I think our sexuality is all yet to be recounted and that the rich male literary tradition constitutes a huge obstacle.

I believe that books, once they are written, have no need of their authors.

The fictional treatment of biographical material - a treatment that for me is essential - is full of traps.

As a girl - twelve, thirteen years old - I was absolutely certain that a good book had to have a man as its hero, and that depressed me.

Elena Ferrante is the author of several novels. There is nothing mysterious about her, given how she manifests herself - perhaps even too much - in her own writing, the place where her creative life transpires in absolute fullness.

I didn't choose anonymity.Instead, I chose absence.

My work stops at publication. If the books don't contain in themselves their reasons for being - questions and answers - it means I was wrong to have them published.