Author Quote by Italo Calvino
“The public figure of the writer, the writer-character, the 'personality-cult' of the author, are all becoming for me more and more intolerable in others, and consequently in myself.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Six Memos for the Next Millennium, 1988
The cult of authorial personality distracts from the work itself, creating intolerance both in audiences and within the creator.
In simple terms: Worship of writers hinders genuine appreciation of literature.
Key Takeaway
Focus on the text, not the persona.
Themes
authorship
celebrity
intolerance
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- book clubs
- literary festivals
- social media discussions
Key Concepts
literary criticism
ego
culture
Questions to Reflect On
- How does author fame affect your reading?
- Can we separate art from artist?
A Different Perspective
Some readers find personal connection with authors valuable.
![“[My early performance work] started by being the activity of a person, any person, like any other - but once that person became photographed it became a specialized person, the object of a personality cult.” quote by Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0ae/vito-acconci-13895_activity_my-early-performance-work-started-by-bei_2385194.jpg)
![“Within the Nazi Party, the beginnings of a personality cult around Hitler go back to the year before the [Munich] putsch... Outside these small groups of fanatical Bavarian Nazis, Hitler's image and reputation at this time - so far as the wider German public took any notice of him at all - was…” quote by Ian Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/105/ian-kershaw-35887_capable_within-the-nazi-party-the-beginnings-of_2259725.jpg)
