ITALO CALVINO s superb storytelling gifts earned him international renown and a reputation as one of the world's best fabulists (New York Times Book Review). Heis the author of numerous works of fiction, as well as essays, criticism, and literary anthologies. Born in Cuba in 1923, Calvino was raised in Italy, where he lived most of his life. At the time of his death, in Siena in 1985, he was the most translated contemporary Italian writer.