"…the playful irony that underlies this work is more than a nod to Calvino and his inspired playfulness. The Chinoise-exotic, slightly archaic, but choice language, that seems quite deeply informed, and in the conversations, the precise hints of scholarship provide much of the great charm of each chapter. The book could only have been written by an informed, but still questing translator. The work puts me in mind of an exercise in playful, but disciplined and beautiful ceramics. Each chapter is a finely wrought bowl, refined to simplicity, lightly decorated, but carrying deep awareness of traditions. Together they make up a whole show. It is an allegory for our time, never more pertinent in our lifetimes than now. Yet it is playful while spare, making room for the reader’s sense of playfulness."
– David Young, Environmental historian, latest book Wai Pasifika
"The book is a complete marvel… Erudite but punchy. (Punchy in a good way!)."
– Tilly Lloyd, retired manager and co-owner of Unity Books Wellington.
"Profondità, ironia, un pizzico di sana follia e tantissima cultura fanno parte della narrazione e sono di grandissima piacevolezza."
– Francesca Battistella, Italian novelist
"…clever, charming and thought-provoking!"
– Sally Rawnsley, formerly Head of the Department of Continuing Education, Victoria University of Wellington
"Witty, intelligent and a brilliant read. Can't recommend this enough."
– Dave Ilott, Head of English, St Christopher School, Letchworth, England
The cities are a delight. So many different sources for language, so many aspects of who we all are that make language and make it different.
– Roy Bowden, Psychotherapist and educationalist
"I did not have any problem reading it and adapting my mind to its intriguing structure, the ritual character of each of the 26 chapters. I thought I might find the pattern rather mechanical, repetitive, but each individual chapter turned out to be different in a natural way."
– Lindis Taylor, music critic, founder of blog Middle C
"…it is good fun to read."
– Hansgerd Delbrück, Professor of German, retired, now Emeritus Professor, Victoria University Wellington
"I particularly liked the enjoyably quirky and consistently maintained nature of the prose - and of course of the translations described."
– J. E. P. Thomson, Academic and bibliographer, formerly Professor of English, Victoria University Wellington
"…delightful, interesting and witty (rather than merely clever and smartarse)."
– Keren Chiaroni, formerly Senior Lecturer in French, Victoria University Wellington
"What a gem!"
– Jan Nalder, reader
"Intelligible Cities is a delightful conceit, splendidly written and best savoured in small chunks."
– Russell Campbell, Senior Lecturer in Film at Victoria University Wellington retired, researcher and writer
"The individual conversations and city cultures made interesting reading and some I particularly enjoyed e.g. Ominia where the competing linguistic approaches and characters were so unexpected and very amusing – ending in a vintage Monty Python image. An amazing creative endeavour."
– Birnie Duthie, Educationalist, peripatetic teacher of art in Kiribas and China
"This calvinoesque book gave me much fun and pleasure. There were many brilliant moments in it, and the closely observed version of Calvino’s style added a great deal of charm."
– Nelson Wattie, literary researcher and teacher, co-editor of The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature