The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Also, as in the great tradition of Texts Written by Italian Professors, you'll need to either know Latin, German and French or fuck off.
What do you think of The Name of the Rose? Did you find it a tough read or was it an enjoyable ride?
Let me know in the comments!
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I think we can all agree that a book review improves exponentially when it features a subtle product placement of rice pudding.
You gave a spot-on and stellar review of The Name of the Rose, as well as Umberto Eco himself, both as an author and as a semiotics scholar. The Name of the Rose is, hands down, my number one favorite book on the planet. Like yourself, I more or less shunned the book as a teenager, finding it far too erudite for my liking. I didn't discover the book again until I was 45, and was enthralled with Eco's commanding and illustrative prose. As you pointed out, the.storyline itself is multi-layered and full of symbology, religious dogma, medieval politics, and the power struggle shaking up Italy, France and Germany in the early 14th century, between the papacy and the Holy Roman Emperor. Eco's writing style can truly transport the reader to, and turn back the clock on, that time period.
Not only is the book a work of Genius, the philosophical discussions are very relevant of the world today. make no mistake this book needs to be read in 2022.
@@johneonas6628 Agreed. Well said....well said. 💕
Borges (talking about Khayyam) wrote that "every educated man is a theologian and faith is not a requisite".
Classica Early Modern Education System: Up to the 18th century< everyone who wanted a University degree first had to study Theology.
Hence in Germany a coupe of Universities require a GREACICUM( basic knowledge of the -Ancient Greek language ) before anyone can study. It is kind of an echo back to those days.
He said on the postcript that the historical passages on the name of the rose play the role of music, its there mostly to set the atmosphere and for me it works, in baudolino too
I think a Turkish novel of a mystery murder in the Ottoman Empire that while exploring the tradition of the visual arts but doesn't completely lose its own story is Orhan Pamuk's My Name is Red. The novel doesn't lose itself in Ottoman miniatures but the conflict between middle eastern and western traditions of art is directly related to the murder mystery, and the overall political environment of the city is in the background. I would highly recommend it.
I've read "My Name is Red" too and you're absolutely right: a great book and quite apt of you to suggest it under this review of "The Name of the Rose". There are some striking similarities - good point! 🙂
Wonderful review and this book has been part of my life since the early 80s. Back then, I was a teen and had heard about a murder mystery just released, but with a twist, it was set in a 14th century abbey. I yearned to read it, but at the time couldn't afford a copy , nor get one from the library. A few years later, the film version was released and while I loved the film, I knew there was oh so much more held within the actual pages of the book. I finally got a copy in the early 90s and eventually read and devoured the book, a little indigestion occured, as the book is so dense in history, philosophy, heresy and Medieval minutiae. Many re readings and understanding and appreciation of the book on books about books and what learning and the love of ideas mean in both our secular culture should mean, is apparent in every page and conversation between the characters of this book , makes it a true classic to be appreciated through the ages. Hard to believe the book is only 36 years old....
Awesome experience! Thanks for sharing that man!
@@athenassigil5820 Have you had the privilege of watching the 8-part series, The Name of the Rose, starring John Turturro as William of Baskerville? It was released just a few years back and is a masterpiece. John Turturro also assisted in directing the series and insisted on using Eco's verbatim lines from the book, whenever possible, by the characters in the series. Bravissimo; it is well done. I certainly share your passion for the book; if you haven't seen the series, I highly recommend it for you. I can assure you that you'll not be disappointed.
So nice to see you review this. Lovely video, as always.
I read The Name of the Rose around this exact time last year, it being the largest item I stuffed in the suitcase for my 3 month (intended to be indefinite) move to Budapest. It took me a long time to read, me being a poor reader and the book being dense, as you pointed out, but it was a magical experience. I would go on hour-long walks and sit to read next to an unassuming church (Assisi Szent Ferenc Plébánia). The autumn cold, the dim sunlight and the loneliness amplified my reading experience, whilst the book put into sharp focus the history and symbols surrounding me with every cobblestone and every engraving on every building. This book is an indispensable part of that short but vivid period of my life.
You're right - it's an incredibly atmospheric work. The abbey is one of the most well realized places I've had the pleasure of immersing myself in any piece of entertainment, ever. Again, the reader feels the history of that place (and, by extension, the history of Europe) bear down on them. Everything about the setting is beautifully realized, from the crunch of the snow to the headiest theological arguments. Mix in Eco's tongue-in-cheek humour to lighten the mood and you have something absolutely enthralling.
