1
of
1
Nocturnes for the King of Naples
Series: McNally Editions
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 632 ratings, 129 reviews)
Brief Description
The letters of a seducer to the great love of his life, a sensual tour-de-force by 'the paterfamilias of queer literature' (New York Times). 'Can't sleep tonight. Was lying in bed reading the biography of a great man whose genius deserted him...The genius who deserted me...
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
Nocturnes for the King of Naples
$3799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
The letters of a seducer to the great love of his life, a sensual tour-de-force by βthe paterfamilias of queer literatureβ (New York Times)
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The letters of a seducer to the great love of his life, a sensual tour-de-force by 'the paterfamilias of queer literature' (New York Times).
'Can't sleep tonight. Was lying in bed reading the biography of a great man whose genius deserted him...The genius who deserted me was you.'
In a series of late-night letters, gorgeous, funny, filled with memory, sensuality, and regret, a seducer calls across the years to the great love of his youth: an older, revered expatriate known, in his adoptive city, as the King of Naples. As the narrator evokes their affair, in scenes of beauty and remorse, his memories range over the men who came after and before, especially the seductive father who still haunts his erotic imagination.
First published in 1978, before the trilogy of frankly autobiographical novels that made him famous, Nocturnes for the King of Naples reveals Edmund White at his most poetic, playful, and evocative, a magician on the level of James Salter, James Merrill, or Vladimir Nabokov.
Series: McNally Editions
View all-
Constant Reader
Dorothy Parker's complete weekly New Yorker column about books and people and the rigours of reviewing. When, in 1927, Dorothy Parker became a book critic for the New Yorker, she was already a legendary wit, a much-quoted member of the Algonquin Round Table, and an arbiter of literary taste. In the year that she spent as a weekly reviewer, under...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Emily Dickinson Face to Face
What would it be like to have Emily Dickinson as your babysitter? In this astonishing memoir, out of print for almost a century, Martha 'Matty' Dickinson describes the childhood she spent next door to and often in the care of her Aunt Emily. We see Matty as a little girl, hiding from the other grownups in Emily's upstairs rooms, helping...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
I Am Alien to Life
The best of Djuna Barnes's dark, droll, incisive short fiction, spanning her all-too-brief career, edited and introduced by Merve Emre. Djuna Barnes is rightly remembered for Nightwood, her breakthrough and final novel: a hallmark of modernist literature, championed by T. S. Eliot, and one of the first, strangest, and most brilliant novels of love between women to be published in...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
New York Sketches
E. B. White's greatest stories, asides, essays, jokes, and tall tales about the city he arguably saw clearest, loved best, and skewered most mercilessly. Over more than fifty years at the New Yorker, E. B. White came to define a kind of ideal American prose: clear, casual, democratic, and urbane. He also did more than any writer to define his...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Nocturnes for the King of Naples
The letters of a seducer to the great love of his life, a sensual tour-de-force by 'the paterfamilias of queer literature' (New York Times). 'Can't sleep tonight. Was lying in bed reading the biography of a great man whose genius deserted him...The genius who deserted me was you.' In a series of late-night letters, gorgeous, funny, filled with memory, sensuality,...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Office Politics
Ever since college, George Wren has dreamed of working at The Outsider, the prestigious weekly edited by his hero, the suave English expat Gilbert Twining. So when George sees a listing for a junior editor, he trades in his job at CBS for half the salary and a ringside seat in the unexpectedly cutthroat arena of a small-circulation, high-power little...Paperback$5300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Reminiscences of a Student's Life
The arch, witty, outspoken memoirs of the pioneering archaeologist and scholar Mary Beard has called 'my hero'. First published by Virginia and Leonard Woolf in 1925, Jane Ellen Harrison's Reminiscences of a Student's Life are the irreverent memoirs of a student who declared Victorian education 'ingeniously useless', who blazed a trail for female scholars, and who changed the way we...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Girls
A wry, macabre tale of simple country living, brutal murder, and a reasonably happy couple, from our 'most startlingly offbeat suspense novelist' (Gore Vidal). In their lovely old Cotswolds village, Janet and Susan are known to all the other villagers as the girlsβa fixture. Partners in love and work, co-proprietors of a picturesque shop specialising in the work of local...Paperback$5100Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Mystery Guest
A 'frank and wry, mad and graceful' (Slate) true story about getting dumped, and getting over it. When the phone rang on a cold November afternoon in 1990, Gregoire Bouillier had no way of knowing that the caller was the woman who had left him, without warning, five years before. And he couldn't have guessed why she was calling: not...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Twice Lost
Who could have been so cruel as to do away with poor Vivian Lambert? And why oh why couldn't she just stay dead? In a rustic, idyllic English village, on a summer's day, in the midst of a carefree tennis party, a fragile, needy child, left too much on her own, vanishes from her family's front garden. Years pass and...Paperback$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781946022660
Publisher: McNally Jackson Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 18 July 2024
Country: United States
Imprint: McNally Jackson Books
Illustration: Illustrations
Contributors:
- Foreword by Garth Greenwell
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 127.0mm
Height: 215.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 168
About the Author
Edmund White was born in Cincinnati in 1940. His many novels include the autobiographical trilogy A Boy's Own Story, The Beautiful Room Is Empty, and The Farewell Symphony; he has published biographies of Jean Genet, Marcel Proust, and Arthur Rimbaud, as well as memoirs, short stories, and criticism; in 1977 he co-authored The Joy of Gay Sex. He is an Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He lives in New York City.
