lokroma reviewed T zero by Italo Calvino
Review of 'T zero' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This collection of fantastical stories mystifies me, but it also fascinates. Calvino plays with concepts of time, evolution, origins of the universe and reality itself.
From "The Origin of Birds:"
"But instead, one morning I hear some singing, outside, that I have never heard before, Or rather (since we didn't yet know what singing was), I hear something making a sound that nobody has ever made before. I look out. I see an unknown animal singing on a branch. He had wings feet tail claws spurs feathers plumes fins quills beak teeth crop horns crest wattles and a star on his forehead. It was a bird; you've realized that already, but I didn't; they had never been seen before. He sang: 'Koaxpf . . . Koaaacch . . .', he beat his wings, striped with iridescent colours, he rose in flight, he came to rest a bit further on, resumed …
This collection of fantastical stories mystifies me, but it also fascinates. Calvino plays with concepts of time, evolution, origins of the universe and reality itself.
From "The Origin of Birds:"
"But instead, one morning I hear some singing, outside, that I have never heard before, Or rather (since we didn't yet know what singing was), I hear something making a sound that nobody has ever made before. I look out. I see an unknown animal singing on a branch. He had wings feet tail claws spurs feathers plumes fins quills beak teeth crop horns crest wattles and a star on his forehead. It was a bird; you've realized that already, but I didn't; they had never been seen before. He sang: 'Koaxpf . . . Koaaacch . . .', he beat his wings, striped with iridescent colours, he rose in flight, he came to rest a bit further on, resumed his singing."
Calvino goes on to describe how this story of the first bird is better told in comic strip form. I'm unclear what he's getting at...seems to be messing around with time and reality, although I'm not sure why. But it's very funny and I just like to immerse myself his in his fanciful tales and go with them.
