Letters 1941-1985
(Author) Italo CalvinoItalo Calvino, Italy's most important postwar novelist, was also an influential literary critic, an important literary editor, and a masterful letter writer whose correspondents included Umberto Eco, Primo Levi, Gore Vidal, Michelangelo Antonioni and Pier Paolo Pasolini. The letters included in this selection are filled with insights about Calvino's writing and that of others; about Italian, American, English, and French literature; about literary criticism and literature in general; and about culture and politics.
Italo Calvino
Italo Calvino (1923-1985) was an Italian writer known for his experimental and imaginative works that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality. His most notable works include "Invisible Cities," "If on a winter's night a traveler," and "Cosmicomics." Calvino's writing style was characterized by its playful and innovative approach to storytelling, often incorporating elements of metafiction and magical realism. He is considered a key figure in the literary genre of postmodernism, influencing authors such as Umberto Eco and Salman Rushdie. "Invisible Cities" is widely regarded as his most famous work, exploring themes of memory, imagination, and the nature of storytelling. Calvino's contributions to literature have cemented his legacy as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.