Foucault's Pendulum
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror
Book Type: Paperback
Helpful Score: 2
Foucault's Pendulum
Umberto Eco
It took me a long time to convince myself to give this book a try. I had been sorely disappointed in Eco's "internationally acclaimed" Name of the Rose. In his own words, "I was aghast, unable to decide whether this was an extraordinary revelation or the wild raving of a madman." (p. 37) And through 36 pages of the work I was convinced I'd been right to avoid it; but then as chapter 6 began the tone switched from that of a madman's narrative, filled with arcane and insensible mutterings, to that of a modern man speaking English and making sense, in a sense. Of course the kind of sense being made is absurdity, which marks all of Eco's works as far as I know, possibly even his scholarly works in semiotics if there is such a thing. Such a thing as semiotics (the study of meaning in signs and symbols) being a scholarly pursuit, that is. One is forced to conclude Eco is poking fun at himself with his concept for reforming higher education by creating a School of Comparative Irrelevance: "The Tetrapyloctomy department has a preparatory function; it's purpose is to inculcate a sense of irrelevance. Another important department is Adynata, or Impossibilia. Like Urban Planning for Gypsies. The essence of the discipline is the comprehension of the underlying reasons for a thing's absurdity. We have courses in Morse syntax, the history of Antarctic agriculture, the history of Easter Island painting, contemporary Sumerian literature, Montessori grading, Assyrio-Babylonian philately, the technology of the wheel in pre-Columbian empires, and the phonetics of the silent film." (p. 64) One might suggest another course: The Eco novel as a source of common sense. In other words, if one has way too much time on one's hands and would rather giggle or smirk away the hours contemplating whether the Templars begat the Rosicrucians or verse-visa and which of them begat the Masons, or if other secret societies have a better grip on what passes for reality, this might be the book for you. Of course the real secret (please don't pass this along to anyone else) is that to make perfect sense of this novel one must read it backward.. "Lufitaeb os s'ti. Htiaf elttil fo yeht. Meht gnillet meht..." See? Just like a Fellini movie. No, not Fellini. Closer to Monty Python, through nowhere near as entertaining.
Don LeCouteur
Ocotillo
29 December 2011
Umberto Eco
It took me a long time to convince myself to give this book a try. I had been sorely disappointed in Eco's "internationally acclaimed" Name of the Rose. In his own words, "I was aghast, unable to decide whether this was an extraordinary revelation or the wild raving of a madman." (p. 37) And through 36 pages of the work I was convinced I'd been right to avoid it; but then as chapter 6 began the tone switched from that of a madman's narrative, filled with arcane and insensible mutterings, to that of a modern man speaking English and making sense, in a sense. Of course the kind of sense being made is absurdity, which marks all of Eco's works as far as I know, possibly even his scholarly works in semiotics if there is such a thing. Such a thing as semiotics (the study of meaning in signs and symbols) being a scholarly pursuit, that is. One is forced to conclude Eco is poking fun at himself with his concept for reforming higher education by creating a School of Comparative Irrelevance: "The Tetrapyloctomy department has a preparatory function; it's purpose is to inculcate a sense of irrelevance. Another important department is Adynata, or Impossibilia. Like Urban Planning for Gypsies. The essence of the discipline is the comprehension of the underlying reasons for a thing's absurdity. We have courses in Morse syntax, the history of Antarctic agriculture, the history of Easter Island painting, contemporary Sumerian literature, Montessori grading, Assyrio-Babylonian philately, the technology of the wheel in pre-Columbian empires, and the phonetics of the silent film." (p. 64) One might suggest another course: The Eco novel as a source of common sense. In other words, if one has way too much time on one's hands and would rather giggle or smirk away the hours contemplating whether the Templars begat the Rosicrucians or verse-visa and which of them begat the Masons, or if other secret societies have a better grip on what passes for reality, this might be the book for you. Of course the real secret (please don't pass this along to anyone else) is that to make perfect sense of this novel one must read it backward.. "Lufitaeb os s'ti. Htiaf elttil fo yeht. Meht gnillet meht..." See? Just like a Fellini movie. No, not Fellini. Closer to Monty Python, through nowhere near as entertaining.
Don LeCouteur
Ocotillo
29 December 2011
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