Books Quote by Italo Calvino
““Today each of you is the object of the other's reading, each reads in the other the unwritten story. Tomorrow, Reader and Other Reader, if you are together, if you lie down in the same bed like a settled couple, each will turn on the lamp at the side of the bed and sink into his or her book; two parallel readings will accompany the approach of sleep; first you, then you will turn out the light; returning from separated universes, you will find each other fleetingly in the darkness, where all separations are erased, before divergent dreams draw you again, one to one side, and one to the other. But do not wax ironic on this prospect of conjugal harmony: what happier image of a couple could you set against it?””
About This Quote
Source Book: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, 1972
Reading each other’s inner worlds creates intimacy, turning separate lives into shared dreams.
In simple terms: Reading each other deepens intimacy.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate deep, shared listening.
Themes
intimacy
reading
dreams
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- marriage
- cohabitation
- nighttime rituals
- shared storytelling
Key Concepts
psychology
literature
connection
Questions to Reflect On
- How does shared reading affect emotional closeness?
- What challenges arise when reality meets idealized intimacy?
A Different Perspective
May idealize intimacy, ignoring practical conflicts.
