so-soAlthough it's less than a third of the length, this is basically a rehash of “Foucault's Pendulum“ with conspiracies to restore Fascism in post WWII Italy playing the role of the Templars and other occult groups in the earlier work. The occultists held my interest much better than the fascists.
pickMy last meeting with Umberto Eco ended in a DNF and afterwards I didn't touch a single one of his books, until this one came along. I had to check the authors name on the cover a couple of times because I just couldn't believe that I was reading an Eco. But I was and I was delighted. Sometimes the story gets a bit out of hand, but I loved how Eco shows us how conspiracy theories work.
Very US-centric questions, @Kaye, but fun too. Congrats on #50k
1️⃣ Nixon (gah!)
2️⃣ Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day
3️⃣ Sunday
4️⃣ Pretty much every year, but let's say 2011
5️⃣ "23 décembre", Beau Dommage
6️⃣ Tagged
7️⃣ (assumes US-centric naming traditions) 34
8️⃣ 5 proper clocks, plus 5 time diplays on devices
9️⃣ 0
? 18
so-soOk. Let us be frank. If this book had been written by anyone else, I would be saying what all other critics are saying: it's great satire, an incisive look at politics and journalism, a vitriolic political pamphlet. This said, it's not a very good Eco book. Knowing Eco, this reads as a skeleton, a vague outline, empty of substance. Empty being the operative word. In this, I am very disapointed. This is not worthy of the Maestro.
Been reading slowly, otherwise I'd have been done hours ago. It's ok so far, but it shows that Eco wasn't done with it when he died. I'll say more.when I'm done.
On the road! Going on vacation for a couple of weeks. There will be reading, writing and arting. And, you know, visiting too.
pickMy first reaction was 👎but after a few days of reflection, I completely changed the opinion and now I think it's an excellent book, which perfect reflects the situation in society and in the media world. The basic plot revolves around new newspaper, financed by a rich man....the story is happening in Italy and is primarily about society in Italy, but it reflects a situation comparable with many other countries.
#feistyfeb #changedyourmindabout
Goodreads challenge is set! This year I also participate for the first time in a reading challenges, #LitsyReadingChallenge and in #LitsyAtoZ For this challenge I have prepared a list of books that I intend to read it ... we'll see how this will turn out. I'm not good with plans and lists and I don't want to much pressure on my reading life. That's why, my Litsy Read.Chall. is empty, as well as #readingtheworld
#readjanuary #bookishresolution
All hail the victims of last night's 50 and out challenge.* Nothing wrong with any of them - they're just not right for me. Charity shop bag restocked, space cleared on the pending bookshelf. Hurrah!
*The Storm Sister not technically a victim, but as i gave up on Seven Sisters, there seemed no point in keeping its sequel.
so-soEco does what just what he does best: create elaborate conspiracy theories then blow them wide open. In this case, he is skimming over complex post-war politics which surpassed my grasp of history. Ultimately, I'm left feeling cynical about both media and gov't, exactly as Eco intended.
Losers, like autodidacts, always know more than winners. If you want to win, you need to know just one thing and not waste your time on anything else: the pleasures of erudition are reserved for losers. The more a person knows, the more things have gone wrong.
pickWhile not as complex as his earlier novels, it does bring up issues concerning media bias and its inherent ability to implant ideologies and even alter history through subtle suggestions. Two weeks after finishing it, I'm still thinking about this book. Eco was a brilliant man. He will be missed.
Why does the rooster crow a hundred and fifty times? Because if it crowed thirty-three times, it would be Grand Master of the Freemasons.
Numero Zero | 
