4 ms·

Can anyone recommend this book? I really admire Eco, but I've found his most recent novels to be generally disappointing.

by bmm6o 12y ago

galfarragem 12y ago
I never read this one but I can recommend on the topic of imaginary places: "Invisible cities" from Italo Calvino and "Labirinths" from Jorge Luis Borges. These books were a must read when I was an architecture student. And if you are really into this topic you can also read "The poetics of space" from Gaston Bachelard.
- brudgers 12y ago
  Also Rossi's Architecture of the City and Habracken's Structure of the Ordinary are another two of my favorites in somewhat similar [to me] conceptual spaces.
brudgers 12y ago
Eco is one of my favorite authors, but I have to be in the mood for reading his books. I can't just look and say "Oh goody, he's written another book" then immediately sit down and read it. Perhaps I enjoy him more because of that...that feeling of having to adopt a certain mental stance in order to enjoy him and that consequently I really enjoy his books when I enjoy them and can't slog through them otherwise.
riffraff 12y ago
I really think his novels are 50% hit or miss. "Foucalt's pendulum" was great, "the island of the day before" meh, "Baudolino" was great, "queen loana's flame" was disappointing (I haven't read "Prague's cemetery" yet). But: this isn't a novel, so different rules apply. Also, amazon has 12 reviews for it all with 5 stars :)
- baghira 12y ago
  While there is no english preview, as far as i can tell, anyone who can read italian may be interested in the preview at http://www.amazon.it/Storia-delle-terre-luoghi-leggendari/dp/8845277585/ http://www.amazon.it/Storia-delle-terre-luoghi-leggendari/dp...
- twic 12y ago
  I loved Foucault's Pendulum, really liked The Island Of The Day Before, and quite liked The Name of the Rose. I have been meaning to get round to reading Baudolino for fifteen years.
- bmm6o 12y ago
  "Prague's Cemetery" has its moments. It's better than "Queen Loana", but that's not saying much. I wouldn't recommend either.

Can anyone recommend this book? I really admire Eco, but I've found his most recent novels to be generally disappointing.

by bmm6o 12y ago

Can anyone recommend this book? I really admire Eco, but I've found his most recent novels to be generally disappointing.

galfarragem 12y ago

I never read this one but I can recommend on the topic of imaginary places: "Invisible cities" from Italo Calvino and "Labirinths" from Jorge Luis Borges. These books were a must read when I was an architecture student. And if you are really into this topic you can also read "The poetics of space" from Gaston Bachelard.

brudgers 12y ago
Also Rossi's Architecture of the City and Habracken's Structure of the Ordinary are another two of my favorites in somewhat similar [to me] conceptual spaces.

brudgers 12y ago

Eco is one of my favorite authors, but I have to be in the mood for reading his books. I can't just look and say "Oh goody, he's written another book" then immediately sit down and read it. Perhaps I enjoy him more because of that...that feeling of having to adopt a certain mental stance in order to enjoy him and that consequently I really enjoy his books when I enjoy them and can't slog through them otherwise.

riffraff 12y ago

I really think his novels are 50% hit or miss. "Foucalt's pendulum" was great, "the island of the day before" meh, "Baudolino" was great, "queen loana's flame" was disappointing (I haven't read "Prague's cemetery" yet). But: this isn't a novel, so different rules apply. Also, amazon has 12 reviews for it all with 5 stars :)

baghira 12y ago
While there is no english preview, as far as i can tell, anyone who can read italian may be interested in the preview at http://www.amazon.it/Storia-delle-terre-luoghi-leggendari/dp/8845277585/ http://www.amazon.it/Storia-delle-terre-luoghi-leggendari/dp...
twic 12y ago
I loved Foucault's Pendulum, really liked The Island Of The Day Before, and quite liked The Name of the Rose. I have been meaning to get round to reading Baudolino for fifteen years.
bmm6o 12y ago
"Prague's Cemetery" has its moments. It's better than "Queen Loana", but that's not saying much. I wouldn't recommend either.