Customer Reviews (11)

A primer on tolerance
I must confess Eco ismy favorite modern writer. Period. My bias duly noted, this is still a must read for anybody who even remotely wants to be considered an intelectual person. If the discourse on values was always maintained in the same key as Eco and Martini managed to do it, this world would be a much kinder place. There's a lot to learn from both of these extraordinary individuals. (A side note: Even though Martini didn't become the Pope, his thinking will certainly affect great many people and institutions.)

A dialogue, not an argument
This is a wonderful compilation of letters, in which two obviously learned men with two obviously variant viewpoints discuss some fundamental issues regarding faith.Although the focus is on the occidental, Christian faith, most of the dialogue goes to the heart of religious nature.

I received this book as a Christmas present and left in on the coffee table when I was not reading it.Throughout the whole of the holiday season, with guests coming and going very frequently, the book was picked up and read by nearly every visitor.Each said the same thing: "This is really incredible."By way of disclosure, I studied religion (secularly) in school; nevertheless, I think the book appeals to a wide range of reader.

A word of warning: if you are a fan of Christopher Hitchens, Pat Robertson, Richard Dawkins, Gerry Falwell, or the like...do not expect this work to follow that style.As other reviewers have rightly pointed out, the confrontation is internal and thoughtful in this book, not a "confrontation," as is usually understood, between two men.This is a dialogue.Not an argument.If you are looking for an evangelical and an atheist screaming at one another, I suggest you look to the above-mentioned four names.You'll find plenty of that there.

Otherwise, you can read this book in an evening.And, for what it's worth, I highly suggest you do.

How a Dialogue should be!
This exchange between Umberto Eco, an expert philosopher and secularist and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church is nothing short of enlightening. The two have obvious disagreements, but the exchange, which covers topics such as the apocalypse, the right to life, and where morals come from, is nothing short of sincere and well meaning on both sides. This is how a dialogue between believers and non believers should be! It is much more worthwhile than some "Dawkins vs. random fundimetalist" type deal.

Eco and the Cardinal don't really answer any of the questions in as much detail as I would have hoped, but I guess that was the limit of only allowing one reply.

a beautiful book to comfort us all
In these beautifully crafted, philosophical yet clear letters, Cardinal Martini and Umberto Eco discuss the questions that have been raised by many peoples in many lands and in many cultures since philosophy began.They exchange views on the secular expectation of the apocalypse and our resultant consumer culture; on women in the church; on when life begins; and on how a secular man can ground his ethics.

The thorough Jesuit education these great minds received is as evident as their deep humanity.And, while a student of philosophy and ethics will no doubt be entranced by the clear and logical arguments Eco and Martini present, a less philosophically inclined mind may find comfort.

For in the end, Martini and Eco reassure us that, no matter whether you are secular or religious; no matter what your culture, there are universal values that are common to us all.It is a message well worth hearing in this relativistic and politically correct world.

A Confrontation Indeed
In a time when academia and scholarly religion seems terribly at odds with the living Catholic faith, two men open a dialogue which is indeed a confrontation. They confront however, not each other, but the issues of apocalyptic perspective, abortion, women in the Church, violence and much more. These two men recognize these issues not as polemics to be tossed back and forth for endless bantering, but as fundamental to outlining a definition of "humanity."Both men are scholars and people of faith, aware of the cultural and social millieu around them. Although the paperback version claims "A Dialogue" it is most definitely a confrontation that forces the reader to make some decisions or at least consider issues that are all to easily relegated to consideration in a distant sphere rather than our hearts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Medieval Gesta
I have somewhat mixed feelings about this book, I liked wery much the first half, but the second half was somewhat dissapointing. Although the story is medieval, its style, aims are completely different from The name of the rose, its rather a "Gesta", not a crime story. What I really enjoyed in this book is Eco's ability to show the medieval way of thinking, in an extraordinarily interesting, complicated (and somewhat shameful) period of European history. Howewer in the second half of the book the connection with reality is more and more lost, some kind of solution is lacking, and I found the crime story that is also present on the sidelines somehow unnecessary. (This review is based on the Polish edition)

Caught in the middle...
It's hard to express my feelings for this book...in one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but in the other it left me lacking. Let me try to explain.

First, I rated it three stars to represent this indecision that I am experiencing after reading Baudolino.

