A Little Life

A Novel

By: Hanya Yanagihara

Narrated by: Matt Bomer

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century.

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE

A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.

Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.

©2025 Hanya Yanagihara (P)2025 Random House Audio

Beautifully Tragic

Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life is a beautifully tragic novel, exquisitely written but emotionally heavy. While I appreciated its depth and the rawness of its portrayal of suffering, I personally found it hard to connect fully with the story—not because I haven’t faced struggles, but because it felt deeply male. The friendships, relationships, and experiences all centered around a male perspective, which sometimes left me feeling like an observer rather than immersed in the story. That’s not a flaw in the writing; it’s just a reflection of how I connect to narratives. The book is undeniably powerful, but at times, I found my mind drifting. Perhaps it’s because my own experiences are so deeply tied to female struggles that I had difficulty anchoring myself in this one. That said, it’s a book that will stay with me—a haunting, beautifully written exploration of pain, survival, and the endurance of love.

riving but real

It's a depressing story however it is real and It shows how meaningful but fragile life is. true meaning of friendship.

This book is terrible! Read it!

This story is beautiful! I hesitate telling anyone to read it because the things that happen to Jude are horrendous and the way it informa his life is tragic. It is a traumatic read, one that will haunt you and have you screaming "Come on!!! How much more can this guy take?!"
Be warned!

Broke my heart and filled my soul all at the same time

I had to listen to this over 3 weeks and take breaks in between to recover, reflect, and bask with gratitude and pain. This novel is not for the weak nor the strong, not for the brave nor the petrified; it is for the human who is hungry to be exposed to an utter masterpiece.

The sad truth is

This book really makes you think about the pain people have in there lives weather or not they show it or choose to hide the pain, it is a very good representation of the human experience trying to cope with the pain of life and the tragedies it puts on us all.

i’m unwell

this was one of the most beautifully written books i’ve ever expensive it was also the most heartbreaking. proceed with caution.

thought provoking yet heart heaking

this will be a book I will forever remember. it's raw, gripping, and tragic. so beautifully written and I felt each emotion from every person. the narration was superb.

Just amazing

To me this book is a piece of art. Like an art piece with a devastating hidden meaning. It was beautifully told.

I never wanted it to end

I sobbed, I laughed, I loved this book dearly. Beautiful story of love and friendship and family and loss. I already miss these characters in my life and I just finished this book.

Deeply Emotional

In reality we are only who we believe we are. And then when we leave this earth, we hope people cared enough to understand that.