Italo Calvino

[tofurkey]

Hey everyone! This is my first post so I'll include a short introduction. I enjoy clipping my nails once a month, sometimes every two weeks, and tofu makes good chow. Excellent, moving on.

I like reading short story because I have a relatively short attention span and it feels rewarding to get through an entire story successfully. However, my ego is being lambasted by this most recent author well known as Italo Calvino. How puzzling I find him to write consistently in metaphor- mind boggling all of it.

The story in particular that has stumped me is The Origin of Birds. The topic of Darwinian evolution in the setting of a comic strip ties this read into one big mangled knot. Mathematical allegory doesn't help either, such as naming one character "U(h)" (rank unit * Planck's constant). I actually understand what U(h) symbolizes in the story, but that's as far as I get to be honest.

Has anyone deciphered this riddle, or attempted to? Discussing other work by Calvino is fine by me.

[Virgil]

Calvino is a marvelous writer. I recommend his novel The Baron In The Trees. It's a blast. :D Unfortunately I don't know that story at all.

Welcome to Lit Net. :)

[stlukesguild]

What volume is that particular story from? I suppose I could leaf through them all (being a Calvino lover) but I'm too lazy at this point in time.

[JCamilo]

Sounds like Cosmicomiques (dunno the english name, the one he decided to write fantasy using scientific theories as starting point), isnt?

[Pecksie]

Calvino is a marvelous writer. I recommend his novel The Baron In The Trees. It's a blast. :D

Agree. A gorgeous book.

[stlukesguild]

Yes... the character names reminded me of Cosmicomics as well. That's another brilliant volume.

[sixsmith]

I've not read the story you mention but I'm a big Calvino fan. Invisible Cities and If on a Winter's Night a Traveller being among my favourite works. I've recently acquired a copy of The Complete Cosmicomics which I am greatly looking forward to reading.

[Wilde woman]

A story from Cosmicomiche was the first bit of Italian literature I ever read in my undergrad Italian class. Since then, I've read a few more, but not this particular one. I'll have to go dig up my old translation.

[prendrelemick]

I don't recognise that story as being from Cosmicomics. I must read more of his stuff.