Conference hydra::dejavu

1195.0. "Foucault's Pendulum: Book" by LESCOM::KALLIS (Efts have feelings, too.) Fri Jan 05 1990 13:19

                              -<book review>-
          
    Since it's high on the fiction list, I might as well call folks'
    attention to the latest from Umberto Eco.  His first book, _The
    Name of the Rose_ was quite a hit, and this one might delight (or
    annoy) members of this Conference.
    
    TNOTR was written about a murder in a medieval monestary, with the
    hero being a visiting monk who just happens to be something of an
    amateur detective.
    
    In this one, the hero's a member of the editorial staff of a publishing
    house (well, really two, but they were interlocked).  He and his
    associates are approached by a retired colonel, who has a part of
    what he thinks is a secret message of Extreme Import, nonwithstanding
    that it had to be hundreds of years old.  The colonel disappears,
    and in time, the hero and his associates start piecing together
    what promises to be the most sensationasl story of several centuries,
    provided they can finalize what they've started.  It starts out
    as something of an intellectual exrcise, but when people start
    disappearing ...
    
    Eco has a scholar's appreciation of some esoteric subjects (and
    when one of his characters errs, it's hard to tell whether this
    was an actual error or a deliberate misstatement).  In short, it's
    cute and rich in historical and arcane minutae.  It, however, is
    _not_ a text, and it doesn't take itself too seriously; so the reader
    shouldn't.
    
    It makes a wonderful light read.
    
    Seven point five out of ten.

    Re .0,
    
>    TNOTR was written about a murder in a medieval monestary, with the
>    hero being a visiting monk who just happens to be something of an
>    amateur detective.
    
    I loved "The name of the Rose"! William, the hero referred to above, 
    reminds me of a medieval Sherlock Holmes, in both his logic and verbal
    mannerisms.  He even adresses his sidekick, "My Dear Adso", and has a
    predilection for using the word, "elementary".
    
    A "9" in my book - but then, Steve's so much deeper than I! 8^)
    
    Neal/B_who_is_on_his_way_to_The_bookstore_to_pick_up_Foucaults_Pendulum
    

    Foucault's Pendulum is definitely worth reading but
    is not, IMHO, as good as TNOTR. It is as Steve says
    packed with details some of which are real facts and
    some of which are fiction. Still, if you like subjects
    such as the Templars, the Grail, Hermetica, Word-processors...
    *you* name it - you'll like this book!
    
John D.