Tag Archives: Italo Calvino

There was once a country where everyone was a thief.

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

The Black Sheep Italo Calvino There was once a country where everyone was a thief. At night each inhabitant went out armed with a crowbar and a lantern, and broke into a neighbor’s house. On returning at dawn, loaded down … Continue reading →

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where everything was forbidden

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

“Making Do” by Italo Calvino translated by Tim Parks There was a town where everything was forbidden. Now, since the only thing that wasn’t forbidden was the game tip-cat, the town’s subjects used to assemble on meadows behind the town … Continue reading →

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An OG Luigi

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

“Conscience” by Italo Calvino translated by Tim Parks Came a war and a guy called Luigi asked if he could go, as a volunteer. Everyone was full of praise. Luigi went to the place where they were handing out the … Continue reading →

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if on a winter’s night

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

As a life-long fan of Italo Calvino’s writing, I was very excited to discover this marvelous BBC audio adaptation of his post-modern classic If on a winter’s night a traveler .  Released On: 24 Sep 2023 Available for 22 days Relax. … Continue reading →

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Making Do

Posted on September 7, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“Making Do” by Italo Calvino translated by Tim Parks There was a town where everything was forbidden. Now, since the only thing that wasn’t forbidden was the game tip-cat, the town’s subjects used to assemble on meadows behind the town … Continue reading →

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Books That Fill You With Sudden, Inexplicable Curiosity

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

An excerpt from If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino Translated by William Weaver So, then, you noticed in a newspaper that If on a winter’s night a traveler had appeared, the new book by Italo Calvino, who hadn’t published … Continue reading →

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Soon the city fades before your eyes…

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

When you have arrived at Phyllis, you rejoice in observing all the bridges over the canals, each different from the others: cambered, covered, on pillars, on barges, suspended, with tracery balustrades. And what a variety of windows looks down on … Continue reading →

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Two Ways To Avoid Suffering

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

The inferno of the living is not something that will be; if there is one, it is what is already here, the inferno where we live every day, that we form by being together. There are two ways to escape … Continue reading →

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If on a winter’s night a traveler

Posted on October 6, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I have been an evangelist for the novels of the Italian author Italo Calvino since my university days. Sadly, he is underappreciated and seldom read here in North America. Over the years, I have had many copies of his better … Continue reading →

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The Path to Paradise

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

Italian architect and illustrator Federico Babina has created this fabulous series of posters that imagine the houses of celebrated authors. Archiwriter covers many of the world’s greatest male writers. each poster incorporates a famous line and allusion to an appropriate … Continue reading →

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