The book really took me back to my days as a fighting panda, fighting all the other pandas for the juiciest bamboo stalk. I'm sure you all know how that feels -- clawing and biting like there's no tomorrow because, in essence, if you don't reach that branch first, your existence as a Panda truly has no meaning. Now imagine that kind of stress, and multiply it thousandfold. Yes my friends, welcome to the world of the Fighting Panda.

Despite this nostalgic trip that the book took me on, I also wondered why does the book make me wrestle my anaconda? I mean, yes, it is definitely a though-provoking, and awe-inspiring book, but why does it deliver subtle connotations of wrapping my arms around a thick, muscled snake and just taming the beast?

I hope you all understand the quandry this book has left me in...

Caught in the middle...
It's hard to express my feelings for this book...in one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but in the other it left me lacking.Let me try to explain.

First, I rated it three stars to represent this indecision that I am experiencing after reading Baudolino.

The book really took me back to my days as a fighting panda, fighting all the other pandas for the juiciest bamboo stalk.I'm sure you all know how that feels -- clawing and biting like there's no tomorrow because, in essence, if you don't reach that branch first, your existence as a Panda truly has no meaning.Now imagine that kind of stress, and multiply it thousandfold.Yes my friends, welcome to the world of the Fighting Panda.

Despite this nostalgic trip that the book took me on, I also wondered why does the book make me wrestle my anaconda?I mean, yes, it is definitely a though-provoking, and awe-inspiring book, but why does it deliver subtle connotations of wrapping my arms around a thick, muscled snake and just taming the beast?

I hope you all understand the quandry this book has left me in...

Wonderful historic fantasy
Rely on Umberto Eco for giving youa perfectly crafted and exquisitely erudite historical novel. You'll find yourself among the scholars in Medieval Paris,among the warriors in Italian Communal wars, and you'll see the first fall of Byzantium. You'll know the relative meaning of reality and truth, you'll find the Holy Grail and go to the quest to Prester John's realm; you'll solve maddening mystery puzzles whit the acumen worthy of Ellery Queen, and look at strange and fantastic peoples and cultures that Umberto Eco depicts in an ironic way that reminds me of the love of paradox of Italo Calvino and the refined accuracy of Jack Vance.You'll enjoy and savour it!

A Liar is Liar is a Liar....
Umberto Ecos „Baudolino" - a picaresque novel of the Middle Ages

In his fourth novel, Umberto Eco, the professor of semiotics from Bologna, has returned into the epoch that has become his second home since his world bestseller "The Name of The Rose": the Middle Ages. This time we find ourselves in the 12th century and the background of the plot is the conflict between Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa and the Upper Italian cities and the third crusade (led by Barbarossa), the plot taking place in Upper Italy as well as in Freising, Paris, Rome, Byzantium and the far and unknown Lands of the East.

Eco himself has called "Baudolino" a picaresque novel, and indeed the eponymous hero (that not accidentally does carry some character traits of Eco's) is a sly and clever liar, who is seduced by an amazing talent of storytelling to decisively influence the course of history - often against his will. The first story he makes up helps the son of a farmer from Alessandria (the city Eco was born in) to get adopted by Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa, and from that story on he achieves a further stroke of genius in nearly every chapter of the book. The cunning Baudolino („It is my pleasure to let things happen and to be the only one who knows that they are of my doing!") is present at every major historical event of his times and leaves his sly imprints on all of them.

A list of miracles of the Middle Ages that can be traced to Baudolino would be too exhaustive, just take for granted that in this novel more than one shot is taken at our knowledge on this era acquired in school, e.g. when Baudolino tells the "truth" about the relics of the Three Wise Magi in Cologne, about the canonization of Charlemagne, about the famous archpoet at the court of Barbarossa and the letter of Presbyter John (equivocally regarded as a forgery by historians), whose legendary empire on the far side of all known regions of the world Baudolino and his fellowship are trying to explore. But the two true treasures of these waxworks are Baudolino's version of the legend of the Holy Grail and - there can't be a novel by Eco without it - a mysterious case of murder. Barbarossa himself being the victim contrary to our recent assumption of him having drowned bathing in the river Saleph on the crusade simply puts the Emperor's crown on top of this perfect mystery.

