Toward the end of his life, Calvino (1923-85), a writer possessed of a radiant imagination and impeccable style, began assembling collections of autobiographical writings, completing one, the wonderfully evocative The Road to San Giovanni (1993), and leaving behind this cache of vivid and thoughtful musings now translated into English for the first time. Urbane and observant in even the most casual of pieces, Calvino expresses bemusement over his grand first name, a consequence, he explains, of his being born in Cuba, where his homesick Italian scientist parents were temporarily in residence. He pays ardent tribute to his mentor, Cesare Pavese, and animatedly discusses the nexus of politics and literature, morality and art. Calvino writes with particular zest about place, especially in his priceless "American Diary, 1959-1960," in which he marvels over such phenomena as the "cult of money," racism, "laughably" huge cars, the Beats, American publishing, and the distinctive spirit of various American cities. An author interview rounds out this gathering of self-portraits and travelogues, which comprises a delectable addition to a great writer's shelf. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap
Never before published in English, these essayistic writings enlarge our understanding of one of the twentieth centrury's most beloved authors.<br><br>In evocations of Italo Calvino's tumultuous teenage years--his life during Mussolini's rule, at the time of the liberation, and during the Cold War--we learn the story of the author's generation as it confronted moral, civil, and artistic dilemmas. In writings from the extended periods during which Calvino lived alone in Paris and New York, we witness his struggle to find "the right distance between being involved and being detached." In "American Diary" he recounts his peregrinations throughout the United States in 1959 and 1960: from New York to Texas, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Savannah, and Charleston. He describes his bafflement with heretofore unimaginable technology, his fascination with the Beats, his horror at the squalor of the suburbs, the inspiration he derived from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s words and actions, his impressions of myriad aspects of American culture. <br><br>Filled with the author's characteristic insight, intelligence, and brio, <b>Hermit in Paris</b> will take its place alongside Italo Calvino's seminal works. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Italo Calvino’s works include Numbers in the Dark, The Road to San Giovanni, Six Memos for the Next Millennium, The Baron in the Trees, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller, Invisible Cities, Marcovaldo, and Mr. Palomar. He died in 1985. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“Surprising, tart, and distinctive, like [Calvino] himself.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
“A book that any Calvino lover will want to purchase, pronto!” –The Seattle Times
“Distinguished by a sly philosophic humour. . . . a sensuous immediacy of detail and a droll wit. . . . a magnificent addition to the Planet Calvino.” – The Guardian
From the Trade Paperback edition. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
![Hermit in Paris (Penguin Modern Classics) by [Italo Calvino, Martin McLaughlin]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51wsaaIfE0L._SY346_.jpg)
