In the margins : on the pleasures of reading and writing

A delightful collection of essays exploring reading & writing from the internationally acclaimed author of My Brilliant Friend & The Lying Life of Adults. "Elena Ferrante has established herself as the foremost writer in Italy - and the world." - The Sunday TimesFrom the internationally acclaimed author of My Brilliant Friend, The Lying Life of Adults, and The Lost Daughter, come four revelatory pieces offering rare insight into the author's formation as a writer & life as a reader. Ferrante warns us of the perils of "bad language" — historically alien to the truth of women — & advocates for a collective fusion of female talent as she brilliantly discourses on the work of her most beloved authors. "Every essay here is a blend of deep thought, rigorous analysis & graceful prose. We occasionally get the odd glimpse of the author...but mainly the focus is on the nuts & bolts of writing & Ferrante’s practice of her craft. The essays are at their most rewarding when Ferrante discusses the origins of her books, in particular the celebrated Neapolitan Novels, & the multifaceted heroines that power them." - Malcolm Forbes, The Star TribuneFerrante's writing has been described as compulsive (The Times) & astonishing (The Guardian), her novels have sold millions...In 2020, Claire Luchette in O, The Oprah Magazine described the beloved Italian novelist Elena Ferrante as “an oracle among authors.”Here is a subtle yet candid book by “one of the great novelists of our time” about adventures in literature, both in & out of the margins. A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2022 Oprah Daily・TIME Magazine・Bustle・The Guardian・Financial Times・A.V. Club・Cosmopolitan・Marie Claire・Fortune Four new and revelatory essays by the author of My Brilliant Friend and The Lost Daughter. In 2020, Claire Luchette in O, The Oprah Magazine described the beloved Italian novelist Elena Ferrante as "an oracle among authors." Here, in these four crisp essays, Ferrante offers a rare look at the origins of her literary powers. She writes about her influences, her struggles, and her formation as both a reader and a writer; she describes the perils of "bad language" and suggests ways in which it has long excluded women's truth; she proposes a choral fusion of feminine talent as she brilliantly discourses on the work of Emily Dickinson, Gertrude Stein, Ingeborg Bachmann, and many others. Here is a subtle yet candid book by "one of the great novelists of our time" about adventures in literature, both in and out of the margins. "Everyone should read everything with Elena Ferrante's name on it." The Boston Globe A NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2022 Four new and revelatory essays by the author of My Brilliant Friend and The Lost Daughter. In 2020, Claire Luchette in O, The Oprah Magazine described the beloved Italian novelist Elena Ferrante as “an oracle among authors.” Here, in these four crisp essays, Ferrante offers a rare look at the origins of her literary powers. She writes about her influences, her struggles, and her formation as both a reader and a writer; she describes the perils of “bad language” and suggests ways in which it has long excluded women’s truth; she proposes a choral fusion of feminine talent as she brilliantly discourses on the work of Emily Dickinson, Gertrude Stein, Ingeborg Bachmann, and many others. Here is a subtle yet candid book by “one of the great novelists of our time” about adventures in literature, both in and out of the margins. “Everyone should read everything with Elena Ferrante’s name on it.”—The Boston Globe A NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER A BEST BOOK OF 2022 (Air Mail) Four new and revelatory essays by the author of My Brilliant Friend and The Lost Daughter. In 2020, Claire Luchette in O, The Oprah Magazine described the beloved Italian novelist Elena Ferrante as "an oracle among authors." Here, in these four crisp essays, Ferrante offers a rare look at the origins of her literary powers. She writes about her influences, her struggles, and her formation as both a reader and a writer; she describes the perils of "bad language" and suggests ways in which it has long excluded women's truth; she proposes a choral fusion of feminine talent as she brilliantly discourses on the work of Emily Dickinson, Gertrude Stein, Ingeborg Bachmann, and many others. Here is a subtle yet candid book by "one of the great novelists of our time" about adventures in literature, both in and out of the margins. "Everyone should read everything with Elena Ferrante's name on it." —The Boston Globe A delightful collection of essays exploring reading and writing. "In the Margins" contains Elena Ferrante's latest reflections on literature, and the works and authors that have influenced her throughout her career