But the murder mystery remains on the sidelines of the story and we meet the blind wise man Paphnutios, who solves it in the end, only on the 20 final pages of the book. "Baudolino" is rooted in the tradition of the picaresque novel and therefore dedicated to pure storytelling and the desire to tell endless tales. With these Eco keeps the reader entertained for long stretches of the rather voluminous novel, but the descriptions of faraway countries, unknown fairy tale creatures, human and manlike peoples and philosophical disputes on the form of the earth (tabernacle, disc or even sphere?) are too detailed and full of adjectives that left me behind feeling a certain lack of substance. But Eco achieves to countermand these parts with passages entrancing the reader with their subtle humor and the characters which are kept at a distance by Eco's style of storytelling are suddenly dear to you and you feel with them, for example during Baudolino`s three unhappy love affairs that make him experience the most serious tragedies in the rare moments of absolute sincerity or at the death of Baudolino's fathers Gagliaudo and Friedrich Barbarossa.

In the end Niketas Choniates, historian and chancellor of the basileus of Byzantium, who is told the whole chaotic story by Baudolino, who saves his life ("I think that when you tell a story you must always have somebody to tell it to, only then can you tell it to yourself."), has such grave doubts in the credibility of Baudolino, that he does not write the story down. Only Eco the author lets himself be unmasked as even less trustworthy by the wise Paphnutios who says: "Sooner or later somebody will tell this story, who is even more of a liar than Baudolino!" With this state of the art trick that is vintage Eco he has once more (like in some of his earlier works) achieved it to keep us completely in the dark about the trustworthiness of his sources.

But as Baudolino himself says: "Yes, I know it is not the truth, but in a great story you can change little truths to make the bigger truth reveal itself." This literary sleight of hand alone, by which the exposure of "Baudolino" as the story of a liar about a liar is put into perspective again, makes this novel that easily outweighs the typical products of the booming mass market of historical novels a pleasure to read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great writing from a great writer
It is a thought provoking book, well written and meticulously researched. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in this subject. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Te sube al Péndulo!
Una novela, con toques de ensayo. Posee una bagaje de investigación serio, que mediante un relato novelado realmente te "sube al péndulo" para transladarnos a un recorrido en le tiempo de los templarios.
Eco escribió esta novela, mucho antes que el Código Da Vince y no me equivocaría al suponer que Dan Brown pretende emularlo. Sin embargo, la novela de Eco es muy superior, en información recabada, en la estructura y en la especulación y fantasía que te puede generar, sin duda, muy superior.
No pierdas de vista, que a mi parecer, Eco lleva una liga entre sus trabajos, sus novelas, sus ensayos y esta novela. Sin duda me resultan pocas las CINCO estrellas.

Aterradoramente hermoso
Acabo de terminar de leer este libro (25-Julio-2004), y tengo que aceptar que me ha dejado impresionado. A ciencia cierta no sabría explicar porque lo ha hecho, quizá este libro invocó alguno de mis demonios, tocó algunas fibras sensibles, y a decir verdad me aterró. Será cierto que cuando uno se encuentra vacío es cuando uno se pone a buscar secretos inexistentes, que es mejor tener que buscar algo que no se sabe que existe, a no tener nada que buscar.... ¿por eso me dio miedo? o simplemente porque me doy cuenta que estoy entrando en un universo que efectivamente....da miedo. Un universo en el cual las conspiraciones y la desconfianza están a la vuelta de la esquina, el temor de estar siempre vigilado y que no sabes que es lo que una persona puede ocultar -- sí, lo se, es paranoia -- pero esa es la impresión que me ha dejado este libro, el imaginarme que las personas ocultan un secreto, para bien o para mal, pero que todos lo tienen.
A lo largo de la historia, que en ocasiones medio leía y pocas veces comprendía totalmente los personajes se sitúan en situaciones complejas, casi increíbles, pero lo mas importante es la manera en que el autor combina la ficción con la historia y no solo la historia, lamisca ficción que se ha creado de la ficción, lo que hace al texto encantadoramente complicado y rebuscado y en ocasiones sencillamente obvio, algo que puede hacer perder el juicio, en mi caso a alguien que en numerables ocasiones lo ha perdido. La parte más interesante es el último cuarto, quizá un poco mas, cuando empieza a conectar los hechos históricos más o menos contemporáneos con toda la mística y secreta historia de los templarios.
El punto focal que me encantó fue cuando Napoleón se relaciona con todo este misterio del plan, y a partir de ahí te das cuenta que todos los grandes líderes del mundo han estado en contacto con el plan, o para ubicarnos en la realidad, que todos los grandes y ambiciosos líderes han pertenecido a una "secta" de "iniciados" que han tratado de gobernar al mundo, sea como sea.
Que la historia del mundo se basa única y sencillamente en la conquista de los pueblos al costo que sea, y no simplemente con guerras armadas, sino a base de guerras ideológicas que aniquilan peor que una bomba, el matar el pensamiento es el peor crimen que se puede hacer, y eso lo menciono por los capítulos referentes a los jesuitas, y no se mucho de ellos, pero investigare, pero según lo que dice el libro son gente de cuidado, gente que no se detiene para conseguir lo que desea y que desde la fundación de la Compañía de Jesús, no han hecho mas que adueñarse del pensamiento de los débiles, y los no tanto, ya que también el poder económico esta inmerso en la conquista del mundo.
Una cosa que me llamo mucho la atención fue el hecho de que a unos años de la creación de los jesuitas, éstos promovieron la abolición de la enseñanza de los clásicos y de la historia antigua, en aras de ocultar los conocimientos de los antiguos, y así, no dejar huellas de los pasos del plan, pero si nos volvemos a ubicar en la realidad, no es lo que se esta haciendo actualmente en el gobierno de México; en el año 2004, el grupo en el poder,que pertenece a la derecha -- bien conocida por sus inclinaciones eclesiásticas -- !pretende eliminar temas importantes de la historia universal y de México de los libros de texto!, ¿será que son jesuitas? ... Read more

