The New Yorker: Fiction Robert Coover Reads Italo Calvino
Jun 5, 2013
Renowned novelist Robert Coover, known for his innovative narratives, delves into Italo Calvino's enchanting story, 'The Daughters of the Moon.' He discusses Calvino's influence on his generation's storytelling and how the tale critiques consumerism, using New York as a backdrop. Coover unpacks the unique blend of ancient themes and 1960s counterculture found in the story, along with its prescient take on environmental concerns. His captivating reading brings to life the moon's magical transformation and the story's layered meanings.
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Calvino's Science-Fable Synthesis
- Calvino blends scientific hypotheses with fable to explore modern human behaviors.
- Robert Coover finds this story more overtly moralistic and erotically charged than typical Cosmicomics.
Teaching To Break Conventional Habits
- Coover recounts teaching an 'ancient fictions' class to break students' conventional habits.
- He used Calvino's Cosmicomics alongside Ovid, folk tales, and other ancient texts to expand narrative strategies.
Moon As Consumerism Mirror
- The moon acts as a counterpoint to relentless consumer novelty and reveals cultural insecurity.
- Calvino uses the satellite's decay to dramatize consumerism's existential effect on society.