Garth Greenwell is the author of What Belongs to You, Cleanness, and Small Rain. A Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of the Vursell Award for prose style from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, he is a Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at NYU.
Also by Edmund White
View all-
The Humble Lover
A wildly hilarious and irreverent novel about a rich octogenarian and the young ballerino he covetsβEdmund White at his funniest and most unrestrained. Aldwych West, an eighty-year-old modern-day aristocrat living alone in his Manhattan townhouse, is used to having what he wants. When he sets eyes on August Dupond, a strong, stunningly beautiful soloist in the New York City Ballet,...Paperback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Loves of My Life
With his trademark wit, candour, and relentlessly perceptive eye, Edmund White, the beloved 85-year-old βpaterfamilias of queer literatureβ (New York Times), delves unflinchingly into the aspect of his life which has inspired so many of his masterpieces: sex. Documenting everything from covert fumblings in the repressed American Midwest of the 1950s to the Arcadian gay debauchery of New York in...Hardback$4499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Inside a Pearl
______________ βParis may well be Whiteβs pearl, but he is in fact the real pearl ... This wonderfully eccentric, conversational and personalised cultural history contains the essence of Edmund White β¦ Entertaining and wry, White is worldly-wise and wiseβ - Eileen Battersby, Irish Times βEdmund White writing about his Paris years, with walk-on parts for Catherine Deneuve, Yves Saint-Laurent and...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Loves of My Life
***A TIMES/SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025***'All the no-holds-barred candour you'd expect . . . A hoot, and surprisingly touching' THE TIMES, BOOKS OF THE YEAR'Trousers down from page one ... NSFW' THE TIMES'The gayest book ever written' HENRY HOKE, author of Open Throat'Daddy's diary fully delivers' JEREMY ATHERTON LIN, author of Gay Bar--------------------------------------------With his trademark wit, candour and...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Pre-orderThe Flaneur
WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY ALEXANDER CHEE 'A stylish, deftly erudite and enormously diverting bookβ - Sunday Telegraph βAn artfully aimless pleasure cruise around Parisβ - Guardian 'White's genius as a flΓ’neur is revealed in his affinity for unexpected pleasures, and he includes many for our delectation' - New Yorker A unique and eclectic view of Paris through the eyes...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableOut 4 Aug 2026Pre-order -
A Boy's Own Story
A Boy's Own Story traces an unnamed narrator's coming-of-age during the 1950s. It was his power that stupefied me and made me regard my knowledge as nothing more than hired cleverness he might choose to show off at a dinner party. Beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, the unnamed narrator struggles with his...PaperbackSold Out -
A Previous Life
______________ 'Elegant, filthy β and quite possibly the queerest thing you will read all year.' - Guardian 'Intriguing and inventive.' - Electric Literature, "Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Book of the Year" 'A dizzyingly enticing and kaleidoscopic take on the spectrum of sexual experiences.' - Publishers Weekly, starred review _____________ A daring, category-confounding, and ruthlessly funny novel from National Book Award honoured...PaperbackSold Out -
Chaos
βOne of the best writers of my generationβ - John Irving βOne of the three or four most virtuosic living writers of sentences in the English language' - Dave Eggers What happens when a life implodes? When a respected older man, a product of the liberated 1970s, is incapable of cleaning up his act for the twenty-first century? When he...PaperbackSold Out -
Genet
'This biography is elegant, meticulous, and wholly satisfying' β Sunday Telegraph From the author of A Boy's Own Story and The Farewell Symphony 'A superb introduction to the great novelist and playwright, vagabond, thief, and convict, and to the brutal childhood from which he mined his remarkable vision' β J.G. Ballard, Books of the Year, Sunday Times Interviewing lovers, friends,...PaperbackSold Out -
The Married Man
A searingly honest love story told in White's characteristically beautiful, heart-breaking prose. Poignant and challenging... A love story, yet with an ambition and sweep that make it much more than that... subtle, complex, unsparing and profound β Daily Telegraph Austin Smith, a middle-aged American, works out in a Paris gymβan ordinary day, except that he catches the eye of a...PaperbackSold Out
More from General Fiction
View all-
The Wedding People
'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Theo of Golden
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came fromβ¦His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance β...Paperback$2899Elsewhere:$3499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseOn Mystic Lake
