2023 Authors from Around the World Reading Schedule: Two by Two

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I can get his books from the library in English or Italian. I'm going to read the Italian versions of the second and third volumes of The Baron in the Trees and The Nonexistent Knight. The first volume, The Cloven Viscount was very entertaining.

[Brian E]

Calvino's more famous books Invisible Cities and If on a Winter's Night a Traveler and Svevo's most famous one Zeno's Conscience all have non-traditional narratives that I have been wary of trying. I really should read If on a Winter's Night a Traveler since I've owned it for a few years.

But instead I've decided to try their novels with more normal narratives and plots that tell a story, even if a bit fantastical one in calvino's.
I've chosen A Perfect Hoax for Svevo and The Cloven Viscount for Calvino.
Not only do these two have more normal narratives but they are also novellas of 114 and 128 pages respectively, so I should get a good taste of both Italos' writing in a short period of time, while also reading books that tell a story.
If I like The Cloven Viscount I may follow Rosemarie's lead and read the rest of Calvino's trilogy, Our Ancestors: The Cloven Viscount, The Baron in the Trees, The Non-Existent Knight. I seem to enjoy trilogies and this one can be read in less than 500 pages.

[Nidhi]

I will read non fiction by Calvino The Uses of Literature, I have read Why Read Classics? It is good.

This month I read Invisible Cities, it’s fantastic, fascinating book with a bit of philosophy embedded in it.

[Brian E]

Nidhi wrote: "This month I read Invisible Cities, it’s fantastic, fascinating book with a bit of philosophy ..."


Its good too know what you think of it - it may shift the weight in favor of my reading Invisible Cities someday. It certainly helps.

[Nidhi]

Invisible Cities is very short book , i will recommend it if you are looking for very different, very entertaining read.

[Luís]

I didn't like Invisible Cities. Such a strange book.

[Luís]

I will start with Difficult Loves - the title in English. In Portuguese Os Amores Difíceis

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Luís wrote: "I didn't like Invisible Cities. Such a strange book."

It is a strange book Luis. And I can understand your dislike. I normally don't like this kind of books. But strangely, I seem to like the beautiful nonsense Calvino is telling me. :)

[Luís]

Piyangie wrote: "Luís wrote: "I didn't like Invisible Cities. Such a strange book."

It is a strange book Luis. And I can understand your dislike. I normally don't like this kind of books. But strangely, I seem to ..."

That's correct. That's precisely what I feel.

[Nidhi]

This year I read Ulysses and I thought that now nothing will surprise me in literature, that I have gone through every strange, weird ‘out of the world ‘ style, but then The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat came my way, it is the strangest book I read this year. I liked the philosophy of the book and appreciate the way of describing it.

Calvino spun the strange story to describe the philosophy of enteral, perfect city as dialogue between Kubalai Khan ( the dreamer of Coleridge) and Marco Polo ( the traveller).

[Chrissie]

Calvino doesn't do much for me. I will read Italo Svevo's Zeno's Conscience instead. He is a new author for me. Is anybody else going to read this book?

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I've read Zeno's Conscience and really enjoyed it, Chrissie. It was the book that made me want to visit Trieste, Italy.
My husband and I went there in 2014 and I wasn't disapointed. It's a beautiful city.

[Luís]

I've enjoyed Zeno's Conscience so much that it was of those books. If I reread a book one day, it would be that one. I read it on an astonishing translation by great Portuguese prose of all times: António Lobo Antunes

Here is the edition:

[Chrissie]

Thanks for the info, Rosemarie ad Luis. Looking forward to it.

[Chrissie]

I am reading Zeno's Conscience now. I go up and down with it. Sometimes I get exasperated. At the moment I am liking it a lot again. My views go up and down as I red a book. Isn't it like this for others of you too?

I cannot find the thread where it is being discussed........ I am pretty hopeless.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Chrissie, the right place to discuss the book is The Two Italos.

Zeno seems to have no mind of his own and it gets frustating at times. I suggest you go with the flow to the end since the book all comes together then.

And no, you're not hopeless! We have a lot of discussion threads!

[Chrissie]

Rosemarie, I do like the book, and you do seem to understand what I mean when I say my views bounce. I'll go look for the right thread now. Thank you.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I'm about 50% in If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. My progress is very slow. It's not a work one can read in a rush. I don't seem to understand what it's all about, yet, I'm enjoying his writing. It's a book where you can lose yourself in the beauty of words.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I didn't know this when I read it, Piyangie, but it you read the first sentence of each chapter, you get a coherent paragraph.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Wow, Rosemarie. That's amazing. Thanks for letting me know. I must check that out.

I just realized I've commented on the wrong thread. Sorry about that, Rosemarie. Life is a bit chaotic these days! :)

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

No worries, Piyangie!

[Mbuye]

Two Vs - Valmiki and Vyasa from India
Valmiki wrote the Ramayana and Vyasa the Mahabharata, the two epics of India.

There are many available translations, full length and abridged, of both classics, from Victorian translators to Indians writing today.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Thanks, Mbuye. I'll add them to the planning list for 2024.