“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.
BACKSTAGE, Donna Leon, Grove Atlantic, 2025
Infinite Books 
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