The Distance of the Moon

by Italo Calvino

ISBN: 978-0-241-33910-7

First published 1965

56 pages

Publisher: Penguin Modern / Penguin Random House UK

5 / 5 Stars

Writing in a clear and lucid style Calvino mixes astrophysics with stories of human longing and emotion. Each story starts with a scientific fact about the universe, written in italics, then proceeds with a story from our narrator, a peculiar fellow called Qfwfq.

There are 4 stores in this compendium,

• The Distance to the Moon
• Without Colours
• As Long As The Sun Lasts
• Implosion

The characters are wonderful as well. The cousin who doesn’t speak, Mrs Vhdvhd, the wife of the Captain, Grandpa Eggg and Grandma Ggge. Ayl who hides underground and who Qfwfq falls in love with.

There are more stories in the full version.