Product Description
I would like to dedicate the book to those critics whom I have so summarily defined as apocalyptics. Without their unjust, biased, neurotic, desperate censure, I would never have elaborated three quarters of the ideas that I want to share here; without them, perhaps none of us would have realized that the question of mass culture is one in which we are all deeply involved. It is a sign of contradiction in our civilization. - Umberto Eco. This is a witty and erudite collection of Umberto Eco's essays on mass culture from the 1960s through the 1980s, including major pieces never before published in English. The discussion is framed by opposing characterizations of current intellectuals as either apocalyptic (or opposed to all mass culture) or integrated intellectuals (who are so much a part of mass culture as to be unaware of serving it).Organized into four main parts - "Mass Culture: Apocalypse Postponed," "Mass Media and the Limits of Communication," "The Rise and Fall of Countercultures," and "In Search of Italian Genius" - Eco's essays look at a variety of topics and cultural productions, including the world of Charlie Brown, distinctions between highbrow and lowbrow, the future of literacy, Chinese comic strips, whether countercultures exist, Fellini's "Ginger and Fred", and the Italian genius industry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A little to Italian for this American reader.
I actually read this book quite some time ago but remember being ,for the most part, lost by references to details that were maybe too 'detailed'.I do believe Eco is brilliant but many of the references in the book were to ideas or concepts native to Italy and times before I was alive.

My distaste could be because after _Focault's Pendulum_ I expected so much.

Dificil al principio pero excelente al final.
Obviamente no es un libro para cualquier gente de un humor cualquiera. Sin embargo tampoco es totalmente diseñado para un intelectual consumado. El libro viene a ser una nueva muestra del enorme talento y conocimientos deEco. Amé el analisis que hace sobre el "comic" y sobre el mito deSuperman. Leer a este intelectual me ha motivado a estudiar a traves de lalectura, me ha dado herramientas y me he vuelto mas critico. ... Read more

Product Description
Es triste despertarte una mañana en una cama de hospital y ser incapaz de reconocer a tu mujer y a tus hijos, abrir los ojos y no recordar cuál es tu profesión, ni dónde vives o cuáles son tus gustos a la hora de comer y beber. Esa es la desconcertante realidad de Giambattista Bodoni, Yambo para los amigos, un hombre de sesenta años que, tras sufrir un accidente, ha perdido por completo la memoria personal, la más ligada a las emociones, y en cambio conserva intacta la memoria histórica, así que sabe muy bien quién es Napoleón, pero ve su propia vida como si acabara de inaugurarla.
Para ayudarle en el proceso de recuperación, su esposa Paola insiste en que pase una temporada en el caserón de Solara, un pueblo en las colinas piamontesas. Ahí Yambo vivió su infancia, y en el desván están guardados los libros, los tebeos, los discos, los recortes de periódico y los carteles de las películas que lo acompañaron en los primeros años de su vida. Inicia así una labor casi detectivesca para reencontrarse con el pasado a través de estos objetos, que para él no son recuerdos sino hipótesis de trabajo, cosas nuevas que le hablan de un mundo que fue el suyo y el de todas las personas que vivieron en primera persona los momentos más importantes de la historia del siglo XX. Las fotos de Mussolini se juntan con las imágenes de Flash Gordon y Mandrake, Salgari le da la mano al ratón Mickey, y los negros uniformes de las juventudes fascistas se mezclan con las redacciones escolares de ese niño que fue Yambo, mientras elrostro de una mujer amada y el recuerdo de un crimen atrozasoman en la niebla. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Experimento
Este es un experimento, de ninguna manera pienso leer este libro (no quiero escribir "no", para burlar a los motores de búsqueda) pero no le doy solo una estrella para probar si la gente de este sitio lee los comentarios en español antes de publicarlo. Si logras leer esto, entonces, obviamente la respuesta es no.