The thing I found underwhelming was the culmination of the mystery - a banal reveal and an action sequence. Maybe that's the flaw of all mystery stories - the investigation is so much more intriguing than the answers. I wish Eco had been as clever and subversive in his finale as he had been all throughout the book.
Foucault's Pendulum has been sitting on the shelf for a year now. I'm getting the itch to pick it up. I'm rambling.
3:32
Like Victor Hugo filled Hunchback of Notre Dame with details about architecture, & Jules Verne included lots of physical science info in his novels.
I really enjoyed this review and it makes me want to re-read it, as well as all the other Eco novels. I've read three of them (Rose, Foucault's Pendulum, Baudolino) and I love all of then for different reasons.
Your review kind of Reminds me a little of how I felt about the book Moby Dick, which I liked. In that At times it felt like the book was much more of an instruction manual on whaling than it was a novel. At times it was heavy in the details of whaling than it was in characterization and dialogue.
Actually I do not like historic novels and prefer plots set in present times (although or maybe just because I teach history), but The Name of the Rose - I read it a long time ago - became one of the novels in the category "my favourite novels of all times". I didn't read it as a mystery novel but as a realistic depiction of life in the middle ages and of the rise of the nominalistic phliosophy and world view. I very much enjoyed the philosophic and theological discussions in it. It is something I miss in many other novels. And in the meantime I am fed up with novels about stupid and dumb protagonists anyway. Reading a novel I want to be in the company of protagonists who are more intelligent than I am. And you'll meet those in Eco's novel.
This novel has my favorite opening paragraph of any novel. I keep it out to reread when I need faith in humanity.
Wow! You mean the frame, the prologue (once was the word) or the first chapter (nice November morning)? I love the way the prologue begins but the frame narrative is what really fucks with me, gives me Goosebumps just thinking of it. I'm a sucker for those kinds of gimmicks.
The frame, "In the beginning was the word..."
That is simply the tightest, most elegant prose I've read in my life. It seamlessly works together and accomplishes so much with so little, blending allusion and narrative into vibrant prose. The line, "through a glass darkly... in fragments..." gives me chills. It's perfect.
@@keithwittymusic Just mentioning as a fun fact: About a year after publication, also 1981, Ecco had brought out additionaly a Commentary to the Name OF THE ROSE. Best I like Eccos commant to the poisen he had described. There he had written;
"I have asked a friendly Pharmecist for possible drugs. Afteer I had finished my manuscript for the book I have destroyed this list. You never know what you get into in life so this was safest."
I must always laugh when I read this sentence. :)
The novel itself I love. I even had to play a library worker for repairing my edition. I had read it so often it had fallen apart.
@@keithwittymusic Boy, you need to read Proust
Indeed. I am not a Phd, I am not a theologian nor a philosopher, but I'm very interested in medieval history, as a hobby. I loved the book.
Love your reviews ! Ty
I read the name of the rose 4 times already. 1st in high school for the story. 2nd time when studying history. 3d time being more versed in postmodern philosophy. 4th time to enjoy all aspects together. It keeps on revealing more and more layers. I love it.
Eco was born in Alessandria :) we must have had the same teacher, I read Il nome della rosa at 17 too! I still have my notes from fifteen years ago on my computer (I soon realised I could not read my own handwriting and would type what I wanted to be able to actually read again later) and I am quite impressed our teacher taught us what semiotics is (in a nutshell). I have a very sweet memory of her despite her caustic manners and I'll always be grateful to her for infusing me with enthusiasm for literature :)
I disagree with your assesment of your teacher. I was sixteen when I first read Foucault's Pendulum and that absolutely blew my mind. It forever changed the way I look at the world, and catapulted Eco to my absolute favorite author.
I first read The Name of the Rose in Dutch, and couldn't get through it. Reading the fantastic English translation by William Weaver made it much better. Maybe it's because by now I've read so much of Eco's nonfiction, but I actually find The Name of the Rose to be a very playful read, almost like a standup comedian doing a show and making clever observations about his field of knowledge.
I've always believed that writing novels, for Eco, was a hobby: a way to let loose and have some fun with his vast academic knowledge. Where writers like Monaldi & Sorti (and the atrocious Dan Brown) try to cram as many tidbits of knowlegde into their novels, almost to show of how much research they've done and how erudite they can be, Eco seems to take a different approach. He almost seems to hold himself back, putting way less facts and references into his novel than he actually knows, and using erudition as a means to make a point, NOT the point itself. In a way, he kind of "dumbs it down" in the name of having fun and relaxing a bit.
