alt.hn

4/10/2026 at 11:48:07 PM

Italo Calvino: A traveller in a world of uncertainty

 https://www.historytoday.com/archive/portrait-author-historian/italo-calvino-traveller-world-uncertainty

by lermontov

4/11/2026 at 12:54:15 AM

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.

by kelseyfrog

4/11/2026 at 1:19:44 AM

>[...] 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

by windowliker

4/11/2026 at 2:27:39 AM

It is also one of my favorite books. Magical writing.

by ghstinda

4/11/2026 at 3:59:23 AM

Related. Others?

The Timeless Magic of Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities at 50 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43511876 - March 2025 (1 comment)

The Human Reader: Italo Calvino foresaw generative AI’s necessary companion - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35764984 - April 2023 (1 comment)

The Worlds of Italo Calvino - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35178426 - March 2023 (47 comments)

What would it be like if Italo Calvino and Sun Tzu explained refactoring? - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35150753 - March 2023 (3 comments)

Italo Calvino, The Art of Fiction No. 130 (1992) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26395898 - March 2021 (28 comments)

The Penguin Book of Oulipo review – writing, a user's manual - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21869669 - Dec 2019 (2 comments)

Italo Calvino, The Art of Fiction No. 130 (1992) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21340794 - Oct 2019 (29 comments)

The Movies of My Youth - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10151334 - Sept 2015 (5 comments)

Cybernetics and Ghosts (1967) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9001508 - Feb 2015 (1 comment)

by dang

4/11/2026 at 1:15:54 AM

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.

by simonsarris

4/11/2026 at 3:35:09 AM

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.

by SubGenius

4/11/2026 at 6:22:45 AM

The Baron in the Trees is mentioned so rarely always, but it was one of the most influential books of my youth. A fantastic read.

by pimeys

4/11/2026 at 12:33:45 AM

Great article - "Invisible Cities" was my introduction to his work and remains a favorite.

by sgwizdak

4/11/2026 at 5:33:54 AM

It's my favorite work of literature, I have gifted it to a bunch of people over the years and most have appreciated it too.

You are bound to find at least one city that will stay with you.

by riffraff

4/11/2026 at 8:36:58 AM

Only read Path To The Spider‘s Nest so far, had no trouble finishing it. Rare these days. Recommend!

by MrBuddyCasino