singer's YouTube videos), when in fact Googoosh's career is still very much alive and kicking (and good for her).
What I hated most, though, was the way the author would start some anecdote about something weird/funny/crazy that happened to her, only to abandon the story mid-paragraph to go off on another, completely unrelated tangent -- cf. her story about the crazy neighbour lady and her nightly TV sessions, that segues seamlessly from tension-filled hilarity to a treatise on Venetian fireworks (WTF) without any resolution whatsoever.

There's precious little about actual *writing*, unless your standards are really, really low ("One of the most important parts of a writer's life is the research."). Like Brunetti, her one and only creation? So does Ms Leon; in fact, one of the essays consists of a (fairly pointless) love letter to him. She goes on and on about her favourite writers, quoting at length sentences that she deems particularly worthwhile (YMMV; mine certainly did), and there's a whole lot she finds to say about Dickens's Great Expectations, if that's something you're interested in. In between it all she manages to come up with what she thinks "would be a great title for a country and western song -- 'I'm only a lonely cowboy, got only my cows to love.'" Right.

The one thing I'm taking away from this is the fact that Ms Leon's a pantser, going into her novels with nothing more than a vague idea, like, say, why not incorporate something regarding those, watchacallem, "snuff movies" (Never heard of them? No worries: "Ten years before, I had read newspaper accounts of snuff films [...]. A snuff film is a kind of pornographic horror film in which a woman is repeatedly raped, then killed in a bloody fashion. Only it's real: she's really raped and killed. And people pay to buy them and look at them." Just as an aside: "pay to buy them"?!? How else would you buy something? Why else would you pay for something?) and some nifty scenes she came up with: "When I started the book, I was helped by another scene that appeared to me, that of a truck running off an ice-slicked road and bursting open to scatter bodies in the snow. Blood. White. Wheels spinning silently. Silence. Nice, huh?"
I guess...


My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

"Backstage" is Donna Leon's second memoir, following her excellent "Wandering Through Life." In it, we get another glimpse into the author's life, this time in a shorter, less structured way. This is not a profound, highbrow autobiography, but rather a conversation over a cup of coffee, where you listen to your friend's stories.

It is an enjoyable book, and at the same time, it contains wisdom, for example, when Donna Leon describes her walk with Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  I also appreciated the writer's discussion of her research methods for her books. Instead of turning to Google – and some of her novels date back to the pre-Google era - the author tries to find people who are experts in the area and meets with them. When writing "Blood from a Stone," she spent time conversing with a diamond dealer, Filippo, a fascinating man. Similarly, when in "Death and Judgement," one of the characters was a prostitute; Donna Leon got in touch with Regina, a sex worker, and listened to her terrifying account of meeting and escaping a serial killer.

We learn about Donna Leon's favorite operas and about writers whose work she admires. There is a lighthearted story about her attending a famous Frank Zappa concert when the fire broke out – and she was in charge of a group of teenagers.  All those stories are something you look forward to reading over your relaxing Sunday breakfast when you just want the world to slow down.  Commissario Brunetti and his wife, Paola, would undoubtedly appreciate this book — and I also enjoyed it.

This beautiful, heartfelt book consists of essays and reflections on Opera, Classic and Contemporary Literature, on the trials and rewards of teaching English in places as diverse as Switzerland and Iran, on life in mystical Venice, on the difficulties of being a writer, the psyche and the relationship between a writer and their audience.

Beautifully written, with an elegant mixture of directness and literary commentary, Donna Leion has created an exciting memoir that respects the reader.

Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Je me suis perdue dans ce livre. C'est un mélange de biographie, d'un peu de conseils d'écriture, d'anecdotes sur la vie à Venise et sur les rencontres faites autour de l'écriture des romans. Mais c'est surtout beaucoup d'analyse d'oeuvres qu'a lu l'autrice et je n'y ai pas trouvé beaucoup d'intérêt. Alors je savais que je n'étais pas érudite comme l'autrice ni fan d'Opera mais je pensais que cette lecture me parlerait un peu du fait que j'ai écrit également, que j'ai aimé ses livres sur Venise mais rien du tout. Après, peut-être que la barrière de la langue y est pour quelque chose (je lis l'anglais mais je n'ai pas toute les subtilités de la langue) mais je pense que ce livre est vraiment pour les fans de l'autrice, pour les personnes qui veulent lire des réflexions plus poussées sur certaines oeuvres que l'autrice aime.

Donna Leon, Backstage Stories of a Writing Life, Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press, August 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Donna Leon’s Wandering through Life: A Memoir was a satisfying enough collection, particularly where she reflects upon her teaching English in Iran, China, and Saudi Arabia. Although this experience is also recalled in Backstage, I found the whole of this collection far more engaging. Here, another part of Donna Leon’s world is revealed, in sharper recall, more wholly reflecting her fictional work. Like Wanderings her welcome into this further world is open and honest. However, the attention it commands and, at times, background knowledge to fully appreciate it adds a valuable dimension. This world is introduced through opera, her own writing, others’ writing, her love for Venice and her work that seems so remote from Brunetti’s Venetian world but is indeed hers too.

Referring to her own writing, Leon provides enlightening information about her research – both prostitution (Death and Judgement) and diamonds (Blood from a Stone) feature here. She dwells almost devotedly on Ruth Rendell’s work, drawing attention to the immensely valuable role of the first sentence of A Judgement in Stone, written as Barbara Vine. Although a reader of Ruth Rendall/Barbara Vine, and familiar with the other writers she extols, Raymond Chandler, Ross Macdonald and Patrick O’Brian, Leon’s appraisal makes the works sound so absorbing it is hard to avoid the temptation to put aside other writers and become more closely acquainted with them.

Similarly, her love of opera is quite beguiling, not only because of her enthusiasm, but because what is almost pedagogy is so adroit. Venice, a known love through her novels, becomes another lure as its past and present glances through the collection.

The collection is grouped around the tiles Early in Life, Heroes, String-Pulling in Venice, Mortal Danger, Trips, Behind the Scene, Amorality, Love Moment of Truth, and Ends. Together the pieces in each, of varying lengths and intensity make Backstage an engrossing work of affection for other writers, opera, Venice and her own flawed Commissario Brunetti.

I loved this. I find writer’s diaries, notebooks, thoughts, fascinating and Donna Leon has produced an essay collection/biographical notebook that achieves all I need. We get glimpses into her early life (I loved the story with Cedric), teaching in Iraq, her writing process, her friendships and love of Brunetti.

The work comprises short little diversions, like you’re chatting with her over a cappuccino, and she’s determined to keep you entertained. I especially enjoyed her ‘fangirling’ over other writers as I believe that’s where authors show their true colours. And I do agree that Ruth Rendell is amazing.

I wish I knew Ms Leon as I’d love to chat writing and life with her.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

Enjoyable collection of stories about her life, especially her writing.

Would recommend to any fan of Donna Leon.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC.