The Written World and the Unwritten World

Wonderful . . . surveys his varied interests and discerning style . . . Calvino's prose is sparkling as ever, and he approaches ideas with wit and an open mind, always ready to challenge a stale point of view. This anthology will delight Calvino fans old and new

Publishers Weekly

Electric . . . this rich collection of essays, reviews, interviews and more . . . are not only the backstory to his fictional method, but often another expression of it

Tim Adams, Observer

Glimmering insight and wit . . . incisive . . . reading this book is time spent with a first-rate mind

Chris Power, The Sunday Times

Playful . . . unfailingly stimulating . . . there are plenty of delights

John Self, Guardian

Engagingly whimsical . . . a wry sense of humour . . . there are gems to be mined. And, like real precious stones, they are found in unlikely places

Economist

It is for these moments of pathos, irony and honesty, when palaces of dazzling reflection are swept aside and the most adventurous thinking is undone, that one reads Italo Calvino

Tim Parks, TLS

Intelligent, witty, pleasingly erudite and razor-sharp

Alberto Manguel, Literary Review