I was talking about this novel with a friend who also couldn’t get through it. The trick I think is to skip all the Paris bit at the beginning, and start with Casaubon’s first meeting Jacopo Belbo in Pilade’s. If you read the story from there, and go back to the beginning after Casaubon gets Belbo’s call from Paris, you can better understand what he witnesses in the museum and his subsequent psychotic break.
So few writers any more give us books that we have to work to master, but that are well worth the effort when we do. Eco did give us such works and he will certainly be missed.
I haven’t read Numero Zero yet but I’ve read all the rest of his novels and he was truly one of my favorite authors. His first two novels are his best but I think The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana gets unfairly overlooked. I’d recommend it if you liked his first two.
I’m curious now how much unpublished work he’s left behind.
Oh noes! I never read his novels, but just a few months ago I wrote a thesis for college. His book, “How to Write a Thesis,” was extremely insightful, witty, and very useful to me.
At least most famous names who died recently died old.
shakes fist at Justin Bieber
My favorite of his short pieces: comparing computers to Catholicism/Protestantism/Kaballah. Dated of course, but easily updatable.
That’s great! Thanks for the link.
ETA: But where does an atheist fit in? Linux?
Almost.
It would be Linus (Torvalds)/Dennis Ritchie or a similar person who rolls their own “scripture” with whatever idea they have in mind, using their own criteria to establish rules, etc.
I guess.