One of the greatest storytellers of our time - Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school in England. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Left alone in the beautiful California house which was once a home, Annie...Paperback$3100Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseLand
Inspired by the mapping of Ireland in the mid nineteenth century, Land, theΒ new novel from the author of Hamnet, is at once intimate and epic: a portrait of a family navigating a legacy of upheaval and loss with love and hope. On a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic, TomΓ‘s and his reluctant son,Β Liam, are working for the great...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Signed BookplateNew ReleaseLight Wielder
THE EPIC CONCLUSION TO METAL SLINGER, AKA THE BOOK WITH THE PLOT TWIST THAT BROKE THE INTERNET Sail the seas. Master the blade. Protect your heart. What would you do to have it all? READERS ARE GOING WILD FOR *METAL SLINGER* βThe BEST plot twist to ever grace my Kindleβ βββββ βThe author is a mastermind. Romantasy is back!!!!β βββββ...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set
The Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set by Brandon Sanderson is a landmark fantasy series that has captivated readers worldwide. Renowned for its innovative magic system, intricate world-building, and compelling characters, this trilogy is a must-have for any fantasy enthusiast. Immerse yourself in a world shrouded in ash, where a once-hopeful land is ruled by the tyrannical Dark Lord, known as the...Set$6499Elsewhere:$7500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Project Hail Mary
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL A BARACK OBAMA READING PICK A lone astronaut. An impossible mission. An ally he never imagined. 'The most enjoyable hard SF I have read in years' GUARDIAN 'Weir's finest work to date... This is the one book I read last year that I am certain I can recommend to anyone, no matter who, and know...Paperback$2099Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2400Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Deal
Welcome to Briar U! Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy! Read The Deal now for the perfect fake-dating romance! She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy . . . Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns...Paperback$2499Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseThe Bookshop Detectives 3: Murder and Mojitos
Art Deco glamour, a Cuban crime queen and a grammar-obsessed killer collide in the #1 best-selling Bookshop Detectivesβ high-stakes final instalment. The Bookshop Detectives are on the case! Booksellers Garth and Eloise Sherlock (and their cowardly dog, Stevie) have been roped into hosting Murder and Mojitos, a glamorous Art Deco festival event starring Cubaβs queen of crime fiction. Between flapper...Paperback$3000Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
20% off
The Wrath of the Fallen
SAMKIEL AND DIANNA WILL RETURN in the next sizzling, dark romantasy series from Amber V. Nicole. EPIC. SPICY. ADDICTIVE. Embrace the darkness . . . 'If you like romantasy, read this!' RAVEN KENNEDY 'A wicked ride from beginning to heart-shattering end. Leaving me literally screaming for more' HANNAH NICOLE MAERHER 'This is perfection. Amber Nicole's Dianna is the FMC of...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseYesteryear
A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE β Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE β Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE β Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS β Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale β Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
General Fiction lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
-
![]()
![]()
![]()
Hannah's listGeneral Fiction
Gothic Reads for Dark Nights
With the advent of movie adaptations like Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein, it looks like pop culture is seeing a revival of the...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Shirl's listGeneral Fiction
Shirl's Top 10 Most Recommended Books
These are my Top 10 books that I always recommend to my friends and whΔnau when they ask for recommendations for getting...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Books to Escape a Reading Slump
A reading slump can be a frustrating feeling and hard to break out of, but we've gathered together a list of crowd...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![Star Shipped]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Lizzy's Pride Fiction Picks!
June marks Global Pride Month so in case you're looking for your next great fiction read, here's a list of some of...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Readersβ Top 100 Novels of All Time - from The Guardian
There was some controversy when The Guardian released their critics and authors list of the top 100 novels of all time, but...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Shirl's listGeneral Fiction
Shirl's Favourite Books of 2026
The first half of 2026 has been packed with brilliant books, making it hard to choose favourites but here are a few...View the list
