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Mr. Palomar, whose name purposely evokes that of the famous telescope, is a seeker after knowledge, a visionary in a world sublime and ridiculous. Whether contemplating a cheese, a woman's breasts, or a gorilla's behavior, he brings us a vision of a world familiar by consensus, fragmented by the burden of individual perception. Relates the inner dialogs, reflections, and musings of Mr. Palomar.… (more)
P_S_Patrick: Thes two books are in some ways very like each other, and in some ways quite the opposite. In Mr Palomar various locations, things, and thoughts are described precisely with the utmost eloquence and detail, whereas in Invisible Cities, it is one place being described in many different ways, hazy, as if seen through lenses of different qualities, and warping mirrors. But the effect is much the same, both books give you something to think about, make you see things in different ways, and are a pleasure to read. Both books also contain no strong plot, and consist of many small and diverse sections, and in a way, could be dipped into. Where Palomar gets very much into the mind of the protagonist, and his fixed, elaborate, and definite interpretations of reality, Invisible Cities is similar in that the recollections are also told from the point of view of the narrator, but differ each time, none being tied to reality, all of them containing aspects of truth found through how you interpret them. If you enjoyed reading one of these books, you should enjoy the other.… (more)
Un libro que, por su longitud, podría parecer simple, pero no se dejen engañar pues a la vuelta de la primera página te das cuenta que es un libro muy profundo, sin caer en lo abrumador y, más bien, se disfruta mucho. Palomar, un gran observador del mundo, un gran analítico de cosas que a muchos podrían parecernos nimias, pero que fungen como mero pretexto para llevarnos por derroteros muy disfrutables y a los que raras veces ponemos atención.
Este libro, aunque corto en número de páginas, no es un libro para leerse de la noche a la mañana, te llevará varios días e incluso retrocederás, lo marcarás, lo anotarás; siempre he dicho que un libro habla muy bien de él cuando te deja todas estas acotaciones entre sus mismas páginas. ( )
Reread in April 2023, liked it much more than the first time. Read only 2 chapters a day, and took some time to digest the material. Basically is an autobiography for Calvino, with embellishment.
Take not of the special structure of the book. Each section contained three chapters, and each chapter carried a specific orientation to the material ( )
These little vignettes are enjoyable and Calvino is obviously an insightful talented writer. In the end thought I would have appreciated a little more of a through line. ( )
The sea is barely wrinkled, and the little waves strike the sandy shore.
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Last words
Information from the Italian Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
Decide che si metterà a descrivere ogni istante della sua vita, e finché non li avrà descritti tutti non penserà più d'essere morto. In quel momento muore.
Mr. Palomar, whose name purposely evokes that of the famous telescope, is a seeker after knowledge, a visionary in a world sublime and ridiculous. Whether contemplating a cheese, a woman's breasts, or a gorilla's behavior, he brings us a vision of a world familiar by consensus, fragmented by the burden of individual perception. Relates the inner dialogs, reflections, and musings of Mr. Palomar.
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Wikipedia in English (2)
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Este libro, aunque corto en número de páginas, no es un libro para leerse de la noche a la mañana, te llevará varios días e incluso retrocederás, lo marcarás, lo anotarás; siempre he dicho que un libro habla muy bien de él cuando te deja todas estas acotaciones entre sus mismas páginas. (