An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

The main character of this novel, a 72-year-old Lebanese woman, worships writers. Every year she translates a favorite book into Arabic, then stores it away. Her work has never been read by anyone. She is divorced and has no children. She is on the outs with her family and has no friends. In the midst of social upheaval, her life is dedicated and disciplined, almost monastic. The book is surprisingly lively and absorbing.

“A paean to the transformative power of reading, to the intellectual asylum from one’s circumstances found in the life of the mind.”—LA Review of Books