I’ve been reading this book on and off for a couple of weeks now whenever I have time to read and this has been a great inspiration when it comes to ideas and different thought processes people could have when they experience a city. I’m currently studying architecture and this book has really made me think how I could apply these ideas into future projects or personal projects of my own, it really is a beautiful book that makes you perceive things a different way and I like your perspective and interpretation of this book. If you liked this book and have an interest in architecture then I recommend “A feeling of history” and “thinking architecture” by architect Peter Zumthor as his books portray his perception and understanding of architecture on a more sensitive and beautiful scale just like this book.
Wow thank you so much Eugene for the comment. I love that it's making you think and applying it to your architecture work. I love the idea of beautiful buildings holding the lives and the stories of people and standing time. I'll check out the other books you mentioned. This was a first for me to read such a book but I found it magical in a way. Thank you for watching :-)
A friend refers to Invisible Cities as "the perfect novel." While I think If on a winter's night a traveler is one of the finest novels of the twentieth century, Invisible Cities is indeed perfect. Its short, short chapters give the reader time to pause and reflect. The links featuring Marco Polo and the Khan lead us into issues of communication and interpretation. The cities themselves are spectacular. Calvino is a literary god.
Just finished this book and looked for reviews because it truly is hard to explain and i thought i'd see what people have said about it 😆. It's an apt quarantine read. Love the vid! 💕
Great review!You have convinced me to purchase this book.Are there any other books you know of , that are similar to invisible cities?For me personally , it sounds like a very unique book.Love your content.
Hello and thank you for watching and sharing this. I’m so glad you’ll give Invisible Cities a go. I recently read another one by the same author called Mr Palomar. Rather than descriptions of beautiful cities, he describes the world around - and within - Mr Palomar to extreme detail. Imagine a microscope that drills down layers and describes the beauty of things not visible. However, I didn’t find it as awe inspiring as Invisible Cities which is one of the best books I’ve read in my life. Now for other “worldly” type novels that also held some fascinating interest for me is Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi. It was published in the last few years but also held some magical fascination of place, mazes and rooms. Another one to consider is The Library of Babel by Jorges; The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami or Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. These last books although not mystical and magical cities, are instead libraries which had a similar feel to Invisible Cities. Happy reading!!
Grazie, ottima descrizione del libro di Calvino. Tornerò a leggere "Le città invisibili", magari tradotte in inglese.: Marco Polo describes a bridge, stone by stone. 'But which is the stone that supports the bridge?' Kublai Khan asks. 'The bridge is not supported by one stone or another,' Marco answers, 'but by the line of the arch that they form.' Kublai Khan remains silent, reflecting. Then he adds: 'Why do you speak to me of the stones? It is only the arch that matters to me.' Polo answers: 'Without stones there is no arch.
Struggling with this despite its brevity. It's a relatively plotless, fantasy travelogue with a thin frame of Marco Polo reporting visits to Kubla Khan. The language and images are sometimes attractive but that isn't really enough for me. Perhaps it would be if I could see the author messages the reviewer here does. But I clearly can't stay switched on enough to get them. I just find it a bit tedious. Not sure Calvino is for me though I think I quite enjoyed some stories by him once so you never now. May give him another shot as his novels are short.
Thanks Andy, I get that. Some books end up being not how we had imagined them or heard them to be. This one 'spoke to me' and I really don't know why. Maybe it was the right time and place? Who knows. Maybe if I re-read it again in the future, it wouldn't have been as magical as it was in my own mind? I always believe that if the book isn't doing it for you, leave it aside, pick up something else.
Hi, I would like to share with you this link where you can find the book. It is free. The translation it's good. The downside is that it's missing a small hint. This title usually goes with an introduction from the author wich was a conference in 1983 (10 years after the first edition of the book). designopendata.wordpress.com › ... Invisible Cities [1972] - Italo Calvino - Design OpenData - WordPress.com
I’ve been reading this book on and off for a couple of weeks now whenever I have time to read and this has been a great inspiration when it comes to ideas and different thought processes people could have when they experience a city. I’m currently studying architecture and this book has really made me think how I could apply these ideas into future projects or personal projects of my own, it really is a beautiful book that makes you perceive things a different way and I like your perspective and interpretation of this book. If you liked this book and have an interest in architecture then I recommend “A feeling of history” and “thinking architecture” by architect Peter Zumthor as his books portray his perception and understanding of architecture on a more sensitive and beautiful scale just like this book.
