Why Read the Classics?
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Book Overview
"All that can be done is for each one of us to invent our own ideal library of our classics." --from Why Read the Classics? Classics, according to Italo Calvino, are not only works of enduring cultural value, but also something much more personal: talismans, touchstones, books through which we understand our world and ourselves. In Why Read the Classics?, Calvino shares over thirty of his classics in essays of warmth, humor, and striking insight. He ranges from Homer to Jorge Luis Borges, from the Persian folklorist Nezami to Charles Dickens. Whether tracing the links between Ovid's Metamorphoses and Alain Robbe-Grillet's objectivity, discovering the origins of science fiction in the writings of Cyrano de Bergerac, or convincing us that the Italian novelist Carlo Emilio Gadda's works are like artichokes, Calvino offers a new perspective on beloved favorites and introduces us to hidden gems. "This book serves as a welcome reminder that the great works are great because they can mean so much to readers, and Calvino is a most knowledgeable guide to all the best destinations." --San Francisco Chronicle
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0544146379
ISBN13:9780544146372
Release Date:December 2014
Publisher:Mariner Books Classics
Length:288 Pages
Weight:0.55 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.2" x 7.9"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
A personal antology
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
The answer to the question sophisticatedly raised by this little anthology, is given in the essay which opens the collection.The basic reason lies in forming a personal scale of values that help you individualize the real artistic elements in new works. The second one is that reading increases the quality of living in usual and unusual situations, as well. But the quality of school anthologies and their presentations is still an open problem.
Calvino get you inloved with literature!!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
What makes a book a clasic? Borges once said in a conference, that the fact that a whole generation lives with the idea of a book makes it a classic, Calvino involve you in that idea..
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