In Strangers' Arms

One of the best books on tango.”This dance begins as our lives begin: by embracing and trusting a stranger.”

Tango is not an easy subject to write about. Beatriz Dujovne is one of (in my opinion) just a handful of authors who have done so brilliantly. She writes from the perspective of being an Argentine-born scholar who has spent much of her life in the United States. This gives her, I think, both the insider’s and outsider’s perspectives that together are so necessary to appreciate the global phenomenon that tango has become. She accomplishes what I think is a true tour-de-force with this book: it is at once a meticulously researched example of academic integrity, and at the same time she conveys the unmistakeable sensibility of a deeply felt personal memoir, and her own connection to the dance is quite evident, while never taking center stage. If you love tango, read this book.