Folger Book Club
Mona Acts Out by Mischa Berlinski
In our November selection, a Shakespearean actor looks back on her life in the theater as she traverses present-day New York City one Thanksgiving morning.
Booking and details
Coming SoonDates Thu, Nov 5, 2026, 6:30pm
Venue Virtual - on Zoom
Tickets Free, Registration required
Duration 6:30pm - 8:00pm (ET)
Registration opens Tue, Oct 6 at 4 PM, with early access for members beginning at 10 AM.
Our November 2026 pick is Mona Acts Out by Mischa Berlinski.
About Mona Acts Out
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.
About the Book Club
Our informal Book Club is free and open to all. Our picks range from historical fiction to adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, encompassing a wide variety of genres.
Each session begins with a guest speaker exploring that month’s pick and highlighting items from the Folger collection related to the novel. After the short presentation, participants will be broken into smaller groups for breakout discussions, moderated by a team of staff and volunteers.
Why did we choose this book?
The Folger Shakespeare Library’s collection explores not only Shakespeare’s life and works, but also the plays’ historical context, source material, critical and performance histories, and the ways in which they inspire and are adapted by contemporary novelists.
Taking place on Thanksgiving, this timely novel reflects on one woman’s history in the theater, including the abuses of power that have occurred along the way. Continuing the conversation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, on stage at Folger Theatre from September 22 – November 1, this novel examines how abusive behavior flourishes in silence.
Critical reception for Mona Acts Out:
“What a treat, what an absolute delight this warm, funny novel is. … [Berlinski]’s written a sharp analysis of something dark, and he’s made it a pure pleasure to read.”―Constance Grady, Vox
“The journey of Mona Acts Out is insightfully, entertainingly multitudinous.”―Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times
“Extravagantly brilliant and darkly funny.”―Ann Levin, Associated Press
“Sharp-witted and weighty. …Berlinski deserves a standing ovation for this bravura performance.”―Publishers Weekly
Content transparency
Mona Acts Out includes potentially sensitive subjects. Expand below for a full list of content (includes spoilers).
- Alcohol
- Drug Abuse
- Addiction
- Sexual harrassment
- Sexism
- Sexual assault
- Gaslighting
- Emotional abuse
Guest speaker
To come
Support the Folger
Fall Folger Book Club selections are now available online and in-person through the Folger Shop!
Click below to purchase your copy of Mona Acts Out online or come visit us at 201 East Capitol St SE during our opening hours.
You can also choose to support your favorite local bookstore through Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.