Synopses & Reviews
Chosen as one of the New York Timess ten best books in the year of its original publication, this collection immediately won a cherished place among lovers of the tale and vaulted Calvino into the ranks of the great folklorists. Introduction by the Author; illustrations. Translated by George Martin. A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book
Synopsis
One of the New York Times's Ten Best Books of the Year: These traditional stories of Italy, retold by a literary master, are "a treasure" (Los Angeles Times). Filled with kings and peasants, saints and ogres--as well as some quite extraordinary plants and animals--these two hundred tales bring to life Italy's folklore, sometimes with earthy humor, sometimes with noble mystery, and sometimes with the playfulness of sheer nonsense.
Selected and retold by one of the country's greatest literary icons, "this collection stands with the finest folktale collections anywhere" (The New York Times Book Review).
"For readers of any age . . . A masterwork." --The Wall Street Journal
"A magic book, and a classic to boot." --Time
About the Author
ITALO CALVINO’s superb storytelling gifts earned him international renown and a reputation as “one of the world's best fabulists” (New York Times Book Review). He is the author of numerous works of fiction, as well as essays, criticism, and literary anthologies. Born in Cuba in 1923, Calvino was raised in Italy, where he lived most of his life. At the time of his death, in Siena in 1985, he was the most translated contemporary Italian writer.