The fact that Eco's way of having fun still leads to some of the most intelligent novels you'll ever read, speaks volumes about the magnitude of his genius.
Please, read Foucault's Pendulum. I have a feeling it will not let you down.
Excellent review! I tried to listen to this in French while driving to work. I had a one hour drive there and back to teach English in a company a couple of years ago. Needless to say I couldn't do it. I was driving off the road I was concentrating so much. LOL! So I put away to a later date when I can take the time to read it and enjoy as my pace. Thanks for reminding me that this should be one I pick up sooner than later. :)
Lol that sounds dangerous D: hope your next reading will be safer :D
It will. No more audiobooks and driving for me. :/
Great! Very good job in spreading some really meaningful Italian ficton, I hope this book will be largely read in the future, so that Eco won't be forgotten!
This is very useful in my class Semiotics, where I am a Ph.D. student. Thank you so much. This is excellent.
I agree with your take on this novel. I have a background in church history, so I understood most of the history and politics that were going on in the novel. However, the side discussions about whether or not Christ laughed rather detracted from my enjoyment of the novel and definitely interrupted the flow of the novel. The Name of the Rose is so uneven because of the insertion of all the Latin sentences and phrases, the church politics that don't come directly into play in the story and all of the minutiae. It's still worth reading, but I am not sure it's worth rereading?
Just finished reading. Really great novel, thanks for another good review!
I’ll add that I listened to it on audiobook so when there were times when a character would rant on and on I could easily zone out and focus on a task I was doing and then refocus when they stopped. I can imagine reading would have been so much harder because there were many uninteresting moments.
Thinking about what you said about the big dense sections being party poopers I feel llike they help the great story/thriller parts because it makes you long for them.
What did you think of Eco's description of the art above the church door? Probably the most beautiful prose ekphrasis I've ever read.
Oh I loved it to bits! In other places in the novel you get these sprawling descriptions and lists and crazy scenes that would normally feel damning but feel utterly beautiful in themselves in here. And of course if I ever have to invent a monster's name ever again I'll just come back to that church-door chapter!
Great review!!! ..
I read "In the name of the rose" and "The pendulum of Foucault " 2 years ago at the same time took me 9 months to do so because the first 50 pages were so dense I had to reread them both again 2 times. I was quite depressed and those novels gave me a reson to exist also aside from them I read essays and online thesis for "In the name of the rose" about, Aristotle,Italy in lower middle ages,Sholastic and St.Agustin philosphy,used google translator for the latin that was not translated. And for "The pendulum of Foucault" 5 documentaries of the Knights Templar , a short nonfiction book of Theosophy ,and another of famous conspiracy theories.I have to say this experience was both fullfilling and tiring and Umberto Eco has a place in my heart :).
Adriana C are there any prerequisites to understand these books?
Nice to know I'm not the only one who is doing this 😂
@@andreeal6822 I think doing it enriches the experience and also gaining more knowledge doesn't hurt 👍😊.
@@sumitjaiswal6901 Sorry didn't receive the notification 3 years ago , but looked for this video today again and found your comment . More than prerequisites I think knowing general science , philosophy ( specially scholastic one ) is useful , reading Sherlock Holmes and understanding the deductive method helps and patience read it slowly and with full concentration.
@@adrianac3258 thanks! I got busy with my work and almost forgot about this great book! Finally I'll read it in my quarantine days! 😄
I love this video, a book I enjoy and a great review. Keep these reviews coming man! Also I wanted to say you should review Andrei Bely's pertersberg, which Nabokov called one of the four great achievements of the twentieth century. You should also check out the short and awesome The Lime Twig. It's amazing, one of Thomas Pynchon and flanery o'conor's favorite novles, it's well worth the short time spend on it.
I just bought this book. your review sounds like a fair one. I've read reviews with similar thoughts. I will read it in the near future. Thank you.
I like Eco´s big novels. I read The Name of the Rose in my late teens, and than reread it in my early twenties. To this day I consider this book as one of my favourite. It reminds me of these calm winter/christmas times when you have some time just for yourself and for the book. The book has, of course many layers: the plot is, due to its detective nature, very ..entertaining, the Eco´s erudition is so deep, that you learn a lot of things about life in middle ages, philosophy, rituals in monastery and so on.All these layers form an integral part of book without any intellectual masturbation:). Anyway, I also loved The Prague Cemetery - due to its intertwined diary narratives, and that freezing historical context. Eco is not only intellectual read, Eco is also fun read. I still preserve some three novels of his, for winter times :)
When you'll want to take some time for another great non-american novel, try Albert Camus's The Fall, a book that brilliantly utilizes a second-person narrative and a book that is short but never ceases to be impactful.
