Forbidden Notebook

Featuring a foreword by Jhumpa Lahiri and translated by acclaimed translator Ann Goldstein, Forbidden Notebook is a celebrated novel by Italian-Cuban writer Alba de Céspedes, whose work has influenced generations of authors, including Elena Ferrante.

Set in postwar Rome, the novel follows Valeria Cossati, a devoted wife and mother whose seemingly comfortable middle-class life masks a growing sense of dissatisfaction. When she impulsively purchases a notebook and begins recording her private thoughts, she embarks on a journey of self-examination that challenges the assumptions she has long held about herself, her family, and her place in the world.

As Valeria reflects on the demands of marriage, motherhood, and social expectations, tensions within her household begin to surface. Hidden frustrations, conflicting desires, and unspoken resentments gradually emerge, exposing the fragile foundations beneath the family's carefully maintained respectability.

Insightful and deeply human, Forbidden Notebook is a nuanced exploration of identity, personal freedom, and the struggle to reconcile individual aspirations with the responsibilities of everyday life.