From the Bookshelf of Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die…

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler

Italo Calvino,

William Weaver (Translator)

Start date: February 15, 2024

Finish date: March 14, 2024

Discussion: 1001 Monthly Group Read

Why we're reading this: February 2024 Group Read
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What Members Thought

Jun 16, 2023 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: translation, own, overdue-reads

First of all, all of you were fired for not telling me that the entire premise of this novel is based around someone just. trying. to. finish. one. goddamn. book. that. he. started. I really liked that. And the second person POV wasn't too weird.

But a lot of my notes in the back half of the book were "lol, calm down Calvino" so maybe the joke wore itself out. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 19, 2007 Bette rated it liked it · review of another edition

Eh. I appreciate that this book is clever, but didn't really enjoy it that much. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2008 Inder rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, 1001-books, 20th-century, read-2008, italy

This is the most frustrating, irritating, infuriating, pretentiously smarty-pants book ever.

That said, it was surprisingly engaging, and, as an exercise in manipulation, futility, and frustration, you have to admit, it is superbly executed. It was intended to drive me crazy with the endless possibilities of postmodern subjectivity, and that it did, and well.

And it's full of amazing quotes. When I wasn't thinking about throwing it across the room, I was bending down corners to mark stellar passa ...more

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Sep 02, 2008 Deodand rated it really liked it

Shelves: europe, fiction

That Calvino's a clever one. Somehow he rounded up all the most significant reasons why readers read and why writers write. He mixed some essays on the subject into a bunch of great opening passages to stories that don't have to be finished. And it worked!

I'd've punched you in the head if you'd told me what this book was about. I didn't even read more than a few words of review on Goodreads. I imagine this book must frustrate some people. It lost me a bit about two-thirds of the way in but the ...more

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May 18, 2017 Astrid Lim rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, book-of-books, twist, classic

It took longer for me to finish this book. It started really ok, with the postmodern "reader as the main character" and some experiments of Calvino with some unfinished stories- kinda like stories inside story thing. Some of them are good, but the longer I read the book the harder it took for me to get immersed into the story. There are even some boring moments that made me stopped reading it for a while.

I still like the idea of this book- hence the 3 stars rating. But it's not as enjoyable as I ...more

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Sep 11, 2017 Peggy rated it really liked it

My first Calvino and I'm in love. If I had read this in my youth I might have found it "precious" or become impatient. At this point in my life I read while laughing and enjoying the play of ideas. Magnificent. ...more

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