This archive report was first published on 6 July 2019.
Published on July 6, 2019, Leana Taddeo's book 'Three Women' delves into the lives of three women and their experiences with desire. In a recent interview, Taddeo shared her own journey into understanding desire, which began with her observations of her parents' relationship.
As a child, Taddeo was fascinated by her father's romantic gestures, including serenading her mother outside her window with an old radio. However, she also felt uncomfortable with the intensity of her father's desire for her mother. This ambivalence sparked her interest in the complexities of human desire.
Taddeo's exploration of desire continued as she read the works of authors like James Salter and Norman Mailer. She noted that men tend to act on their desires without hesitation, whereas women often subvert or question their own desires. This realization had a profound impact on Taddeo's writing and her understanding of the human experience.
Her Family's Influence ¶
Taddeo's family played a significant role in shaping her perspective on desire. Her father, Peter Taddeo, was an Italian-American who met her mother, Pia, while attending medical school in Italy. The couple's love story, which began with her father's romantic gestures, had a lasting impact on Taddeo's writing.
