Understanding Italo Calvino

Introduction: Calvino's life and circumstances

A neorealistic path to literary exordium: the path to the nest of spiders

Fantastic and realistic webs of prose

Our ancestors: a viscount, a baron, and a knight

The speculating intellectual at the crossroads: four novellas

Calvino's co[s]mic mosaic

An intellectually playful artifice: t zero

The combinatorial play of narrative possibilities: The castle of crossed destinies; Invisible cities

Calvion's ultimate hypernovel: If on a winter's night

Posthumously: Under the jaguar sun; La strada di San Giovanni

Conclusion: the unredeeming author: Mr. Palomar.

Ch. 1. Introduction: Calvino's Life and Circumstances

Ch. 2. A Neorealistic Path to Literary Exordium: The Path to the Nest of Spiders

Ch. 3. Fantastic and Realistic Webs of Prose

Ch. 4. Our Ancestors: A Viscount, a Baron, and a Knight

Ch. 5. The Speculating Intellectual at the Crossroads: Four Novellas

Ch. 6. Calvino's Co[s]mic Mosaic

Ch. 7. An Intellectually Playful Artifice: t zero

Ch. 8. The Combinatorial Play of Narrative Possibilities: The Castle of Crossed Destinies; Invisible Cities

Ch. 9. Calvino's Ultimate Hypernovel: If on a winter's night. . .

Ch. 10. Posthumously: Under the Jaguar Sun; La Strada di San Giovanni

Ch. 11. Conclusion: The Unredeeming Author: Mr. Palomar.