A contemporary masterpiece by the most popular Italian author of our time. "My Brilliant Friend," the first book of the Neapolitan Quartet, is the story of Elena and Lila, a story that begins in the 1950s against the backdrop of a poor neighborhood in Naples. The author delves into the complex nature of the friendship between the two girls who grow from teenagers into women, following step by step the development of each one individually, the way one influences the other, the emotions that over the decades help them build a substantial, unshakable relationship. With unparalleled style and flawless, meticulous insight, Ferrante in a captivating narrative unfolds through the story of a friendship the story of a neighborhood, a city, and ultimately a nation experiencing monumental changes over the decades.