First published 2003
Italo Calvino was a young man coming of age in fascist Italy. In "The Hermit in Paris," he recalls those turbulent years - the rise of Mussolini, the liberation, the Cold War - and his search for meaning and purpose. From the streets of Paris to the open roads of America, Calvino's journey is a vivid portrait of a writer finding his voice amidst the chaos of a changing world. At its heart, this is a deeply personal account of a literary giant grappling with the big questions of identity, creativity, and what it means to be human.
Genres: biography, literary-fiction, 20th-century, autobiography
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, grappling-with-big-questions
Setting: France, Italy, Paris, Paris (France)
Period: 20th century
272 pages · Hardcover · Pantheon