All about italo calvinos invisible cities italo calvinos life and work italian author italo calvino 1923 1985 began his career as a writer of realistic marco polo and kublai khan the real historical marco polo 1254 1324 was an italian explorer who spent 17 years in self reflexive . Calvinos invisible cities is a series of descriptions of mythical impossible cities told by marco polo to kublai it is that sudden clear and unfortunate it should also be avoidable but anyone gifted with a grain of brilliance is tempted to extend it as far as they can like donnes speck of dust stretched the length of the universe one is left wondering whether it was more ludicrous . This item invisible cities by italo calvino paperback 1326 in stock ships from and sold by amazoncom free shipping on orders over 2500 details if on a winters night a traveler by italo calvino paperback 1269 in stock ships from and sold by amazoncom