Quotation by

Italo Calvino

What Romantic terminology called genius or talent or inspiration is nothing other than finding the right road empirically, following one's nose, taking shortcuts.

Advertisement

Understanding this quote AI Analysis

Calvino suggests that what people often call genius or inspiration is actually the result of practical experience and trial-and-error rather than some mysterious or innate quality. He emphasizes that success comes from exploring different paths and using intuition to discover the most effective way forward.

More by this author

All quotes by Italo Calvino →

More quotes about Romantic

See all →
The word 'romance,' according to the dictionary, means excitement, adventure, and something extremely real. Romance should last a lifetime.

Advertisement

Romantic love is mental illness. But it's a pleasurable one. It's a drug. It distorts reality, and that's the point of it. It would be impossible to fall in love with someone that you really saw.
Most cynics are really crushed romantics: they've been hurt, they're sensitive, and their cynicism is a shell that's protecting this tiny, dear part in them that's still alive.