By Italo Calvino, 1979

ISBN 0156439611

Based on a witty analogy between the reader's desire to finish the story and the lover's desire to consummate his or her passion, IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT A TRAVELER is the tale of two bemused readers whose attempts to reach the end of the same book -- IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT A TRAVELER, by Italo Calvino, of course -- are constantly and comically frustrated. In between chasing missing chapters of the book, the hapless readers tangle with an international conspiracy, a rogue translator, an elusive novelist, a disintegrating publishing house, and several oppressive governments. The result is a literary labyrinth of storylines that interrupt one another -- an Arabian Nights of the postmodern age.

Similar to 0 things you like: