While I’m in awe of Eco’s smarts and abilities, Postscript to The Name of the Rose gives
me a lot of insight into the 90% perspiration part of proverbial genius. Eco
gives us lots of details about how he went about researching the time, place
and people in The Name of the Rose. It’s
a bit overwhelming to think of putting that much work into anything, but it
really gives one a new idea about how something so great is created. This kind
of stuff just doesn’t pop fully formed out of a savant’s head.
Eco also discusses the value of entertainment in literature
and doesn’t seem to mind if some of us plebes just enjoy his work without
really understanding all of the allusions or postmodern irony or any of that
stuff that makes The Name of the Rose
an important “text” rather than just a historical detective novel (which I
appreciate). That doesn’t mean, however, that I’m going to just sit back and
read Eco’s novels, blissfully ignorant, but entertained. Since he’s kind enough
to let us in on his process and some of his especially learned levels of
understanding of history, literature and symbolism, I’m hoping to become a more
worthy reader each time I read The Name
of the Rose and Postscript to The
Name of the Rose.
And I will be reading them again….someday.
A Year of Books I’ve Read Before
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