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Originally Posted by Lisnaholic
Impressive quotes, but I find it difficult to read a book of that kind of intensity/ density. I used to have a book by him, unread, but I *checks shelves* I think I gave it away.  |
I can respect that. Intense, provocative material is my jam (though it can make for a slow read because you have to take breaks on account of being so gobsmacked), but dense material can definitely be uninvitingly challenging in an unnecessary way. Invisible Cities contains (literal) worlds primed for micro and macroanalysis, but the gorgeous poetry prose, the bite-sized form, and the book's general shortness make it inviting enough to make you want to give it the attention that it deserves. Then you can't help but stick around for the philosophical quandaries. I only know of Calvino based on the reputation of If on a Winter's Night a Traveler (which I've started but didn't finish because I was too busy at the time, ironically enough), so I can't say for sure how distinct that is from what you've read though.