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Finding Ferrante

Authorship and the Politics of World Literature
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( 15 ratings, 5 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Finding Ferrante by Alessia Ricciardi explores the mystery behind Elena Ferrante's pseudonymous identity, revealing compelling connections between the novels and their literary and political contexts. Ricciardi examines how Ferrante’s work engages with German literature and Italian feminist thought, offering fresh insights into her acclaimed Neapolitan Quartet and other writings. This book presents Ferrante as a fiercely intellectual author deeply concerned with sexuality, politics, and cultural identity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in contemporary literature, literary theory, feminist and cultural politics, and those fascinated by the real stories behind notable authors. It suits academics, students, and fans seeking a deeper understanding of Elena Ferrante’s writings and their intellectual roots.

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Alessia Ricciardi revisits questions about Elena Ferrante’s identity to show how the problem of authorship is deeply intertwined with the novels’ literary ambition and politics. Ricciardi reads Ferrante’s fiction as world literature, foregrounding the alleged writer Anita Raja’s work as a translator.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan novels achieved stunning global success in part because of the mystery surrounding their pseudonymous author. English-speaking readers were tantalised by her enigmatic biography as well as what they took to be her authentic portrayal of working-class Naples. However, we now know that the person behind the writing is most likely Anita Raja, a prominent translator of German literature whose background is very different from Ferrante's supposed life.

In Finding Ferrante, Alessia Ricciardi revisits questions about Ferrante's identity to show how the problem of authorship is deeply intertwined with the novels' literary ambition and politics. Going beyond the local and national cultures of Naples and Italy, Ricciardi reads Ferrante's fiction as world literature, foregrounding Raja's work as a translator. She examines the novels' engagement with German literature and criticism, particularly Goethe, Walter Benjamin, and Christa Wolf, while also tracing the influence of Italian thinkers such as Antonio Gramsci, Carla Lonzi, and the Milan Women's Bookstore Collective.

Considering central questions of sexuality, work, politics, and place, Ricciardi demonstrates how intertextual resonances reshape our understanding of Lila and Elena, the protagonists of the Neapolitan Quartet, as well as the characters and language of Ferrante's other books.

This bold reconsideration of one of today's most acclaimed authors reveals Ferrante's works as fiercely intellectual, showing their deep concern with feminist and cultural politics and the ethical and political stakes of literature.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as a literary detective story, Finding Ferrante reveals the linguistic vitality and political depth of Ferrante's work, highlighting themes of female relationality and resistance. Scholars commend Ricciardi’s lucid and richly informed study that situates Ferrante within both German and Italian literary traditions and emphasises her political and realist engagements.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780231200417

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 May 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: Columbia University Press

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Alessia Ricciardi is the Herman and Beulah Pearce Miller Research Professor in Literature at Northwestern University. She is the author of The Ends of Mourning: Psychoanalysis, Literature, Film (2003) and After La Dolce Vita: A Cultural Prehistory of Berlusconi’s Italy (2012).

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