The following version of this book was used to create this guide: Andre Aciman, Call Me By Your Name (Atlantic Books, 2011), Kindle AZW file.

Call Me By Your Name, by André Aciman, charts an intense six week period in the lives of Elio, an Italian teenager, and Oliver, an American academic, as they fall in love over the course of a summer in Italy. After they go their separate ways, the memory of their time together reverberates throughout the rest of their lives. Told entirely from the perspective of Elio, the narrative is an intensely emotional reminiscence of Oliver’s time in Italy. The novel focuses on Elio’s obsessive analysis of the details of Oliver’s words and behaviors. Elio’s sensitivity and emotional responses are contrasted throughout with Oliver’s apparently cooler and more detached personality.

In Part 1, Elio recalls when Oliver first arrived at his family’s house in Italy. Elio’s father hosted a different academic each summer to provide him with administrative support and allow the academic time to work on his or her book. When Oliver arrived, Elio instantly began trying to impress him but felt that Oliver responded to his overtures with coldness and hostility. Nevertheless, the two men began spending a lot of time together and Elio developed an intense sexual obsession with Oliver. Elio believed that Oliver was dating a local woman named Chiara, although Oliver insisted that he was mistaken.

In Part 2, Elio began dating a woman named Marzia. Unable to cope with the strength of his preoccupation with Oliver, Elio confessed his feelings. Oliver kissed Elio but insisted that nothing could ever happen between them. After the kiss, Oliver and Elio spoke less frequently, much to Elio’s distress. Elio sent Oliver a note telling him that he was desperate to speak to him and Oliver suggested they meet at midnight. At midnight, Elio went to Oliver’s room and they had sex. Initially, Elio felt ashamed and anxious about what had happened between them but he soon became more comfortable and was happy with the nature of their relationship. They shared memories of when they first met and revealed the mistaken conclusions that the other had drawn. Oliver invited Elio to join him on a trip to Rome before he left Italy at the end of the summer.

Part 3 took place in Rome. Oliver and Elio attended a poetry reading and Elio was introduced to a wide circle of artists and intellectuals. Elio felt happy and grateful to be able to spend time with such interesting people. After the poetry reading, everyone went to a restaurant together and the poet told stories about what events in his life had inspired his poems. They moved on to a bar and Elio played the piano for the others. Elio began to feel unwell and Oliver followed him into the street where Elio was sick. The two men wandered through the streets of Rome together singing and kissing.

In Part 4, Elio returned alone to his family’s villa. He spoke to Oliver on the phone when he got back to the United States. Oliver revealed that he had stolen a postcard from Elio’s room as a memento of their time together and promised to visit at Christmas. At Christmas, Oliver visited and informed Elio that he was getting married. Fourteen years later, Elio decided to visit Oliver at the college where he worked. Oliver still had the postcard he had taken from Elio. Elio had dinner with Oliver and his family. Years later, Oliver visited the villa in Italy once again and the two men shared their memories.