Who recommends it
- The Best Books Set in ItalyReading list
Italy is a country steeped in history, and that history is often told through its fiction. One such book is Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend. Set in the post-war era in the small town of Naples, the book tells the story of two girls, Elena and Lila, who are growing up in a poor and violent neighbourhood. Despite…
- Lucy AtkinsInterview
Definitely too many to write here; I’d go on and on. Having said that, there are some books I do love to give to friends, such as Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, We Have Always Lived in The Castle by Shirley Jackson or Maggie O’Farrell’s recent autobiographical work I am, I am, I…
- Angie HobbsInterview
Apart from War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. I lived for a while in Naples, and though we are now told that the author does not come from Naples herself, she has depicted the suburbs of Naples perfectly, in all their raw, messy vitality. And her portrayal of a complex, intimate…
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