Calvino Day: events, exhibitions and talks for the 100th anniversary of the writer’s birth
This year, 15 October marks the centenary of the birth of Italo Calvino, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and the Mondadori Group wants to pay tribute to his life and literary output with a rich program of events.
New editions in bookstores
Events for this anniversary include new editions of Italo Calvino’s works. The author’s books are now available in bookstores with a new layout designed with illustrations by Jack Smyth, a young British illustrator.
Calvino Day events
On Sunday 15 October, the anniversary day, many events will be held in bookstores throughout Italy to honour the memory of Italo Calvino. The rich program, created through collaboration between the bookstores and our Mondadori publishing house, includes readings, conferences, talks with authors and many other activities designed to highlight the author’s works. Most of these events will be held at two highlights during the day: at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Here is the list of open bookstores participating in the celebrations.
In addition, in participating Mondadori Store bookstores, readers will find a special gift: starting Sunday 15 October, with two books from the Oscar Mondadori series you will receive a free exclusive tote bag dedicated to Italo Calvino featuring the centenary logo created by Leonardo Sonnoli.
Here is the list of our bookstores participating in the event.
Calvino exhibitions in Rome and Genoa
Alongside the publishing and bookstore events, two exhibitions dedicated to Italo Calvino open for Calvino Day in Rome (Friday 13 October) and Genoa (Sunday 15 October).
The exhibitions, designed and organised by Electa, are part of the official program of the writer’s centennial celebrations and are in addition to the publishing activities curated by our publishing house for the occasion.
In addition to the exhibition catalogues, Electa is bringing the following to bookstores: a new edition of Idem by Giulio Paolini, the book Calvino A-Z edited by Marco Belpoliti for the Enciclopedie series, and the new entry in the Oilà series The Doubt and the Desire (Il dubbio e il desiderio), edited by Silvia Bencivelli and dedicated to the writer’s mother, Eva Mameli Calvino.
The author’s audiobooks
Italo Calvino’s works have not only been given a new look, they have also been brought to life: the writer’s catalogue is now available in audiobook form on all digital platforms (Audible, Storytel, Kobo Plus, MLOL, BookBeat, Google, iTunes, Huawei).
The author’s stories, now classics of Italian literature, come to life through the voices of narrators. Among the titles available as audiobooks: Il visconte dimezzato, Il barone rampante, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno, Se una notte d’inverno un viaggiatore, Fiabe italiane tutte da ridere, Fiabe di mare.