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Literary Canon

Best Books from Italy

Italy's literary tradition runs from Dante's Divine Comedy — arguably the greatest single poem in any language — through Petrarch's love sonnets, Boccaccio's narrative ingenuity, and the political pragmatism of Machiavelli. The 20th century produced Italo Calvino's playful metafictions, Cesare Pavese's melancholy realism, Primo Levi's essential Holocaust testimony, and Alberto Moravia's clinical social observation. Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan quartet has become one of the publishing phenomena of the 21st century, bringing Italian literature to millions of new readers while asking fundamental questions about women, class, and ambition.

#1
Cover of The Periodic Table
biography-memoir

The Periodic Table

Primo Levi· 1975
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score71/100
#2
Cover of If This Is a Man
biography-memoir

If This Is a Man

Primo Levi· 1947
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score69/100
#3
Cover of The Name of the Rose
mystery-thriller

The Name of the Rose

Umberto Eco· 1983
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score60/100
#4
Comment voyager avec un saumon
biography-memoir

Comment voyager avec un saumon

Umberto Eco· 1992
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#5
Palomar
philosophy

Palomar

Italo Calvino· 1981
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#6
Kant e l'ornitorinco
philosophy

Kant e l'ornitorinco

Umberto Eco· 1997
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#7
Art et beauté dans l'esthétique médiévale
philosophy

Art et beauté dans l'esthétique médiévale

Umberto Eco· 1986
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#8
Cinq questions de morale
philosophy

Cinq questions de morale

Umberto Eco· 1997
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#9
Essays
short-stories

Essays

Italo Calvino· 1988
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#10
Cover of If on a winter's night a traveler
literary-fiction

If on a winter's night a traveler

Italo Calvino· 1979
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score41/100
#11
Cover of Invisible Cities
literary-fiction

Invisible Cities

Italo Calvino· 1972
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score40/100
#12
Cover of Cosmicomics
literary-fiction

Cosmicomics

Italo Calvino· 1965
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score40/100
#13
Lettres persanes
literary-fiction

Lettres persanes

Charles-Louis de Secondat baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu· 1721
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#14
Silver Under Nightfall
fantasy

Silver Under Nightfall

Rin Chupeco· 2022
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#15
Cover of Divine Comedy
classic-literature

Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri· 1321
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score39/100
#16
The Hermit in Paris
biography-memoir

The Hermit in Paris

Italo Calvino· 2003
Editorial Score38/100
#17
L'amica geniale
historical-fiction

L'amica geniale

Elena Ferrante· 2011
Editorial Score38/100
#18
Travels in Hyperreality (Harvest Book)
short-stories

Travels in Hyperreality (Harvest Book)

Umberto Eco· 1986
Editorial Score38/100
#19
Cover of Foucault's Pendulum
mystery-thriller

Foucault's Pendulum

Umberto Eco· 1988
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score37/100
#20
Cover of Canne al vento
literary-fiction

Canne al vento

Grazia Deledda· 1913
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#21
Cover of Il barone rampante
literary-fiction

Il barone rampante

Italo Calvino· 1957
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#22
Poe mes antiques
classic-literature

Poe mes antiques

Leconte de Lisle· 1852
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#23
Poe mes barbares
classic-literature

Poe mes barbares

Leconte de Lisle· 1900
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#24
Novelle per un anno
biography-memoir

Novelle per un anno

Luigi Pirandello· 1900
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#25
Il fu Mattia Pascal
biography-memoir

Il fu Mattia Pascal

Luigi Pirandello· 1904
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#26
Cover of Cosima
biography-memoir

Cosima

Grazia Deledda· 1937
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#27
Cover of The Atlantic coast guide, a companion for the tourist between Newfoundland and Cape May
travel-exploration

The Atlantic coast guide, a companion for the tourist between Newfoundland and Cape May

Benjamin F. DeCosta· 1873
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#28
El Greco
art-design

El Greco

Greco· 1910
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#29
Selections from the literature of theism
religion-spirituality

