Numbers in the Dark: And Other Stories (Paperback)

by Italo Calvino (Author), Tim Parks (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A collection of previously uncollected stories from the late Italian fabulist.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
YA?This fine collection contains an interesting variety of selections, from parable to polemic, with complex and challenging characters, situations, and themes. Some of the older stories have allusions that may not be apparent to YAs, but the universal ideas are expressed in a new and clever way. Calvino presents a different world view, expressed with wit, humor, irony, and wicked perception. Students who discover this book will be rewarded and tempted to read other works by this master storyteller.?Margaret Hecklinger, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679743537
• ISBN-13: 978-0679743538
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #261,460 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars product of a brilliant mind, July 1, 1999

By	vic spicer (winnipeg, canada) - See all my reviews

this engaging collection of stories shows calvino's versatility.playfully absurd fables, mind-bending exercises in combinatorics, "interviews" with somewhat deranged historical figures, glaciation interrupting a romantic encounter, an encylopedia of all human knowledge... these ideas and more are all expressed with humor, economy and wonderful style.

5.0 out of 5 stars Stories, Dialogues and Fables from a Master Story Teller, January 26, 2009

By	BYF "Backyard Flix" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: NUMBERS IN THE DARK: And Other Stories (Hardcover)

Contents Include:


Preface by Esther Calvino

FABLES AND STORIES: 1943 - 1958

* The Man Who Shouted Teresa
* The Flash
* Making Do
* Dry River
* Conscience
* Solidarity
* The Black Sheep
* Good for Nothing
* Like a Flight of Ducks
* Love Far from Home
* Wind in a City
* The Lost Regiment
* Enemy Eyes
* A General in the Library
* The Workshop Hen
* Numbers in the Dark
* The Queen's Necklace
* Becalmed in the Antilles
* The Tribe with Its Eyes on the Sky
* Nocturnal Soliloquy of a Scottish Nobleman
* A Beautiful March Day

TALES AND DIALOGUES 1968-1984

* World Memory
* Beheading the Heads
* The Burning of the Abominable House
* The Petrol Pump
* Neanderthal Man
* Montezuma
* Before You Say 'Hello'
* Glaciation
* The Call of the Water
* The Mirror, the Target
* The Other Eurydice
* The Memoirs of Casanova
* Henry Ford
* The Last Channel
* Implosion
* Nothing and Not Much

7 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Crafted but more political than I care for, October 14, 2001

By	A. Whitney (Silicon Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I read "If On a Winter's Night a Traveler" I was completely pulled in and engrossed by the creative, crafted nature of the story and of Calvino's abilities. So, years later, I picked up this book of short stories. Since "Winters Night" is really a collection of related short stories, I expected ,uch the same. UNfortunately, I didn't like it as much. This book represents a real cross-section of his work. I found that most of his political allegories were a little too heavy for me. What I found most interesting were the stories that focused on relationships. Mother to son, lover to lover, friend to friend. This is where I was most interested. Since I seem to prefer Calvino in certain types of fiction, this may not have been the best collection for me. If you are a fan of Calvino & are looking for a good overview, this book may be better for you.