The Name of the Rose Kindle Edition

_The Name of the Rose_ is a challenging read: Eco infuses the dialogue with Latin, the primary plot doesn't really develop until after the first 100 pages, and he provides a superabundance of sub-plots and historical details. But where the journey is difficult, the rewards are tremendous - and I encourage readers who otherwise might consider leaving the book after the first dozens of pages to hang in there - the details Eco provides in the opening chapters are what make this such a marvelous, masterful work.Eco is writing on several levels: as a mystery, to be sure. Who is killing the monks at the abby and why? And why is there an apocalyptic theme to the deaths? What are the secrets being hidden by the monks, and how are they related to the crimes committed? But there is another level to the story: Brother William and his novice (Adso, the author of the story) are part of a larger theological mission regarding the nature of the Church - should it emphasize poverty? And if so, how does one reconcile this with the tremendous wealth and power the Church wields in the 14th century? (The backdrop of the story is set during the "Avignon Papacy" which resulted in two Popes claiming leadership of the Church). This conflict, in fact, may play a role in the murders; as a stand-alone issue, Eco not only shows remarkable historical accuracy, but also makes a commentary on the Church specifically and religion more generally. Yet Eco goes further still for those readers who are looking: while many of the characters and issues are drawn from history, Eco also gives a nod and wink to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in several respects - Brother William is "William of Baskerville"; the methods used by Brother William are identical to those used by Doyle's creation (deduction, inference and Occam's Razor - in fact, Occam is cited as an acquaintance of William's) - in fact, as the pair arrive at the abbey, the deductions William makes are too reminiscent to be overlooked. Further, the narrator writes as did Dr. Watson - _The Name of the Rose_ is essentially an account written by the investigator's side-kick.Eco's brilliance is also demonstrated in the organization of the book: it opens with the same lines as Genesis ("In the beginning was the word ...") and is broken up into seven days, each day divided into the monastic measurement of time (Matins, Lauds, Prime,Terce, Sext, Nomes, Vespers and Compline). This not only reinforces the sense of authenticity of the story, but it also draws readers into the rhythms and pattern of monastic life. The details of the monastery - and especially the library around which the investigation revolves - speaks to the conflict between reason (as exemplified by Brother William) and faith (as exemplified by the monks). This is a conflict that continues to the present and is related to the other issue of wealth and Christianity that is at the heart of the internal conflict within the Church in the 1300s.Perhaps my analysis is more than the casual reader is interested in, in which case Eco provides a top-notch mystery that is complicated, difficult to solve and rewarding in its conclusion. The only complaint I have plot-wise is the resolution: I was frustrated at the way in which Eco chose to end the mystery, if only because of my tremendous reverence for and love of the written word. That being said, the conclusion certainly does point to the value of monastic work in the Middle Ages, and the miracle that we have so many texts from the ancient world still extant._The Name of the Rose_ is dense and sometimes difficult to read (because of Latin, because of the historical details, and yes, because the mystery itself is a real challenge). But it is truly a masterpiece of writing - I highly recommend it.

I'm fascinated by publishing phenomenons - books that just take over the public imagination. Sometimes you read them and you understand how they became a hit (the Harry Potter series); sometimes you may not like them but you can see why people love them (Twilight, The Da Vinci Code). But other times, what you get is something truly unlikely, such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I loved but is also a Scandinavian book about female empowerment that takes over 100 pages to get going, is filled with foreign names, and meanders its way around its story in an unorthodox fashion. (I really liked that book, but it's a truly bizarre best seller.)But if The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an unlikely bestseller, The Name of the Rose is positively bewildering in its success. Here's a book that immerses you deeply in medieval life, gets into complex debates about medieval theology and 14th century schisms in the Catholic church, goes on page-long diversions into church art and the construction of manuscripts, features frequent interludes of untranslated Latin, and does all this while absolutely refusing to hold the reader's hand at all. Yes, there's a murder mystery at the book's core, and a lot of intrigue, and even a bizarre labyrinth and dream sequences, but this isn't what anyone would call an easy read.And yet, somehow, I couldn't put this down, despite my occasional frustrations at Eco's discursive style, complicated subject matter, and overall verbosity. Or maybe I enjoyed the book because of those things, because whatever else you say about The Name of the Rose, the fact remains that the book immerses you in the medieval era in a way that almost nothing else ever has. No, Eco has no interest in helping you navigate the text, nor its debates and themes, because the characters themselves are already immersed in this world, and they don't need to explain things to each other. Instead, Eco wants you to live in this world, see it through the eyes of contemporaries, and go back to a different time.The result is a book that's really hard to fit into any traditional genre classifications. Is this a murder mystery? Undeniably, with a series of grisly murders, unclear motivations, a possible conspiracy, mysterious labyrinths containing secrets, and a constant sense of danger (to say nothing of a Sherlock Holmes surrogate in the form of a monk). But to label it a mystery doesn't work, because no mystery would have this much debate about the role of poverty and material possessions in the Catholic Church, or a debate as to the legitimacy of the Pope, an element of the book that's given equal weight as the murders, and discussed possibly in more depth.So is it historical fiction? Maybe so...but it's also weirdly metafictional at times (with a playful prologue that establishes the book as a half-remembered re-creation of a manuscript that might or might not be fake), interested in the minutiae of theology and monastic life, all while being a thriller, but one that only seems partially compelled to follow the murder thread. It's a truly odd book, and one that really had no business being as popular as it was, if you subscribe to publishing wisdom - it's difficult, takes forever to get going, doesn't hold the reader's hand, and more.But while you're under its spell, none of that really matters, in the end; if the goal of a book is to transport you to another place or time, The Name of the Rose does that incredibly well. It's not always "fun", it's not always fast-paced, but it's immersive in a way that few books manage to be - and that, in of itself, is something worthwhile all on its own.

Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" is a literary classic. This edition is really beautifully made and is now gracing my bookshelf as a part of my cherished collection.

This book is a wonderful addition to your home library. It's printed and bound beautifully. I'm very happy with it.

I can’t stress enough how delighted I am reading this book. First- the story is wonderfully written. Highly recommend!! Second- the book itself. It is sturdy, the pages are slightly silky and I can take notes in pencil and highlight (nothing bleeds and there is space to do so). I’ve read this book sitting down and laying down right before sleeping. Both are comfortable. I can clip on my reading light to the back and the book doesn’t flop around. In a way the sturdiness of the book plays to the feel of the story. Just an overall delightful reading experience.

Um romance maravilhoso do grande Umberto Eco, no qual a História é questionada quando fatos marginais são trazidos à luz e se tornam foco para discussão da influência da igreja católica na cultura ocidental.

All-time classic! It made me watch all the movies and series based on this extensive story.

arrivato in tempo e in ottime condizioni, ovviamente libro fantastico