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“You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino’s new novel, If on a winter’s night a traveler. Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade. Best to close the door; the TV is always on in the next room. Tell the others right away, ‘No, I don’t want to watch TV!’ Raise your voice—they won’t hear you otherwise—’I’m reading! I don’t want to be distrubed!’ Maybe they haven’t heard you, with all that racket; speak louder, yell: ‘I’m beginning to read Italo Calvino’s new novel!’ Or if you prefer, don’t say anything; just hope they’ll leave you alone.”—from Italo Calvino’s then-new novel, If on a winter’s night a traveler (1979)
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Remember those days? When you couldn’t be heard “over the din of [y]our Rice Crispies“? Watch out — you could end up like THIS!
