Book #70

The Distance of the Moon by Italo Calvino

 

Science and fiction interweave delightfully in these playful Cosmicomic short stories.

I was very much enthralled by the titular story, The Distance of the Moon, however the others weren’t quite as memorable or as engaging for me.

Imagine the moon was close enough to touch if only you had a big enough ladder. Imagine rowing out to sea, having a friend hold up your ladder, and climbing to the top before throwing yourself into the atmosphere. At one moment you’re heading upwards, before gravity shifts and you fall down to the moon’s surface. Utterly fascinating.

There was a lot of whimsy in this, and I truly enjoyed it. I’m not generally one of a scientific mind, but our narrator here weaves science with relationships as his fascination with the moon collides with his fascination for a woman.

The language was beautiful, the one story captivating, but the others make me wonder whether or not to pick up any more Calvino.