André Aciman

André Aciman is an Italian-American writer and distinguished professor known for his novels, essays, and literary scholarship. His most acclaimed work is the 2007 novel "Call Me by Your Name," which won the Lambda Literary Award and was adapted into an Oscar-winning film in 2017. Born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1951, Aciman grew up in a multilingual Sephardic Jewish family before relocating to Europe and eventually settling in New York. He currently serves as a distinguished professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where he teaches literary theory and the works of Marcel Proust. His literary career began with the 1995 memoir "Out of Egypt," which earned him a Whiting Award. Aciman has since published several novels including "Eight White Nights," "Harvard Square," "Enigma Variations," and "Find Me," the sequel to "Call Me by Your Name." Aciman's writing often explores themes of identity, exile, memory, and desire, drawing from his experiences as a displaced person and his deep engagement with European literature. His work is characterized by its introspective style and careful attention to the complexities of human relationships.

Readers appreciate Aciman's intimate writing style and his ability to capture longing, desire, and complex emotions. His detailed descriptions of settings, particularly in Italy and Egypt, transport readers into the scenes. Many note his skill at portraying the intensity of first love and forbidden relationships. Common criticisms include slow pacing, excessive introspection, and characters who overthink every interaction. Some readers find his work pretentious or self-indulgent, with too much philosophical musing. Several reviews mention difficulty connecting with characters due to their privilege and academic backgrounds. Average ratings: Call Me By Your Name: 4.2/5 on Goodreads (600k+ ratings) Find Me: 3.3/5 on Goodreads (40k+ ratings) Out of Egypt: 4.1/5 on Amazon (300+ ratings) "Beautiful prose but exhausting internal monologues" appears frequently in reviews. "Too much navel-gazing," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads user writes: "The emotional depth is there, but getting through the meandering thoughts tests my patience."

Call Me by Your Name A coming-of-age romance set in 1980s Italy following 17-year-old Elio and his relationship with Oliver, a 24-year-old visiting scholar staying at his family's villa.

Find Me A follow-up to Call Me by Your Name that traces the lives of Elio, his father Samuel, and Oliver across time and different locations in Italy and beyond.

Eight White Nights A winter romance set in New York City chronicling an intense relationship that unfolds over eight consecutive nights between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Harvard Square A story set in 1970s Cambridge about the friendship between a Harvard graduate student and a cab driver from North Africa.

Enigma Variations A novel following protagonist Paul's various romantic relationships across different periods of his life, from youth to middle age.

Out of Egypt A memoir recounting Aciman's early life in Alexandria and his family's exile from Egypt in 1965.

False Papers: Essays on Exile and Memory A collection of essays exploring themes of place, memory, and identity through personal and historical perspectives.

Alibis: Essays on Elsewhere Essays examining the nature of memory and place through reflections on cities, literature, and personal experience.

Marcel Proust wrote "In Search of Lost Time," which examines memory, time, and desire through intricate psychological portraits. His work shares Aciman's focus on sensory details and the ways past experiences shape present consciousness.

Edmund White chronicles gay life and romance through both fiction and memoir, centered on themes of identity and belonging. His work combines intellectual depth with intimate personal narrative in ways that mirror Aciman's approach.

Virginia Woolf explores the inner lives of characters through stream of consciousness and focuses on memory's role in shaping identity. Her novels examine human relationships and perception with the same psychological complexity found in Aciman's work.

James Baldwin writes about exile, sexuality, and identity as an outsider in both America and Europe. His work deals with similar themes of displacement and desire while examining complex interpersonal relationships.

Elena Ferrante creates detailed portraits of relationships against Italian backdrops, examining memory and identity through time. Her Neapolitan novels share Aciman's interest in how place shapes character and how the past influences present connections.