This is Not the End of the Book: A Conversation Curated by Jean-Philippe De Tonnac by Umberto Eco

by Umberto Eco

Hardcover

About the author

Umberto Eco was an Italian medievalist, philosopher, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular 1980 novel The Name of the Rose, a historical mystery combining semiotics in fiction with biblical analysis, medieval studies and literary theory, as well as Foucault's Pendulum, his 1988 novel which touches on similar themes.

Eco wrote prolifically throughout his life, with his output including children's books, translations from French and English, in addition to a twice-monthly newspaper column "La Bustina di Minerva" (Minerva's Matchbook) in the magazine L'Espresso beginning in 1985, with his last column (a critical appraisal of the Romantic paintings of Francesco Hayez) appearing 27 January 2016. At the time of his death, he was an Emeritus professor at the University of Bologna, where he taught for much of his life. In the 21st century, he has continued to gain recognition for his 1995 essay "Ur-Fascism", where Eco lists fourteen general properties he believes comprise fascist ideologies.

Reviews

[Tom King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't overthink it, people. This is just a fun read about books and culture, eavesdropping on some interesting men with insightful but sometimes slightly dated views. There are some genuine depths in elements of the conversation around the role of the book itself, what a culture is without words and texts, and the emerging post literate age, which has already surpassed the worst expectations discussed here.