On September 19, 1986, exactly one year after Italo Calvino’s untimely death, the following essay, prefaced by the renowned Italianist Vittore Branca, was published in the Corriere della sera. In it, the great writer reflects on the prospects for and effects of automatic writing. Right before he fell ill, Calvino had agreed to give the inaugural lecture for the 27th International Seminar on Advanced Culture at the Fondazione Cini on the topic of “Fantastic Universes.”
 
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- September 26, 2025