The first of Elena Ferrante's "Neapolitan Novels" topped the New York Times' list of the best books of the century so far.

The first of Elena Ferrante's "Neapolitan Novels" topped the New York Times' list of the best books of the century so far.

If you’re a reader of the New York Times – or a lover of books – you might know about the paper’s project this summer counting down the top hundred books of the century so far.

Number one on the list? “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante. It is the first of four novels that tell the story of the friendship between Lila and Elena, two working class girls growing up in post-World War II Naples. In 2018 HBO adapted the series for television.

Diane hosted a discussion of “My Brilliant Friend” as part of her Readers Review series back in 2015 on The Diane Rehm Show. She and her guests dug into the characters, the setting, and the mystery surrounding the author’s identity.

Guests

  • Maureen Corrigan Critic in residence and lecturer in the English department at Georgetown University.
  • Louis Bayard Novelist and reviewer. His books include "Mr. Timothy", "The Pale Blue Eye", "The Black Tower" and "The School of Night". He teaches fiction writing at George Washington University
  • Laura Benedetti Professor of contemporary Italian culture, Georgetown University; author of "The Tigress in the Snow: Motherhood and Literature in Twentieth-Century Italy" and of the novel "Un Paese Di Carta"

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