Hermit in Paris by Italo Calvino

Esther Calvino, Italo's wife, says in the book's introduction: "Years later, I found a file titled 'Excerpts from an Autobiography' containing texts with notes about their original publication dates. It's almost impossible to understand how Calvino would have presented these works, arranged chronologically. As an autobiographical document, it's essential as it's a more spontaneous and direct self-portrait we have. The purpose of this collection may be to influence a closer relationship between the writer and readers, deepening it through these writings. Calvino believed 'what matters is who we are and how we deepen our relationships with the world and others, which can be a kind of love for all beings and a desire for connection.'"