Discover new books on Goodreads
Meet your next favorite book

Henry Avila's Reviews > Invisible Cities

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
Rate this book
Clear rating

by
5431458
's review

really liked it

This a litany of cities (55) obviously fictitious, exquisitely described by Marco Polo to the great Mongol emperor Kublai Khan... he is understandably dubious. Imagination flows gently through the words of Marco Polo at the grand royal palace in Beijing, towns nobody seen let alone accept. The renowned traveler enjoys visiting new places some very beautifully chronicled by him these settlements but with a touch of creativity which the mind cannot fathomed, yet amaze, city after city, superb even those floating in the air unreachable to all, others underground the citizens in them oblivious to the rest of the world, those looking up feel jealous the mystery unexplained, walls impregnable, roads which take you away from the towns but never to them, sea ports, inland isolated metropolises alone in the vast deserts, they glitter in the sunshine and fade at night. Strangely
though the great khan notices no mention of Venice...You would think the continuous page after page of rather unbelievable cities would get monotonous but this is incorrect, as such allure is never boring. The architecture so fantastic it could not exist on the Earth only in the bottomless mind. People like to hope in something they know is impossible their run- of- the - mill lives are unexciting, needing to be charmed, stimulated, dream about what's over the other side of the hill. This will always be true the stories that take them from the humdrum to the heights are perpetual in fashion, humans strive to arrive in a land of the riddle and try solving the enigma, may this be forever. The author of the book Italo Calvino Cuban born with Italian parents , an unique magnificent writer of the visual who lived in Italy. Both a journalist, short story writer and novelist he engaged in, becoming a master of fantasy as shown here and rich, famous, few could capture its essence better. For the person who wants to escape reality and spend a little time in the what could be, imagination is another way to live at least for a short while...Isn't that enough?
139 likes · flag

Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read Invisible Cities.
Sign In »

Reading Progress

October 7, 2019 – Shelved
October 7, 2019 – Shelved as: to-read
November 2, 2019 – Started Reading
November 9, 2019 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-16 of 16 (16 new)

dateDown arrow    newest »

Cecily Lovely review.
"People like to hope in something they know is impossible"
So true. And
" imagination is another way to live at least for a short while...Is't that enough?"
Which reminds me of a Mervyn Peake line
"“To live at all is miracle enough.”"


Henry Avila Thank you my friend Cecily , this is a book more about the imagination than the real.


Michael Finocchiaro One of my abfabs. Calvino was a wonderful writer with incredible metaphors


Henry Avila Yes he is a superb writer...


Ivana Books Are Magic loved this one so much!pure poetry!


Henry Avila You are correct Ivana a terrific, majestic book full of imagination....


Gaurav Lovely review, Henry. It reminds me of some of the beautiful memories associated with my reading experience of the book.


Dolors You point out what makes Calvino a unique writer, Henry. What sheer pleasure, to revisit his stunning cities and his poetic imagination...a book I shall re-read some day.


Henry Avila A glorious trip into the mythical ...


message 10: by Henry (last edited Nov 12, 2019 01:58PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Henry Avila Gaurav wrote: "Lovely review, Henry. It reminds me of some of the beautiful memories associated with my reading experience of the book."This is quite an experience Gauray, the trip into the rather subliminal, something unreal yet a different kind of actuality.


Kalliope I would like to reread this. Possibly in Italian. This is, expectedly, a favorite book of architects.


message 12: by Henry (last edited Nov 16, 2019 06:47AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Henry Avila I can imagine Kalliope, a nice pleasure to digest.


message 13: by Ines (new)

Ines I loved so much this book, so lucky that Calvino is still studied in high school here in Italy!!


Henry Avila It is a beautiful book...


Ivana Books Are Magic I loved this book! Great review.


Henry Avila Thank you it is a strange but beautiful book.


back to top