Photo of Italo Calvino
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Italo Calvino

1 series 8 books in order 5 standalone books

Italo Calvino was an Italian journalist and writer born on 15 October 1923 in Santiago de Las Vegas de La Habana and died on 19 September 1985 in Siena. He was a prominent figure in Italian literature, known for works such as the Our Ancestors trilogy, Cosmicomics, and If on a winter's night a traveler. His writing explored themes of history, society, and human experience. He was widely recognized internationally and was among the most-translated contemporary Italian writers at the time of his death.

Born
1923
Known for
Our Ancestors

Series by Italo Calvino

Our Ancestors

3 books in order · 1952–1959

  1. Cover of The Cloven Viscount

    The Cloven Viscount

    1952 · Italo Calvino

    The Cloven Viscount is a fantasy novel by Italian writer Italo Calvino, first published by Einaudi in Turin in 1952, and in English in 1962 by…

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  2. Cover of The Baron in the Trees

    The Baron in the Trees

    1957 · Italo Calvino

    The Baron in the Trees (1957) is a novel by Italo Calvino. Set in the second half of the eighteenth century in a small town in Liguria, it recounts…

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  3. Cover of The Nonexistent Knight

    The Nonexistent Knight

    1959 · Italo Calvino

    The Nonexistent Knight is an allegorical fantasy novel by Italian writer Italo Calvino, first published in Italian in 1959 and in English translation…

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Standalone books

  1. Cover of If on a winter's night a traveler
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  2. Cover of The Castle of Crossed Destinies
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  3. Cover of Invisible Cities
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  4. Cover of Cosmicomics
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  5. Cover of The Path to the Nest of Spiders
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Italo Calvino written?

We list 8 books by Italo Calvino across 1 series, published between 1947–1979 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Italo Calvino's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Cloven Viscount.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Italo Calvino's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.