EXIGENCIA, EXCLUSIVO, GENIAL
Ciertamente exigente, es una lectura que exige al lector enteder un contexto en el que Eco ha estado dedicado en su carrera literaria, como noveslita y ensayista. En esta novela, sus líneas evocan el transito de una historia a través de la revisión de símbolos, iconos, mensajes en imagenes que pretenden rescatar una memoría perdida.
Sin duda, Eco es un autor exclusivo y hasta excluyente, ya que su trabajo lieterario esta dirigido a quien goza de la recreación intlectual. No me considero ser un intlectual, tal vez por eso lo defino así, porque la estructuración de sus textos, en su forma y contenido, al menos en mi, demandan una aplicación exigente de mi atención, me estimula el establecer relaciones entre los ensayos de Eco y sus novelas y conlcuyo, todas sus obras las ha ligado exepcionalmente.
Como todas sus novelas, esta no es la exepción, asume un poco de paciencia durante las primeras 25 hojas, después sabrás que no soltarás su lectura.
Es una vez más, GENIAL. ... Read more

Product Description

"... fascinating throughout.... the book is recreative in the highest sense." -- Arthur C. Danto, The New Republic

"A gem for Holmes fans and armchair detectives with a penchant for logical reflection, and Peirce scholars." -- Library Journal

Customer Reviews (1)

actually the sign of several
This book is a collection of essays on induction and abduction by several authors mainly know in the field of semiotics, theory of mind, and cognitive science.This makes the essays somewhat heterogeneous, but in a good way.It is a little misleading to say that it is the sign of three, b/c in the book they also look at other people/characters besides (Auguste) Dupin, (Sherlock) Holmes, and (Charles Sanders) Peirce.The sign of three is a play on words from the Sherlock Holmes story 'The sign of four' and the importance of 3 in the philosophy of Charles Sanders Peirce.Other people/characters that they refer to are Freud, Voltaire's Zadig, and Karl Popper. ... Read more

Product Description
A work more disturbing than fiction from "the father of graphic novels" (New York Times). "The ultimate illustration of how absurdly comical and cancerous The Protocols has been to mankind."—Thane Rosenbaum, Los Angeles Times Book ReviewThe Plot, which examines the astonishing conspiracy and the fabrication of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, has become a worldwide phenomenon since its hardcover publication, taught in classrooms around the globe. Purported to be the actual blueprints by Jewish leaders to take over the world, the Protocols, first published in 1902, have become gospel truth to international millions. Presenting a pageant of historical figures from nineteenth-century Russia to today's ideologues, including Tsar Nicholas II, Henry Ford, and Adolf Hitler, Will Eisner unravels and dispels one of the most devastating hoaxes of the twentieth century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Not Eisner's Best but Worth a Reading
In this graphic novel, Eisner presents the history of the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" including how it was created as a forgery and was proven to be so on numerous occasions (even in court). However, people have used the Protocol throughout history as "proof" that Jews want to take over the world. In fact, Eisner even sites instances today in which the Protocol has been used as a way to rationalize their hatred for the Jews.

Unlike other works by Eisner, there are few characters in this book. In fact, the only "character" that exists throughout the novel is the Protocol itself and its development over the centuries. In a way, it has had its own circle of life similar to that of a human character. Eisner explores the Protocols birth, rise to fame, its trial, and eventual use throughout the world. Eisner even sketches himself into the novel as a researcher looking to write a book about the protocols. I really liked that he used this technique because it showed his own involvement in the history of the Protocol.

