The Path to the Nest of Spiders

Italo Calvino's debut novel, first published in 1947, tells the story of Pin, a cobbler's apprentice in a town on the Ligurian coast during World War II. He lives with his sister, a prostitute, and spends as much time as he can at the lowlife bar where he amuses the grownups. When his friends dare him to steal a pistol from a Nazi soldier, Pin sets off on a series of picaresque adventures with a band of partisans. Calvino's portrayal of this band, seen through the eyes of the child, is not only a revealing commentary on the Italian Resistance, but also an insightful coming-of-age story. The Path to the Nest of Spiders is a bold, adventurous first novel, animated by the formidable imagination that was to make Italo Calvino one of the most respected writers of the second half of this century.