Elena Ferrante is the author of many internationally acclaimed novels, originally written in Italian and translated by Ann Goldstein. She is particularly known for her four-volume work, the Neapolitan Novels:
- My Brilliant Friend
- The Story of a New Name
- Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay
- The Story of the Lost Child
But actually Elena Ferrante is a pseudonym used by an
unknown author. The mystery around her true identity makes her books
even more interesting. Ferrante holds that "books, once they are written, have no need of their authors." She has repeatedly argued that anonymity is a precondition for her work and that keeping her true name out of the spotlight is key to her writing process.
Despite being recognized as a novelist on an international scale, Ferrante has kept her identity secret since the 1992 publication of her first novel. Speculation as to her true identity has been rife, and several theories, based on information Ferrante has given in interviews as well as analysis drawn from the content of her novels, have been put forth.
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