Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

The scope of Italo Calvino’s innovative genius can be readily seen if one takes a literary-historical approach to his work and sets it beside the neo-realistic fiction so prevalent in postwar Italy. The fantastic and fabulous elements of Calvino’s writing have been closely studied by critics, as has his use of allegorical fairy tales to portray contemporary social issues. Calvino’s experimentation with narrative structure and fragmentation has both puzzled and delighted readers and scholars. Many of his works openly challenge conventional expectations of the writer-reader relationship. The postmodern features of his fiction have been the subject of much critical discussion, as have the scientific and philosophical ideas that his work explores. Reviewers and critics have written about Calvino’s humorous style and subjects, and have applauded his accessibility, a sometimes-rare quality in postmodern writing. Calvino’s own insistence on the openness of stories invites an array of readings and responses.

Author Links

Italo Calvino
Very helpful site providing autobiographical, biographical, and critical resources. Also contains a compilation of online reviews, criticism, and works by Calvino.

Italo Calvino (1923-1985)
Introductory biographical essay highlighting Calvino’s literary achievements.

In Calvino Veritas: The Critical Calvino Page
Gathers together works by Calvino, plus criticism, available online.

Audio Special: Celebrating Italo Calvino
Listen to famous authors talk about and read from Calvino’s major works.