Nick’s review of The Literature Machine: Essays (Picador) > Likes and Comments

I have a few unreviewed books on my list to get through. It's been a strange few months for me.

Thanks a lot for this review Nick. Like you, I am less fond of Calvino than I was before, but, judging by your reflections and the quotes you pick, this does seem like an interesting collection of essays. I cannot find the Italian original among the editions, so I am going to assume this collection first appeared in English?

Jeroen wrote: "Thanks a lot for this review Nick. Like you, I am less fond of Calvino than I was before, but, judging by your reflections and the quotes you pick, this does seem like an interesting collection of ..."

That's a good question, Jeroen. According to his wikipedia page, the original Italian version was Una pietra sopra: Discorsi di letteratura e società published in 1980, the english version came out in 1986, a year after he died.

Anyone that takes the time to defend literature is worth reading. At least in essay form.

Your observations on Calvino's reflections on the continuity of thought are very interesting, Nick - great review. His essay on 'Why read the classics' from which you quote perhaps stayed most with me when I read a collection of his essays a year ago. On the Italian original, I have the impression a lot of his essays have been published under different titles, or partly recycled/overlap when you look at this edition and the several editions and translations of Why Read the Classics? (the entire second part, not the first). I was sad I didn't manage to connect to 'If On a winter's night', but somehow it is a relief to read I was not the only one.

Ilse wrote: "Your observations on Calvino's reflections on the continuity of thought are very interesting, Nick - great review. His essay on 'Why read the classics' from which you quote perhaps stayed most with..."

Thanks, Ilse. I suspect different editions do have different material, across countries and language especially. I'm stuck with english here.

I did like If On A Winter's Night first time many years ago. It was so unusual. But I tried to read a few of his works recently and they turned out flat. Perhaps that's what happens with certain experiments, they are shiny and new and then not so much.

Does Calvino cite particular favorite books among these writers? And does he address rereading? I often put off reading an unread classic in favor of rereading one I enjoyed already. I'm not sure if that's the best habit, at least in terms of making inroads on the canon.

Great review Nick, especially after reading The Odyssey. I haven’t read Calvino in decades but this book sounds good.

Ken wrote: "Does Calvino cite particular favorite books among these writers? And does he address rereading? I often put off reading an unread classic in favor of rereading one I enjoyed already. I'm not sure i..."

I think the act of reading is re-reading here, Ken. It's funny, but as a writer, he's talking about his ancestors or something like that. But also reminding us of the breadth and depth of the culture that writing comes from.

Yes, plenty of writers mentioned. I didn't find all the essays interesting, but the ones with the broader point of view did interest me.

David wrote: "Great review Nick, especially after reading The Odyssey. I haven’t read Calvino in decades but this book sounds good."

David, I think the broader essays remind us what the reading is all about, cultural or intellectual continuity. Since we read, it makes for an interesting affirmation of the act and places it in a framework.