Little life

The story behind A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, including the unique elements of the story, the inspiration, and the writing process.

The title of Hanya Yanagihara’s second work of fiction stands in almost comical contrast to its length: at 720 pages, it’s one of the biggest novels to be published this year. To this literal girth there has been added, since the book appeared in March, the metaphorical weight of several prestigious award nominations. Both the size of A Little Life and the impact it has had on readers and critics alike—a best seller, the book has received adulatory reviews in The New Yorker, The Atlantic…

If you loved A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, then you'll definitely want to pick up these devastating books that are similar. You'll find themes of friendship, trauma, ambition, and LGBTQ relationships throughout these modern literary fiction novels. #books #readalikes #booklist

New York City has never looked so enticing—and heartbreaking—as it does in the new release by editor-at-large Hanya Yanagihara.

Four young men meet at a small college in New England. One of them was traumatized as a child, but despite that — or rather because of it — they become bound to one another as their lives continue in New York City. This is a powerful story of love: what it can and cannot do. Jude, JB, Willem, and Malcolm will remain with me forever.—Lillian D.A Little Life is filled with such memorable characters; I still think about them months later. The writing is superb. I found it difficult to start a…

Kate Ryan