Marcovaldo

I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting this: a story where anything can happen to anybody at any time. It's a story with a contemporary feel, a story of modern excess, a story of angst, story of fear of consequences. Our main character is the same in every story, but he could be any poor working man in a modern city, blamed for things that occur outside of his control, suffering for the things he does which are not really any different from anyone else, living a small desperate life in a heartless world. It sounds sad but it isn't; it strikes me as some sort of a comedic tragedy. And somehow someone thinks it's a story for children.

The best book I have read in the past few years.

It is so light, warm, and utterly hilarious. The character of Marcovaldo is one we all aspire to be, a modern-day court jester who finds beauty in everything, is constantly beaten down but gets back up, and appreciates every minute of life regardless of how it goes.

As usual for Calvino - impeccably paced. The way the realist humor progresses slowly to fantasy and absurdism is so well done.

Highly recommended for everyone.

Ho letto questo libro sotto costrizione scolastica come si suol dire, ma contrariamente a molti libri imposti e mal digeriti, questo è un perla rara di scrittura ironica con un retrogusto amaro che ti fa guardare con altri occhi le cose che ci circondono. Consiglio questo libro perchè secondo me è ideale da portare sotto l'ombrellone o da appoggiare su un plaid in montagna, non è complesso, sono novelle brevi ideali tra un tuffo o l'altro o una sosta in rifugio. Ricordo ancora che la mattina presto dopo aver letto questo libro cercavo sempre con gli occhi i funghi tra le pensiline del tram e sorridevo ancora all'idea di Marcovaldo che una bella mattina...