Although this graphic novel is extremely informative, I didn't find it as moving as the majority of Eisner's other works. For the majority of the story, I felt that it was more of a graphic history book than a novel.

Review of Eisner's 'Plot'
This is a historical comic book. I call it such because it meets the even-handed standard that we hold to history, presenting the story of the Protocols in fascinating detail. Eisner's usual creativity is present throughout.

What if Jack Chick's approach was used for good?
Then you'd have this book.Will Eisner's _The Plot_ is the most readable introduction to the subject of the world's most notorious forgery, "The Protocols of the (Learned) Elders of Zion", the mother of all lies that just won't go away.

Which is ironic, since Chick is such a sucker for conspiracy theories like "The Protocols".

A plotted plot.

Since no human beeing could have possibly come up with this monstrous plancontained in "The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion", only one answer is left to expose the mysterious authorship for these ideas. Only Satan himself would qualify for such monstrous "PROTOCOLS" to enslave all humanity and rob mankind of their Agency. Machiavelli would certainly be a qualifying mouthpiece to convey such ideas to mankind since he proposed similar ideas in his "The Prince" (1518). Will Eisner's cartoon's:
"The Plot" is merely a side-show perhaps intended to obscure and defuse the real danger facing all humanity if such plans materialize.
Beware of such plans that could only come about through masterful Deception and human Ignorance.

Title Misleading
I don't know if the Protocols were made up (Plagerized) or not.....and it doesn't really make a
lot difference. All one has to do read the document for themself and and reflect on recent history
ie., the past 100 years. Also read the (online) book Waters Flowing Eastward [esp part II sec 1].If all this stuff was made I must say the author had a heckova furtile imagination.

The problem I have with this book is the title is misleading. It sound like it is supporting the
"protocols" but is really attempting to debunk them and in my opinion it didn't do a good job. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Una Storia Complessa-A Complex Story
Questo libro presenta una trama con un grande assortimento di teorias che si chiama "cospirazione." Al centro di questas teorias sono gli Templares Cavalieres. Secondo il libro gli Templares Cavaliers sono ancora attivos con un progetto per controllo del mondo. Gli personaggios pricipales creano una conspirazione falsa. Quesa teoria crea molta contrarietas e pericolos. Complessivamente mi piace questo libro.
This book presents a large assortment of conspiracy theories. At the heart of these are the Knights Templar who supposedly were not destroyed but went underground and now have a plan to control the world. The central characters invent their own conspiracy theory and plot that lands them in a lot of trouble. The book is interesting and complex.
The Griffon Trilogy

the best, warning 100 first pages are boring
I've read all of eco's books. He really makes research. Foucaults pendulum in his native language is just amazing. He touches every sense from the ocultism to the reality going through jacobd=s de molat and the templars, the rosicrucians, astrology , brazil and bleck magic...Of course everything vs scientific methods and reaL life. Also the picture of differtent cities is great.For me he gives thhe best description of the count of st germain.. the first 100 pages are not worth it but the whole explains it all ... Read more

Product Description
Participando de caracteristicas propias de la novela gotica, la cronica medieval, la novela policiaca, el relato ideologico en clave, y la alegoria narrativa, El nombre de la rosa ofrece distintos puntos de interes: primero una trama apasionante y constelada de golpes de efecto, que narra las actividades detectivescas de Guillermo de Baskerville para esclarecer los crimenes de una abadia benedictina; segundo, la reconstruccion portentosa de una epoca especialmente conflictiva, reconstruccion que no se para en lo exterior, sino que se centra en las formas de pensar y sentir del siglo XIV; y tercero, el modo en que Umberto Eco el teorico, Umberto Eco el ensayista, ha construido su primera novela, escrita -nos dice- por haber descubierto, en edad madura ""aquellosobre lo cual no se puede teorizar, aquello que hay que narrar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Muy buen libro
Se los recomiendo mucho ya que es un obra literari muy bien escrita y te entretetiene y educa.

