📚Book Discussion: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay - Book 3🎙

📖 Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

Join us as we delve into Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, the third book in Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels. This installment follows Elena and Lila as they navigate adulthood, shaped by their childhood friendship and the contrasting paths of their lives influenced by class, marriage, politics, and ambition. Set against the backdrop of 1960s and 70s Italy, the novel explores themes of feminism, intellectual life, and the labor struggles that define their experiences.

Elena seeks education and middle-class respectability, while Lila remains ensnared in Naples' harsh social realities. Despite their different journeys, both women grapple with dissatisfaction and envy. Ferrante's sharp emotional insight reveals how friendship can be both a source of strength and a cause of conflict.

📚 About the Series
Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels, also known as the Neapolitan Quartet, is a comprehensive narrative spanning 1,700 pages across four volumes, chronicling the lives of Lina and Elena as they transition from girls to women in Naples. The four volumes—My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child—were published by Europa Editions in English between 2012 and 2015. My Brilliant Friend has been recognized by The New York Times as the best book of the 21st century, solidifying the series' reputation as a modern literary masterpiece that intricately portrays a complex female friendship in post-war Naples.

As part of this group, we will read four books with ample time between each discussion. This is our third meetup for the series, and I look forward to engaging conversations! 😊

⚠️ Something Happened?
If you experience any unpleasant situations, please feel free to reach out to me.

🔍 How to Find Us?
When I arrive at the venue, I will leave a comment in the meetup to indicate where the group is seated. Normally, the group gathers at The Grafton Hotel, 31/32 Stephens Street Lower, Dublin.