Italo Calvino Quotes about Reading

A classic is a book which with each rereading offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading.

A classic is a book which with each rereading offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading.

Book, Reading, Discovery

Italo Calvino (2014). “Why Read the Classics?”, p.5, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Something must always remain that eludes us ... For power to have an object on which it can be exercised, a space in which to stretch out its arms ... As long as I know there exists in the world someone who does tricks only for the love of the trick, as long as I know there is a woman who loves reading for reading's sake, I can convince myself that the world continues ... And every evening I, too, abandon myself to reading, like that distant unknown woman.

Italo Calvino

Reading, Elude Us, Space

If one wanted to depict the whole thing graphically, every episode, with its climax, would require a three-dimensional, or, rather, no model: every experience is unrepeatable. What makes lovemaking and reading resemble each other most is that within both of them times and spaces open, different from measurable time and space.

Italo Calvino

Sex, Reading, Space

Italo Calvino (2010). “If On A Winter's Night A Traveller”, p.156, Random House

Every new book I read comes to be a part of that overall and unitary book that is the sum of my readings...if you need little to set the imagination going, I require even less: the promise of reading is enough.

Italo Calvino

Book, Reading, Imagination

It's better not to know authors personally, because the real person never corresponds to the image you form of him from reading his books.

Italo Calvino

Real, Book, Reading

"Enter the maze" by David Mitchell, www.theguardian.com. May 22, 2004.

Today each of you is the object of the other’s reading, one reads in the other the unwritten story.

Italo Calvino

Reading, Stories, Today

Italo Calvino (2010). “If On A Winter's Night A Traveller”, p.156, Random House

The things that the novel does not say are necessarily more numerous than those it does say and only a special halo around what is written can give the illusion that you are reading also what is not written.

Italo Calvino

Reading, Giving, Special

Italo Calvino (2010). “If On A Winter's Night A Traveller”, p.203, Random House

You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If on a winter's night a traveler. Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade. Best to close the door; the TV is always on in the next room. Tell the others right away, "No, I don't want to watch TV!" Raise your voice -- they won't hear you otherwise -- "I'm reading! I don't want to be disturbed!" Maybe they haven't heard you, with all that racket; speak louder, yell: "I'm beginning to read Italo Calvino's new novel!" Or if you prefer, don't say anything: just hope they'll leave you alone.

Italo Calvino

Reading, Winter, Night

Italo Calvino (2010). “If On A Winter's Night A Traveller”, p.3, Random House

You have with you the book you were reading in the cafe, which you are eager to continue, so that you can then hand it on to her, to communicate again with her through the channel dug by others' words, which, as they are uttered by an alien voice, by the voice of that silent nobody made of ink and typographical spacing, can become yours and hers, a language, a code between the two of you, a means to exchange signals and recognize each other.

Italo Calvino

Book, Reading, Mean