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He was high on imagination :)

From the many reviews I have read of Italo Calvino, he seems to be a difficult author to comprehend, is it?

@Garima: Too high! I almost read the whole book twice by going back and forth to make my own connections and grasp this heavy dose of imagination. :)

@Henry: I read your brilliant review, Henry. It all makes sense and wonderfully too. :)

Soumen: No, not difficult. He's as smooth as a hot knife pierces a block of butter. What's crazy about him is he'll pick you up off-guard and take you on a roller coaster of his imagination and By the end of it all, you can only sit back and wonder what just happened and what is this awesome feeling.

Really taken with your awe-struck reaction Himanshu, which rekindled my interest in Calvino. Smiling like a loony right now! :)

Dolors wrote: "Really taken with your awe-struck reaction Himanshu, which rekindled my interest in Calvino. Smiling like a loony right now! :)"

Dolors, please read Calvino. Please! Can't wait to see your reaction. :)

What was he smoking? It's less surreal than If on a Winter's Night a Traveler.

Cecily wrote: "What was he smoking? It's less surreal than If on a Winter's Night a Traveler."

It was definitely infinitesimally less fun than If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. But, he had got to be smoking something really good to let his imagination fly like that.

Henry wrote: "There is a method to the madness - that's what I keep telling myself.

Have you read The castle of crossed destinies ?"

Unfortunately no, Henry. After reading the famous two of Calvino, I sort of restrained myself from reading the others. To keep the madness at bay and let it not vanish altogether.

And method to the madness? That's quite interesting actually! Just spent some time on this thought. :)

Ah! He was smoking and drinking and dancing and sprinting his brains out! How else you thought he hopped on all these cities in a span of a few hundred pages? ;)

P.S. I need to read this one, soon!

Seemita wrote: "Ah! He was smoking and drinking and dancing and sprinting his brains out! How else you thought he hopped on all these cities in a span of a few hundred pages? ;)

P.S. I need to read this one, soon!"

Not even a couple of hundred pages, and such impact. He stands wide apart in the league of legends, truly.

And you need to read this, and many many more, and really really soon. :)

Never read a Calvino! That proves how big is the void in my read-shelf. Thanks for the tempting review, Himanshu! :)

Himanshu wrote: "It was definitely infinitesimally less fun than If on a Winter's Night a Traveler."

Yes, less fun, but more poetic, and probably deeper, though I'd need to reread both to be sure. And even then, I probably wouldn't be.

Gautam wrote: "Never read a Calvino! That proves how big is the void in my read-shelf. Thanks for the tempting review, Himanshu! :)"

Calvino will meet you in time, Gautam. When you'd look for solace in madness and eccentric ingenuity. You'll have fun.

Cecily wrote: Yes, less fun, but more poetic, and probably deeper, though I'd need to reread both to be sure...."

Yes, which is why I was stunned at his accomplishment in this one as compared to the other. About re-reading, I think that's the only way of reading Calvino. Ain't it just about the magic that never fails to amuse rather than anything else. :)

Henry wrote: "Himanshu - keeping the madness at bay is far more interesting that having a method to the madness.

One may be a futile exercise in restraint, but which is it is not easy to decipher. :)

I just w..."

True words, Henry! I shall not fall into the trap and try deciphering the choice. Should read Calvino soon now and let him do what he does. :)

”What in the world was Calvino smoking?��

This was my reaction. :D I thought exactly the same thing. The whole atmosphere is such one. Himanshu, if you want to try something similar, try Bruno Schulz’s ”The Street of Crocodiles��. It does remind somehow of this one. Not the topic, but the atmosphere and the amazing writing. It’s all very dream-like, like a beautiful hallucination, very otherworldly. :)

Vessey wrote: "”What in the world was Calvino smoking?��

This was my reaction. :D I thought exactly the same thing. The whole atmosphere is such one. Himanshu, if you want to try something similar, try Bruno Schu..."

Thanks for the recco, Vessey. I'll definitely check it out. Calvino I believe gives that unique edge to literature that is both necessary and enriching. Glad to see that you loved him too.