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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Seasons go by,
This review is from: Marcovaldo: or the Seasons in the City (Paperback)
It's hard not to admire the people who enjoy simple things... as long as they don't get out of touch with the reality. That seems to be the idea behind Italo Calvino's "Marcovaldo: Or the Seasons in the City," a warm little novel that shows the joys of life -- and the weird truths behind them.
Marcovaldo is an unskilled laborer in a rather dreary Italian city, with a stressed wife and a bunch of somewhat dopey kids. He also has an eye for beauty and an idealistic love of natural bounty. A stray rabbit, a blanket of snow, a peaceful park bench, a hidden stash of mushrooms, a trip to the countryside with his children, and a bus on a foggy night. Marcovaldo revels in the natural beauty and good fortune that come to him on these occasions. Unfortunately, they aren't quite as wonderful as he thinks -- every time, something bizarre and unlucky happens to him, whether it's the noises of urban nighttime, the realities of farm work, diseased rabbits, a plane to Bombay, a minor avalanche, or a bad case of food poisoning. Popping little idealistic dreams seems like a pretty mean-spirited thing to do. Yes, even to a fictional character like Marcovaldo. But somehow Italo Calvino's charming little book manages to be mocking and funny without being nasty about it. He's an airhead, and somewhat selfish, but amusingly and likably so. The book is made up of little short stories, each focusing on one "season in the city," and a new problem for Marcovaldo. In a way, each amusing little story feels like a joke, with the punchline only coming at the end. For example, a walk in the fog and boarding a bus becomes a disaster, when Marcovaldo discovers that the "bus" is actually a plane heading for Bombay. Here and there, Calvino also adds a bit of magical realism to the otherwise prosaic stories, such as one scene where Marcovaldo sneezes away every flake of snow in a large area. Even if this could never happen in the real world, his lush, almost conversational writing makes it come alive and seem plausible. Its simple stories keep it from being among Calvino's best, but "Marcovaldo: Or the Seasons In the City" is a charming, offbeat book that takes a slightly more cynical look at idealists.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not his best...but still captivating,
By "the-meta-one" (Elk Grove Village, Il United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Marcovaldo: or the Seasons in the City (Paperback)
We have all come to expect one thing from Calvino, an imaginative collection of short stories that come together to create an original novel full of intelligent humor, allusions to real life, and, most importantly, beautiful prose.And this book does not disappoint. We are presented with Marcovaldo--a down on his luck (constantly obvious) just above poverty working class man with a family he can't support. While this story may seem old, Calvino approaches it in a unique way. As the book progresses we see Marcovaldo hatch many, seemingly brilliant, plans to get rich only to have them fail miserably a few pages later. And all the while Marcovaldo, although down, catches glimpses of the subtle beauties of life, something that seems to be a trademark of Calvino. All in all this is a very good book and definately worth the read (can probably be done in one sitting). If you only read one book by Calvino Invisible Cities is the way to go, but if you are looking to expand your library of Italian literature you won't be sorry with Marcovaldo.
17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
thank you italio calvino,
By A Customer
This review is from: Marcovaldo: or the Seasons in the City (Paperback)
I read this book when I was very sad, and it gave me back the world.
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