“How well I would write if I were not here!”

August 11, 2014 7:36 AM

Italo Calvino profiled on the BBC TV show Book Mark in 1985: [SLYT] Rare interview with the great Italian journalist and writer of short stories and novels.
posted by Fizz (4 comments total)

And it dwells strongly on If On A Winter's Night A Traveller..., my favorite of all Calvino books.
posted by hippybear at 9:06 AM on August 11, 2014

That was truly excellent. Thanks so much for posting!
posted by hippybear at 9:25 AM on August 11, 2014

I remember when I first learned about Calvino's stuff. My sister gave me a set of his books when I was 14 or so, because she thought it was science fiction when she received it from the book-of-the-month club. We were on our way somewhere that day, and I devoured The Baron In The Trees.

I remember being astonished that prose like that could exist.
posted by nerdler at 12:52 PM on August 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

Nice find, thanks for that. One of the great minds of our times.
When I saw this post I reached for my copy of "Six memos", recalling a few quotable passages. It wasnt where I thought it was, and I wont hazard to paraphrase, so I invite you, fellow Calvino cognoscenti, to look for that little book if you dont have it.
posted by Abinadab at 1:43 PM on August 11, 2014