Umberto Eco has died

[Lithos]

Source: BBC

The Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco, best known for his novel The Name of the Rose, has died aged 84.
His family says he passed away late on Friday at his home. No further details were given.
The Name of the Rose was made into a film in 1989 starring Scottish actor Sean Connery.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35620368

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Seems to not be the day for writers of note...

[yeoman6987]

1. It is weird that last week was musicians and this week authors

[Lithos]

2. Two points is not a trend

However, Harper and Umberto were two of my favorite authors..

L-

[yeoman6987]

3. That's true. I gave an emotional response.

[Lithos]

4. Understandable

Two icons on the same day.

Wow

[yeoman6987]

5. He's. Very sad about it.

[MissDeeds]

8. Just what I was thinking

We've lost two literary giants.

[whistler162]

25. Georgy Girl author Margaret Foster

also passed away in the last week or so. So three points do start a trend.

http://www.newsday.com/news/world/margaret-forster-dead-author-of-georgy-girl-was-77-1.11467380

[Bluenorthwest]

6. A great writer.

nt

[Kaleva]

7. The Name of the Rose. One of my favorite books.

[Ghost Dog]

26. Yes. Much food for thought...

Especially since a return to medieval values closely coincides with contemporary anglocentric Western neocon/lib policy.

Get thee to a monastery young man and/or woman.

[DonCoquixote]

9. one of the best writers around

IO seriously recommend "Foucault's Pendulum" the sort of novel the "davinci code" wishes it was.

[Lithos]

10. Totally agree

DaVinci Code lacks the intellectual honesty of Foucault's Pendulum

[trillion]

11. Very sad, RIP.

[phantom power]

12. January was musicians... What will March be, great scientists?

[Starry Messenger]

13. Eco & Foucault's Pendulum were huge influences on me.

I got to see Eco speak about 23 yeas ago. I know I have a little sketch of him from the occasion somewhere in my notebooks.

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. Foucault's Pendulum is one of the three or four novels that changed me utterly

I'm very sad tonight.

[Frank Cannon]

22. It's one of my favorite books of all time.

It's the only book I've read multiple times. The more you learn about art, mysticism, history, and the like, the more you get out of it.

Damn sad, but he had a long, well-lived life. I enjoyed all his books and essays.

[Ghost Dog]

27. Yes. n/t

[myrna minx]

24. Eco changed my life. Foucault's Pendulum was released when I was in HS

and I just poured over it - along with volumes of the encyclopedia britannica (as well as the dictionary!) next to me, because I had no idea who the the rosicrucians or hermetics et AL were. That began a profound hunger for knowledge, history, leftist politics and philosophy for me. Changed me forever.

[Mc Mike]

14. Fantastic author. RIP.

[TeamPooka]

15. RIP to a great writer. nt

[dorkzilla]

16. Wow, that sucks

Luckily, he will live on through his work.

[AllyCat]

17. THe legends. Please, no more.

[rusty quoin]

18. His Baudolino was my favorite.

I have an unread copy of The Prague Cemetery in my truck. I had forgotten about it. RIP Umberto Eco.

[47of74]

19. RIP

[malthaussen]

21. He pointed me towards semiotics...

... much of what I know about the field comes from his influence. Which may be damning with faint praise, now that I think of it.

-- Mal

[Coventina]

23. Sad news.