Elena Ferrante To Write Column For The Guardian's Weekend Magazine

Bestselling Italian novelist Elena Ferrante has been hired as a columnist for The Guardian’s Weekend magazine.

This is the first foray into column-writing for the pseudonymous author of the beloved Neapolitan series, and she told The Guardian she believes the experience will be “a bold, anxious exercise in writing.” Her inaugural piece will focus on first love.

The Guardian said the author will “share her thoughts on a wide range of topics, including childhood, aging, and gender.” The column will be translated by Ferrante’s frequent collaborator, Ann Goldstein.

Along with the Neapolitan series ― My Brilliant Friend (2012), The Story of a New Name (2013), Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014), and The Story of the Lost Child (2015) ― Ferrante’s works include Frantumaglia (2016), a collection of essays and letters. She is also working on a TV adaptation for HBO of My Brilliant Friend.

Despite reports to the contrary, Ferrante’s true identity has not yet been revealed. She remains steadfast in her anonymity, saying it frees her from the “anxiety of notoriety.”