Elena Ferrante (born in Naples in 1944) is a pseudonymous Italian novelist whose novels have been translated into many languages. Her work has been praised for its exploration of the human psyche and for its insights into the lives of women.
Here are some books Elena Ferrante recommended.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life is a novel about four friends in New York City. The novel follows the friends through their twenties and thirties as they navigate love, loss, and success.
A Little Life is a moving and ultimately hopeful story about the power of friendship and the importance of choosing your own happiness. Yanagihara’s writing is beautiful and her characters are complex and fully realized.
This is a novel that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
In her novel Beloved, Toni Morrison tells the story of a mother and daughter struggling to grapple with their past. The novel is set in the years after the Civil War and explores the themes of love, loss, and redemption.
Morrison’s writing is beautiful and poetic, and she uses flashbacks to give readers a glimpse into the characters’ lives before the war. The novel is heartbreaking and hopeful all at once, and it’s sure to stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.
Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates is one of America’s most prolific and celebrated writers. Her work spans multiple genres, from Gothic suspense to gritty realism, and her latest novel, Blonde, is a fictionalized account of the life of Marilyn Monroe.
Oates draws on Monroe’s real-life story to create a nuanced portrait of a woman who was both adored and exploited by the Hollywood machine. Blonde is a compassionate and erotic exploration of Monroe’s inner life, as well as a searing indictment of the sexism and racism that she faced throughout her career.
With her trademark insight and lyricism, Joyce Carol Oates has crafted a masterful work of fiction that captures the highs and lows of Marilyn Monroe’s rollercoaster life. Blonde is an essential addition to any fan’s library.
Breasts And Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs is a searing and timely novel about womanhood, self-image, and motherhood.
Nestled in the midst of Tokyo, the story follows the lives of three women who are all struggling with different aspects of their femininity. The first is a young model, named Natsu, who has just moved to the city and is trying to find her place in the competitive world of modeling.
The second is an aging actress named Midoriko, who is coming to terms with her own mortality and the changes that come with age. And finally, there is Makiko, a single mother who is desperately trying to provide for her son while also dealing with her own past trauma.
Each woman’s story is unique, but they are all connected by one common thread: the desire to be seen and heard.
The Year Of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
In her memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion chronicles the year following the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne. Didion explores the idea of grief and how it can cause people to believe in things that are not real.
She also looks at how our memories can be shaped by our emotions and how they can change over time.
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