Some I liked much, much better than others, but they're worth it. ( )

Las historias de Los amores difíciles, de Italo Calvino (1923-1985), versan sobre la dificultad de comunicación entre personas que, por alguna inesperada circunstancia, podrían comenzar una relación amorosa. En realidad, son historias sobre cómo una pareja no alcanza nunca a establecer ese mínimo vínculo afectivo inicial, aunque todo parezca favorecerlo. Pero, para Italo Calvino, en ese desencuentro reside no sólo el motivo de una desesperación, sino también el elemento fundamental –o la esencia misma– de la relación amorosa.

Now, I read Italo Calvino’s Difficult Loves several months ago, borrowed from friends in Marrakech, meaning I don’t remember excessive detail nor do I have an English copy available for reference. What I do recall, very clearly, is finding it painful to read. I love short stories, and I have a keen interest in all things Italian. Somehow, though, these stories dragged, and moving from one to the next couldn’t happen fast enough. I very vaguely remember preferring the stories toward the end over the stories at the beginning, and with a little research, Calvino’s timing and method became clearer. I distinctly remember only a couple specific stories: the young messenger who raced silently through the woods thinking someone was following him, and the man who would rather read than commit himself to fifteen minutes worth of sex with a strange woman on the beach. For whatever reason, I didn’t see a whole lot of Italian culture staring at me through those pages; I didn’t learn too much about the history or the way Italians relate to each other. Obviously, I was excited to read my first Calvino, but it turned out to disappoint. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Italy in March and April had so harshly disappointed me, especially compared to my fabulous first couple months in Morocco. Perhaps my particularly difficult relationships at that time also colored my reading; timing is everything, of course. Ultimately, I’ve yet to read any other highly-recommended Calvino novels or short stories; they’re on my list, of course, but I’m taking my time getting to them after such a disappointing introduction. ( )

This collection of short stories is broken up into several sections with loosely unified themes.
They are usually quirky adventures, slow-paced, but contemplative, largely outdoors, between few characters, who, in the usual fashion of this author, are not intricately described, but portrayed with a unique voice. You get the feeling that even when Calvino is not being metafictional, he's being metafictional. Even so, it is possible to enjoy this book for its soft tone alone. It has a subtle flavor, does not make great demands upon the reader, but also does not reward him with deep insights.

Calvino is remembered for his dashing experiments, but he can be appreciated for his charming storytelling. This is not his most memorable collection, but for completionists and casual members of the Calvino cult, it is quite readable. ( )

CX15