Elena Ferrante’s rich, intense Neapolitan Quartet—four volumes of late-night page turners for her devoted readers—allows us to enter the world of two friends whose lives change over the course of 60 years after World War II. During this time, the fiery Lila, and the bookish narrator, Elena, make the journey together as women, wives, mothers, and leaders, while maintaining a complex and at times conflictual relationship. The themes of friendship, family, education, money, and ambition play out against the backdrop of impoverished Naples and reflect the larger history of 20th-century Italy.
Join Lisbeth Strimple Fuisz, a lecturer in the English department at Georgetown University, in spirited lectures and informal discussions about these compelling books. Participants should read each book prior to the corresponding class.
FEATURED NOVEL
The Story of the Lost Child (2015)
Elena returns to Naples to be with the man she has always loved. Lila, now a successful entrepreneur, still deals with old-school chauvinism and nepotism.
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