Selections from the literature of theism

Alfred Caldecott· 1904
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#30
Cover of Il nome della rosa
literary-fiction

Il nome della rosa

Umberto Eco· 1980
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#31
Il pendolo di Foucault
literary-fiction

Il pendolo di Foucault

Umberto Eco· 1988
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#32
Cover of Baudolino
literary-fiction

Baudolino

Umberto Eco· 2000
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#33
Cover of Fantastic Tales: Visionary and Everyday
classic-literature

Fantastic Tales: Visionary and Everyday

Italo Calvino· 2015
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#34
The Bone Witch
fantasy

The Bone Witch

Rin Chupeco· 2017
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#35
Cover of Numero Zero
mystery-thriller

Numero Zero

Umberto Eco· 2013
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#36
Cover of The suffering
horror

The suffering

Rin Chupeco· 2015
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#37
Cover of The Girl From The Well (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
horror

The Girl From The Well (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

Rin Chupeco· 2014
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#38
The Heart Forger
horror

The Heart Forger

Rin Chupeco· 2018
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#39
The Geek’s Cookbook
cooking-food

The Geek’s Cookbook

Liguori Lecomte· 2018
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#40
Cover of Whoopie pies
cooking-food

Whoopie pies

Drake, Angela (Home economist)· 2011
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#41
[Four recipe releases on beef]
cooking-food

[Four recipe releases on beef]

United States. Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics· 1953
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#42
Bite me
cooking-food

Bite me

Fabio Parasecoli· 2008
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#43
Cover of Monte Carlo Techniques in Radiation Therapy
psychology

Monte Carlo Techniques in Radiation Therapy

Joao Seco· 2013
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#44
Understanding child maltreatment
psychology

Understanding child maltreatment

Maria Scannapieco· 2005
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#45
Cover of French Lessons in Africa
travel-exploration

French Lessons in Africa

Peter Biddlecombe· 1992
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#46
Cover of Le città invisibili
travel-exploration

Le città invisibili

Italo Calvino· 1972
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#47
Cover of Los Tres Astronautas/ The Three Astronauts
travel-exploration

Los Tres Astronautas/ The Three Astronauts

Umberto Eco· 1989
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#48
Cover of Tres cuentos
travel-exploration

Tres cuentos

Umberto Eco· 2015
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#49
Cover of Imi︠a︡ rozy
historical-fiction

Imi︠a︡ rozy

Umberto Eco· 1980
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#50
Cover of Etheldreda
historical-fiction

Etheldreda

Moyra Caldecott· 1988
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
Happy Employees
The Management Companion
Happy Employees
What Evolution Tells You About Leading People
Lead with human nature, and your team won’t just perform — they’ll thrive.
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Genres

Literary Fiction11Biography & Memoir7Classic Literature7Cooking & Food6Historical Fiction5Short Stories5Travel & Exploration5Art & Design5Philosophy4Horror4Religion & Spirituality4Mystery & Thriller3Fantasy3Psychology3History2Politics & Society2Science & Nature1Science Fiction1Romance1Poetry1Graphic Novels1

Notable Authors

Primo Levi2 booksUmberto Eco18 booksItalo Calvino10 booksDante Alighieri1 book

Italy Literature — FAQ

What are the best books from Italy?

The top-ranked books from Italy include The Periodic Table, If This Is a Man, The Name of the Rose — all highly scored by international editorial consensus.

Which Italy authors have won the Nobel Prize in Literature?

Italy has produced several Nobel Prize laureates. Our rankings highlight these winners alongside other critically acclaimed authors from the country.

How many books from Italy are ranked on 50 Best Books?

We currently rank 50 books from Italy, spanning fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and more.

What literary traditions is Italy known for?

Italy's literary tradition includes Literary Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Classic Literature — genres where the country has produced world-class authors.

Where can I read more about Italy literature?

Explore our dedicated guide at /best-books-in/italy for a comprehensive overview of Italy's literary landscape, key authors, and recommended reading order.