Elena Ferrante facts for kids

Elena Ferrante is the name used by a secret Italian novelist. Her books, first written in Italian, have been translated into many languages. Her most famous works are the four books in the Neapolitan Novels series. In 2016, Time magazine named Ferrante one of the 100 most influential people.

Ferrante has kept her true identity a secret since her first book came out in 1992. She says that being anonymous helps her writing process. She believes that "books, once they are written, have no need of their authors." Many people have guessed who she might be, but she has always denied these ideas.

Who is Elena Ferrante?

Elena Ferrante's real identity is a mystery. Not much is known about her life. In interviews, she has said she was born in Naples. Her mother was a seamstress, and she has three sisters. Because she knows a lot about old literature, some experts think she must have studied literature at a university.

What has Elena Ferrante written?

Early Books and Frantumaglia

One of her first stories to appear in English was "Delia's Elevator" in 2004. This story was later made into her first novel, Troubling Love, published in 1992. The book is about a character named Delia who returns home after her mother's mysterious death. This novel was very popular and won an important Italian award.

In 2002, Ferrante published her second novel, The Days of Abandonment. This book tells the story of Olga, whose life changes completely when her husband suddenly leaves her after 15 years. This book was also a big hit with readers and critics around the world.

Her first non-fiction book, La Frantumaglia, came out in 2003. It was translated into English as Frantumaglia: A Writer's Journey in 2016. This book is a collection of essays and interviews. It gives readers a peek into Ferrante's thoughts about writing.

In 2006, Ferrante released her third novel, The Lost Daughter. The story follows Leda, a woman on vacation who becomes very interested in a nearby family. This makes her think about her own experiences as a young mother. This book was later made into a movie for Netflix by Maggie Gyllenhaal.

In 2007, she also wrote her first children's book, La spiaggia di notte. It was translated into English as The Beach at Night in 2016. The book is about a doll that gets left behind on the beach at night.

The Famous Neapolitan Novels

The Neapolitan Novels are a series of four books published between 2011 and 2015. They tell the life story of two smart girls, Lila and Lenu. They were born in Naples in 1944. The books show how they try to make their lives better in a difficult world.

The series includes:

• My Brilliant Friend (2012)
• The Story of a New Name (2013)
• Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014)
• The Story of the Lost Child (2015)

The Story of the Lost Child was nominated for the Strega Prize, which is Italy's most important literary award. It was also nominated for the International Booker Prize. The New York Times listed it as one of the 10 Best Books of 2015. In 2019, The Guardian newspaper said My Brilliant Friend was the 11th best book since 2000. In 2024, The New York Times ranked it number 1 on its list of the 100 best books of the 21st century.

Many critics have praised the Neapolitan Novels. They say the books are amazing because they show the strong friendship between the two women. The stories are both personal and about bigger events in Italy.

Later Works by Elena Ferrante

After the Neapolitan Novels, Ferrante wrote The Lying Life of Adults. This novel explores the life of a teenage girl growing up.

In 2019, Ferrante also published Incidental Inventions. This book collects her columns that appeared in The Guardian newspaper.

In 2022, she released In the Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading and Writing. This book is based on talks she wrote for a special lecture series in Italy.

Why is Elena Ferrante a Secret?

Elena Ferrante has kept her identity a secret since her first novel came out in 1992. Many people have tried to guess who she is. Ferrante believes that "books, once they are written, have no need of their authors."

She told The Paris Review that she was shy at first. She said she was "frightened at the thought of having to come out of my shell." She also says that being anonymous is important for her writing. It helps her feel free to write what she wants. She feels like she has "released the words from myself" when the book goes out without her real name attached.

In 2003, Ferrante published Frantumaglia: A Writer's Journey. This book includes letters, essays, and interviews. It gives some clues about her background. From these writings, we know she grew up in Naples and has lived outside Italy for a while. She has a degree in classical studies and has mentioned being a mother.

In 2016, a reporter named Claudio Gatti published an article. He used financial records to suggest that Anita Raja, a translator from Rome, was the real author. Many people in the literary world criticized this article. They said it was wrong to reveal her private information. Some writers called it unfair and sexist. They felt it was an attack on a successful female writer who wanted to stay private.

Books by Elena Ferrante

• L'amore molesto (1992; English title: Troubling Love, 2006)
• I giorni dell'abbandono (2002; English title: The Days of Abandonment, 2005)
• La Frantumaglia: Carte 1991-2003. (2003; English title: Frantumaglia: A Writer's Journey, 2016)
• La figlia oscura (2006; English title: The Lost Daughter, 2008)
• La spiaggia di notte (2007; English title: The Beach at Night, 2016)
• The Neapolitan novels series:
  • L'amica geniale (2011; English title: My Brilliant Friend, 2012)
  • Storia del nuovo cognome (2012; English title: The Story of a New Name, 2013)
  • Storia di chi fugge e di chi resta (2013; English title: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, 2014)
  • Storia della bambina perduta (2014; English title: The Story of the Lost Child, 2015)
• L'invenzione occasionale (2019; English title: Incidental Inventions, 2019)
• La vita bugiarda degli adulti (2019; English title: The Lying Life of Adults, 2020)
• I margini e il dettato (2021; English title: In the Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading and Writing, 2022)

Movies and TV Shows Based on Her Books

Several of Elena Ferrante's books have been made into films and TV series.

Film Adaptations

• Nasty Love (1995), based on Troubling Love.
• The Days of Abandonment (2005), based on the book of the same name.
• The Lost Daughter (2021), directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, based on the novel.

TV Show Adaptations

• My Brilliant Friend (2018–2024), a TV series based on the Neapolitan Novels. It is co-produced by HBO and Italian networks.
• The Lying Life of Adults (2023), a drama series released by Netflix.

Awards and Recognition

• 2016: Named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People.
• 2016: Shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize for The Story of the Lost Child.
• 2016: Won a Gold Medal for literary fiction at the Independent Publisher Book Awards for The Story of the Lost Child.
• 2014: Shortlisted for the Best Translated Book Award for The Story of a New Name.

See also

In Spanish: Elena Ferrante para niños