Name: Cosmicomics
ISBN: 9780241573709

Cosmicomics

Twelve enchanting and fantastical stories about the evolution of the universe from the giant of Italian literature, Italo Calvino. His characters - whether human, dinosaur or mollusc - disport themselves among galaxies, experience the solidification of planets, move from aquatic to terrestrial existence, play games with hydrogen atoms - and have time for a love life.

What Hacker News says

elevaetOct 2026

Calvino's other creations are good too and recommended. I really enjoyed Cosmicomics!

thread

selfsimilarOct 2026

People like what they like, so if that's not your jam I wouldn't sweat it. That said, Moby Dick is perhaps a poor example of "literature" to start on if you're not sure you like "literature", mostly from being so long. If I might recommend trying Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino, or The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem, as they are easy to dip in and out of are nominally "sci fi" while still laying some claim to "literature". Lem and Calvino may lead you to Borges or PKD or Ursula K LeGuin or China Mieville - more genre artists that arguably aspire to being more than pulp.

thread

SubGeniusMar 2025

Calvino is amazing. His short story collection Marcovaldo is just brilliant, it's my personal favorite. Cosmicomics is great too. Well actually, all his work.

It would be worth learning the language to read Calvino in original Italian. And maybe even Umberto Eco.

thread

pdinnyNov 2023

I'm a big Calvino fan and can thoroughly recommend Cosmicomics as a great collection of shorts. If you enjoy Calvino you may also enjoy Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges.

thread

riffraffMar 2023

I'm inclined to agree. Invisible Cities is introspective and reflective.

Perhaps "Cosmicomics" is a better example of the author having a laugh.

I loved both tho.

thread

ikeserbestianSep 2022

J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings,

Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe,

Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island,

Most of the Jules Verne's books,

The Iliad and The Odyssey from Homer,

The Godfather from Mario Puzo,

Hermit in Paris, Under the Jaguar Sun, The Complete Cosmicomics from Italo Calvino,

The Name of the Rose from Umberto Eco,

In the World from Maxim Gorky,

...

First works coming to mind but there should be more... Also I probably re-read many times basic printed materials related Abrahamic religions like Torah, Quran and Bible.

Re-reading is inevitable if you love books.

thread