ventana a la Edad Media
Vemos en este libro magistral el mundo tan dificil de la ?poca medieval cuando el conocimiento de la Humanidad fue salvado en los monasterios y se guardaba celosamente. Epoca muy compleja, que no podemos juzgar por nuestros patrones actuales. Predominaba la ignorancia, al extremo de que los unicos que sabian leer eran los monjes. Leer y escribir se consideraba incluso indigno de los nobles.
Para mayor complejidad, estamos en la ?poca del Gran Cisma de la Iglesia, que trajo una confusion terrible para toda Europa, que en aquellos tiempos era igual que decir el mundo conocido.
En este ambiente sombrio, el monje Guillermo de Baskerville
( notan alguna referencia a Sherlock Holmes ? )se encuantra con una trama realmente digna de sir Arthur Conan Doyle, al tratar de descubrir al autor de una serie de crimenes que ocurren en el ambito cerrado del monasterio ( no hay elementos externos ), el asesino esta dentro de la abadia, pero a pesar de saberse esto, no resulta nada facil descubrirlo.
Finalmente, despu?s de muchas vueltas, el asesino resulta ser, realmente, quien menos se imagina el lector.
La obra, tanto como novela policiaca o como novela historica, es una obra de arte, a la altura de: "El asesinato de Roger Ackroyd" o "Diez Negritos" de Agatha Christie, algo tan genial que solo se puede utilizar una vez.
El contexto historico esta bellamente entrelazado con la trama policiaca. El personaje controversial de Bernardo Gui se presenta con rasgos muy negativos, pero se sabe que una novela es una especie de puente entre la realidad y la imaginacion del escritor. Sabemos que la Inquisicion y sus personajes ( y no nos olvidemos de la Inquisicion protestante, que casi no se menciona, pero que hizo sus estragos en silencio ) son sumamente controversiales incluso hoy dia.
Digamos, en definitiva que la obra vale la pena leerla

Lo mejor de la literatura italiana del siglo XX
Esta obra es, sin lugar a dudas, uno de los productor m?s refinados de la literatura occidental del siglo XX. En tanto que historica, “El nombre de la rosa” es una obra maestra por su erudicci?n, su colocaci?n exacta en un contexto hist?rico tan preciso; en tanto que ficci?n es una trama policiaca muy elaborada, que captura al lector en su trama.

Es adem?s un libro que habla de un libro, es una obra que muestra los excesos de la censura, actual siempre, por eso mismo.

Complejo y Completo
Adso de Melk, en el umbral de su muerte rememora cuando, siendo un joven novicio acompaña a Guillermo de Baskeville a una abadía benedictina en Italia - famosa por su rica biblioteca - a esclarecer ciertos acontecimientos oscuros que estaban sucediendo.
A medida que avanzamos con la historia, nos vamos introduciendo en el mundo cerrado de la abadía donde los libros son custodiados, escondidos y censurados con celo por un abad y un bibliotecario que fungen mas como carceleros que como portadores de la verdad y el intelecto humano. A su vez, la trama de los asesinatos, entrelazados unos con otro por un libro que mas que darles luz a la curiosidad de sus victimas les conduce a la muerte. Por otro lado, la trama histórica circundante y las especulaciones teológicas y políticas de esa convulsa Edad Media, guerras, sublevaciones campesinas y religiosas, fanatismo y la lucha de poder entre la iglesia y los principes.
Una novela compleja y completa donde el autor mezcla de forma magistral historia, intriga y teología en un solo volumen condiciendonos a traves de los laberintos y vericuetos de la abadía y la biblioteca a una Europa caótica, ignorante y fanática donde Dios, el poder secular y laico se convierten en un juego peligroso y en arma de doble filo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Espectacular
Sin duda, uno de los clásicos del género detectivesco, ambientado en la Edad Media. Eco logra lo inesperado: mezclar erudición con intriga sin hacer concesiones académicas al lector. Hace citas en latín sin molestarse en traducir, pero el lector sigue leyendo la historia sin importarle cuán compleja sea. Esto es lo que se llama maestría en la narración.

una obra interesante
este libro es muy interesante ya que trata de una mezcla de historia de detectives moderna y erudiccion, libros, monjes y demas. este autor que nos tiene a acostumbrado a obras muy cultas como sus escritos sobre semiotica..el estudio de los signos.... y a novelas como el pendulo de focault, degran complejidad, nos da este pequeno divertimento de el nombre de la rosa,que parece de mas facil lectura que las anteriores, pero brinda unatremenda satisfaccion. muy recomendada.. LUIS MENDEZ

A Masterpiece...
For those who love to read about history, religion, suspense, science, etc. this title could be really interesting.. the description of situations as well as of places and characters are incredibly exact. ... Read more