Sunday, November 13, 2016

Books read in 2016: No. 55 -- This is Not the End of the Book

by Jean-Claude Carriere and Umberto Eco

Started: Nov. 2
Finished: Nov. 13

Notes: I'm not familiar with Carriere, but I have enjoyed reading a number of Eco's works over the years, and while I cannot stomach Eco's hints of anti-Semitism and his flag waving for all things European, I do find enough genius in his material to consider him worth reading. This book is another example. On its face it is about the fate of print in the digital age, but it apparently goes into a number of related topics, the text supposedly told as a conversation between the two authors. I have high hopes for this one.

Mini review: This was a delightful book to read. Two old European bibliophiles get together to discuss books in general, the possible future of books, the past of books, threats against books ... basically all kinds of things about books. But with the exception of numerous references to rare authors and historical figures (I was lucky to recognize half of them), most of the talk here is fairly straight forward, like two old guys sitting around sipping wine in a tavern. Book lovers and those who relish an occasional dip into the scholarly should check this one out. And I have to say, in fairness, Eco seemed to backtrack some on what I had perceived as anti-Semitism, so maybe an old dog can learn new tricks.

2 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

the Name of the Rose is the only Eco I've read. I liked it quite a lot

Ty said...

I liked that one a lot, but I think I'd give a slight edge to his Foucault's Pendulum.