Cassie McCullough

It's told with such nuance, but it's so direct.

It's hard to describe just how disarming this book is, but I found it really, really beautiful.

And so I think there are some links with this one and Honey Bee as well.

But look, honorable mention in recent years, there was a book of short stories by Wells Tower called Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned.

It's probably my favorite book of short stories to be honest with you.

It is just perfectly written.

Oh, thanks for having me.

It was a real pleasure.

The program you're about to hear contains language that may offend some listeners.

And I'm Cassie McCullough.

And it's in translation because today the two books we're reading were originally written in Italian.

Elena Ferrante's The Lying Life of Adults and Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's The Leopard, both from Italy.

One is just out, fresh on the stands or in the bookshops, and one is from 1958.

Huge.

It's hard to overstate just what a hit this was and followers right around the world.

Also that Elena Ferente is a nom de plume.

For a long time, she was able to conceal her identity.

I think someone blew it for her.

Although that's in doubt as to whether they're right.

Oh, really?