Wow thank you so much Eugene for the comment. I love that it's making you think and applying it to your architecture work. I love the idea of beautiful buildings holding the lives and the stories of people and standing time. I'll check out the other books you mentioned. This was a first for me to read such a book but I found it magical in a way. Thank you for watching :-)
Lovely overview of the book I’ve just finished it. Love how you describe the reading experience I am totally with you 🥰
Thank YOU! It was brilliant wasn't it? One of my most favourite books ever!
I also recommend:
The Crow Comes Last
(Italian: Ultimo viene il corvo)
And
The Baron in the Trees
(Italian: Il barone rampante)
By Italo Calvino
Benvenuti e grazie per aver condiviso queste raccomandazioni!
Unique read on the book! thank you for posting this video.
Thank you! 🙂
A friend refers to Invisible Cities as "the perfect novel." While I think If on a winter's night a traveler is one of the finest novels of the twentieth century, Invisible Cities is indeed perfect. Its short, short chapters give the reader time to pause and reflect. The links featuring Marco Polo and the Khan lead us into issues of communication and interpretation. The cities themselves are spectacular. Calvino is a literary god.
Have you read any of his other books? Any ones you would recommend?
The Crow Comes Last
(Italian: Ultimo viene il corvo)
And
The Baron in the Trees
(Italian: Il barone rampante)
Just finished this book and looked for reviews because it truly is hard to explain and i thought i'd see what people have said about it 😆. It's an apt quarantine read. Love the vid! 💕
Thank you Kat. It is isn’t it? Methinks I’ll be giving this book out as a gift to friends who I think will also love it and what it signifies!
Thank You wholeheartedly 💐
Beautiful appreciation of IC's IC! Someone who speaks now, to us. Thank you, and keep up your Marco Polo-ian (?) exploring!
Thank you so much for watching and replying! I appreciate that you've done this. Of course, always exploring and hope you are too!
Great review!You have convinced me to purchase this book.Are there any other books you know of , that are similar to invisible cities?For me personally , it sounds like a very unique book.Love your content.
Hello and thank you for watching and sharing this. I’m so glad you’ll give Invisible Cities a go. I recently read another one by the same author called Mr Palomar. Rather than descriptions of beautiful cities, he describes the world around - and within - Mr Palomar to extreme detail. Imagine a microscope that drills down layers and describes the beauty of things not visible. However, I didn’t find it as awe inspiring as Invisible Cities which is one of the best books I’ve read in my life.
Now for other “worldly” type novels that also held some fascinating interest for me is Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi. It was published in the last few years but also held some magical fascination of place, mazes and rooms.
Another one to consider is The Library of Babel by Jorges; The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami or Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. These last books although not mystical and magical cities, are instead libraries which had a similar feel to Invisible Cities. Happy reading!!
Beautiful review. Thank you 🌹
Thank you for watching :-)
Grazie, ottima descrizione del libro di Calvino.
Tornerò a leggere "Le città invisibili", magari tradotte in inglese.:
Marco Polo describes a bridge, stone by stone.
'But which is the stone that supports the bridge?' Kublai Khan asks.
'The bridge is not supported by one stone or another,' Marco answers, 'but by the line of the arch that they form.'
Kublai Khan remains silent, reflecting. Then he adds: 'Why do you speak to me of the stones? It is only the arch that matters to me.'
Polo answers: 'Without stones there is no arch.
Ditemi che si sbaglia. 🤣
@@LifeLessonsFromBooks
of course not 😅
Struggling with this despite its brevity. It's a relatively plotless, fantasy travelogue with a thin frame of Marco Polo reporting visits to Kubla Khan. The language and images are sometimes attractive but that isn't really enough for me. Perhaps it would be if I could see the author messages the reviewer here does. But I clearly can't stay switched on enough to get them. I just find it a bit tedious. Not sure Calvino is for me though I think I quite enjoyed some stories by him once so you never now. May give him another shot as his novels are short.
Thanks Andy, I get that. Some books end up being not how we had imagined them or heard them to be. This one 'spoke to me' and I really don't know why. Maybe it was the right time and place? Who knows. Maybe if I re-read it again in the future, it wouldn't have been as magical as it was in my own mind? I always believe that if the book isn't doing it for you, leave it aside, pick up something else.
could you recommend where we can read it online, please?
Hi, I would like to share with you this link where you can find the book. It is free.
The translation it's good. The downside is that it's missing a small hint. This title usually goes with an introduction from the author wich was a conference in 1983 (10 years after the first edition of the book).
designopendata.wordpress.com › ...
Invisible Cities [1972] - Italo Calvino - Design OpenData - WordPress.com
Love the video's
Thank you!