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March group read from War and Travel

I have no idea if anyone else was planning a read of any of this month's books (the group has gone quite silent again for the past month or two!), but I do highly recommend this one!

Its not an exaggeration to say that 1/4 of the way through this book, and I do believe it has completely changed the way I see myself and my life situation. A one page short story has shown a new and bright light on life for me! How often can one say that about a book???

Mainly, this book is hardly a novel at all, but more of a collection of short descriptions of cities that are thinly veiled descriptions of life and human nature. I would have to say I don't "get" at least half of the stories, but the ones that I do "get" are just incredible. I think that if I re-read this book off and on throughout life, I would definitely find that I "get" different stories at different times of my life, and will be able to pull very different meanings out of each of them.

I just got hold of my copy. Once I finish up with my current books I will be reading this.

Sounds great! It's a weird book though, if you can even call it that. I almost recommend reading in small chunks...a few essays at a time!

I read the first few 'cities' last night and I can definitely see what you mean. I had to read one of them a good few times before I could really understand what was behind it, but they do make you think about life in new ways.

I did some work on Roland Barthes during my studies and the short essays make me think of his Mythologies - each little description has something different to say about society.

Iona wrote: "I read the first few 'cities' last night and I can definitely see what you mean. I had to read one of them a good few times before I could really understand what was behind it, but they do make you..."

I am about 25% through and I don't think that I am understanding what I am reading. I guess that I will resort to SparkNotes or some such guide...

Iona wrote: "I had to read one of them a good few times before I could really understand what was behind it, but they do make you think about life in new ways."

The stories I got the most out of, I had to read over a few times. When I started getting tired or tired of thinking, I got less and less out of the stories, which is why I recommended reading them in small chunks.

I did really like the idea of Invisible Cities and the little essays, so I might need to look up Barthes' mythologies at some point!

Leslie wrote: "I am about 25% through and I don't think that I am understanding what I am reading.

Leslie, I didn't seem to understand what I was reading until I found a story that really resonated with me. Then I was able to see what Calvino was doing with his super short essays, and figured out the mindset I needed to read them. Like Iona said, each little description has something different to say about society. I did find that many of the little stories did nothing for me...I couldn't figure out what Calvino was trying to say, but that was okay. I just let it wash over me and moved on to another.

Don't look for a cohesive story line to tie it all together, but just try to get what you can out of each little "bit."

I think I read this at the wrong time in my life. I could appreciate the beautiful prose but only a few of the chapters spoke to me. Mostly I felt stupid as clearly there was some meaning that I was just not getting and didn't have the energy or interest to figure out.

Leslie wrote: "I think I read this at the wrong time in my life. I could appreciate the beautiful prose but only a few of the chapters spoke to me. Mostly I felt stupid as clearly there was some meaning that I ..."

I honestly felt that (semi-stupid) through most of the chapters. I was just lucky enough to find one that REALLY spoke to me at a necessary point in my life, and a few that I knew I could relate to from past experiences. The rest I just let wash over me and appreciated the prose.

I can see how this one isn't for everyone and for every time, though. I'm glad you read it and joined in for a discussion!

Oh, I have also since then found a passage in Proust that was seriously remnicent of one of the cities!

Proust talks about how he had a vision in his head of what Balbec would be like that was completely unlike what the city was actually like, but now that he's seen Balbec, he can't unsee it...he can't picture it as anything but what it is, even though he used to have a vivid picture of it before he was there.

I was just excited to see the resemblance!

This book has been put aside as one to read before the end of the month. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Calvino before, and this appears to be peak Calvino. I shall report back (I’m just bringing the thread back to the top haha.)

Phil wrote: "This book has been put aside as one to read before the end of the month. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Calvino before, and this appears to be peak Calvino. I shall report back (I’m just bringi..."

Haha! Definitely let us know. I haven't even contemplated this one yet.

I’m looking for other early threads that seem to have dropped off the group; specifically Death in Venice, which was read 5 years ago, in August / September 2014.

I read that last month. Are you reading it now?

Just started. Like The Wasp Factory, it’s one I’ve read before, but because it’s short and it was quite a long time ago, I thought I’d give it another go.. I’m sure I’ll appreciate the “middle aged man thinking about death� much more now than I did in my teens.