The Path to the Nest of Spiders

About “The Path to the Nest of Spiders”

Italo Calvino wrote The Path to the Spiders' Nests when he was twenty-three. The novel follows Pin, a cobbler's apprentice living in a town on the Ligurian coast during World War II. He lives with his sister, a prostitute, and spends time at a bar where he entertains adults. After an accident involving a Nazi soldier, Pin joins a group of partisans. The story, told from the perspective of a child, offers a glimpse into the Italian resistance and marks Pin's coming of age. The updated edition includes previously censored passages and Calvino’s new preface, in which he reflects on the novel's historical context.