Italo Calvino: A Traveller in a World of Uncertainty
historytoday.com37 points by lermontov 4 hours ago
37 points by lermontov 4 hours ago
If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller gives the reader the impression that there must be a system at play and gives up some of its secrets easily. However, there remains a persistent feeling, after reading each section, that there are other connections - threads of deliberate meaning - between them all that slip through your fingers as you desperately try to clutch more and more fragments passing by.
It's one of my favorite books precisely because it generates this feeling and led me to Perec's Life: A User's Manual among other fantastic works.
You will likely enjoy this discussion of Calvino’s work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI16Txc7x1s
>[...] and led me to Perec's Life: A User's Manua
For people who may be unfamiliar with this (excellent) connection: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oulipo
As a fan of Calvino I will say that If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller is somewhat more enjoyable after you've read a bunch of other Calvino, since it has a somewhat cheeky, self-referential feel and the more you sympathize with the author the more you may like it.
Numbers in the Dark is very good as a place to start.
Marcovaldo, Cosmicomics, Difficult Loves are my favorite. Baron in the Trees too.
I'd definitely suggest starting with these. His short story work is beautiful.
Reminds me of this linked in profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julien-de-foucauld-0b1323287/
Great article - "Invisible Cities" was my introduction to his work and remains a favorite.