Ann Napolitano at a Glance

Full Name: Ann Napolitano

Pronunciation: AN nuh-PAHL-ih-tah-noh

Born: October 21, 1971

Nationality: United States

Education:

• Connecticut College (BA)
• New York University (MFA, Creative Writing)

Genres:

• Contemporary fiction
• Psychological realism
• Domestic realism

Biography & Background

Ann Napolitano Biography

Ann Napolitano is a best-selling author whose four novels explore the simmering tensions and unshakeable bonds of family.

Since completing her MFA in creative writing at New York University, Napolitano has taught writing at numerous institutions, including New York’s Gotham Writers’ Workshop, New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and the MFA program at Brooklyn College. She also served as associate editor of the literary magazine One Story from 2014 to 2020. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, the director, writer, and editor Dan Wilde, and their two sons, Malachy and Hendrix.

Napolitano’s most recent novel, Hello Beautiful (2023), was the 100th selection of Oprah’s Book Club, making it an instant bestseller and garnering significant attention for Napolitano’s work. In the wake of this success, her first novel, Within Arm’s Reach (2004), was reissued by Dial Press with a new cover. Her other novels include A Good Hard Look (2011), featuring a fictionalized version of the writer Flannery O’Connor and her community in Milledgeville, Georgia, and Dear Edward (2020), about a young boy who is the sole survivor of a commercial airline crash. Dear Edward was adapted as an Apple TV+ series starring Connie Britton.

Fun Facts About Ann Napolitano

• When Napolitano received the call from Oprah Winfrey notifying her that Hello Beautiful had been selected for Oprah’s Book Club, she was taking out the trash. Afraid to lose the call, she stood in her vestibule holding the trash bag for the entire 27-minute conversation.
• In her twenties, Napolitano was ill for years with Epstein-Barr virus, an infection that weakens the immune system. This experience shaped her perspective as a writer.
• When Napolitano had not yet published her first book, her father—worried for her financial prospects—asked her to take a career placement exam, which determined that she should be a park ranger.

Interviews & Podcasts

Hear from Ann Napolitano in her own words.

Interviews with Ann Napolitano

_NPR

Ann Napolitano on Her New Novel Hello Beautiful (March 18, 2023)

Napolitano discusses Hello Beautiful as a tribute to Louisa May Alcott and the power of enduring familial love. The interview offers rich insight into how the novel bridges literary heritage with contemporary emotional struggles.

_{OPRAH DAILY}

You’ll Never Guess What Ann Napolitano Was Doing When Oprah Called (March 14, 2023)

In this playful interview, Napolitano reflects on her reaction to being selected for Oprah’s Book Club and explains the years of emotional development behind Hello Beautiful. A revealing and heartfelt portrait of a writer in the spotlight.

Podcasts with Ann Napolitano

_{THE WRITER FILES}

How NYTimes Best-Selling Author Ann Napolitano Writes (January 19, 2024)

Napolitano shares her approach to structuring emotionally resonant novels, overcoming self-doubt, and the creative discipline that shaped her career. A must-listen for aspiring writers and longtime fans.

_{TOTALLY BOOKED WITH ZIBBY}

Ann Napolitano, Hello Beautiful (November 30, 2023)

This episode focuses on sibling relationships and grief in Hello Beautiful, with Napolitano exploring the novel’s psychological underpinnings and her personal attachment to the characters.

Ann Napolitano Quotes

I’m often surprised when I write; my work is usually wiser than I am.

— from an interview with Oprah Daily (You’ll Never Guess What Ann Napolitano Was Doing When Oprah Called, 2023)

I think I’m innately stubborn. I don’t like to give up if it’s something I want to do. I feel like that is one of the most useful traits for a young or beginning writer to have. If you can try to be stubborn and not give up, that will take you a long way.

— from an interview with SheWrites (A Magical, Beautiful Writing Life with Ann Napolitano, 2024)

I wanted to honor the love between the brothers [in Dear Edward] as something that would never erode, despite death or time. If you lose someone you deeply love, I suspect that love, and that loss, never leaves you.

— interview with Library Journal (A Conversation with Ann Napolitano, Author of Dear Edward, 2019)

I feel like it’s my responsibility to know myself, to know what scares and invigorates me, and do more of what invigorates me.

— interview with ReadMoreCO (Q&A with Ann Napolitano, 2021)

Notable Books by Ann Napolitano

Within Arm’s Reach (2004)

Napolitano’s debut novel centers on three generations of Irish American women in New Jersey as they confront an unexpected pregnancy. Told in alternating perspectives, the novel explores generational trauma, familial silence, and the longing for connection—early hallmarks of Napolitano’s deeply introspective style.

Learn more with SuperSummary’s study guide.

A Good Hard Look (2011)

Set in 1960s Georgia, this novel fictionalizes author Flannery O’Connor’s later years and interactions with a cast of Southern neighbors whose lives are upended by personal betrayal. Blending literary homage with psychological realism, the book reflects Napolitano’s interest in how moral conviction clashes with everyday choices.

Dear Edward (2020)

This breakout bestseller follows a 12-year-old boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash and must rebuild his life with the help of those around him. The novel’s exploration of grief, resilience, and found family won critical acclaim and inspired an Apple TV+ adaptation.

Uncover more with SuperSummary’s study guide.

Authors Like Ann Napolitano

Anne Tyler

Recommended Read: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (1982)

Tyler’s novel traces decades in the life of the Tull family as they grapple with miscommunication, loyalty, and generational disconnection. Like Napolitano, Tyler uses quiet, detailed storytelling to reveal the emotional complexity of everyday family life.

Ready to dig in? Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

Mary Beth Keane

Recommended Read: Ask Again, Yes (2019)

This contemporary family saga follows two neighboring families through decades of friendship, estrangement, and reconciliation. Keane and Napolitano share a gift for probing emotional wounds with compassion and nuance.

Explore the full breakdown with SuperSummary’s study guide.

Coco Mellors

Recommended Read: Blue Sisters (2024)

Three estranged sisters reunite in the wake of their fourth sibling’s death in this emotionally raw, character-driven novel. Readers drawn to Hello Beautiful’s portrayal of sisterhood and grief will find a resonant echo in Mellors’s latest work.

Learn more with SuperSummary’s study guide.

Follow Ann Napolitano

Connect with Ann Napolitano on the following platforms:

• Website: annnapolitano.com
• Instagram: @annnapolitano
• X: @napolitanoann