Duly noted! Thanks!
Have you ever read Foucault's Pendulum? That is a brilliant book. First half is dense as hell though.
Nope! Can't wait to read it but it's probably gonna be a while!
Please, please, please! Read Foucault's Pendulum!!!! It is Umberto Eco's masterpiece and one of the best novels of the XX century, unjustly overshadowed by the Name of the Rose -- which is kind of nice, but not as magnificent and powerful as Eco's second novel. You will also notice that there is something slightly ''Pynchonian' in Foucault's Pendulum (the sense of history, paranoia, and so on), and you will also understand who Dan Brown plagiarised for his Da Vinci's Code.
Yes, I agree that DB wrote but a dim shadow, and I found FP all the more of a pleasure for that, especially with the rich and very dark humour.
vins1979 the name of the rose is just nice? what the hell are you talking about? it is a masterpiece! one of the best thrillers that have ever been written in the last 40 years! and it's filled with a huge amount of information about the middle ages! far superior to the Focoult's Pendulum, which is really good, really interesting and thought-provoking but the name of the rose overshadows it!
Luca Giovanetti I could not disagree with you more. I really, really liked the Name of the Rose. It is probably the smartest thriller many people will ever read, and can and should be used as a case study in writing dialogue, the power of language and both cultural and historical relevance.
Having said that, in essence it is still "just" a Sherlock Holmes mystery with Eco's special sauce poured over it. It's a great sauce, and I love it, but it doesn't do what Foucault's Pendulum did for me.
Foucault's Pendulum changed me. It changed the way I think, the way I view the world, and its ending was the most perfectly executed gut punch I've ever had reading a book. Velho is the perfect coward that ends his life on his first and only heroic deed. And Lia.. Oh my god, Lia. In a book filled with some of the smartest people ever, it was her wit, logic and nuance that ultimately drove Eco's point home.
I can not begin to explain the many ways Foucault's Pendulum was influential for me. It is the single most important book I've ever read. And while The Name of the Rose is a deserved classic, it is simply a masterful novel. Foucault's Pendulum is life changing.
I recently finished this book and definetly agree with you on all of the point about the book. I didn't think the digressions were super bad (I could follow them and I was interested in the subject matter), but it came off a bit like very selfindulgent fantasy novels come off, only that I would not have tolerated the digressions if they were about elfs and dwarfs.
It was such an immersive experience that I want to explore more Eco now.
Thank you for your channel. Although I have not been one to read many novels, that has been changing since I retired, and I appreciate that depth of knowledge you offer. Allow me to give a digression since you mentioned "I Promessi Sposi" in your discussion of Eco's book. As an American, I asked an Italian friend one time why it was that Verdi's Requiem was dedicated to Manzoni. "Who is this Manzoni fellow? I had asked." She referred me to the book "The Betrothed" which I read in the Penguin Classics translation by Bruce Penman. There were no spoilers for me as an American and I loved the book. The actions during the plague are particularly relevant at the present time, with conspiracy theory replacing much of the religious magical thinking of the past. Thanks again, and I plan of re-reading of Manzoni.
I didn't read, but listened to it. Of course, I'd seen the movie and the mini-series before tackling the audiobook, so it interesting to see direct quotes from the book appearing in the screenplay.
It was difficult to get through, far too much Latin, and so many lists read out, which did take me out of the flow as it is unlikely that the storyteller could recall such violations detail after an apparent gap of so many decades.
I think an abridged version would be more digestible than what I just find through.
2:42 A monk and a novice !! Not two monks !
Very nice review!
Coincidentally, I've finished reading it just a couple of weeks ago, and I loved it. I also read The Prague Cemetery, which I also loved. I'd known him only for his non-fiction stuff and some interviews... his fiction was a thrilling discovery for me!
I don't have much to add to what you've said. It's really interesting how he demonstrates the content of the books in their very form, and his storytelling skills were out of this world. And long though they were, I was unable to find those dense passages boring, unpleasant, or excessive, unnecessary. I actually thought they were a lot of fun.
Anyway, his death earlier this year was a big loss. I've always wondered if you'd met him, and I'm sorry you didn't. I admired him a lot, he was a true master.
His funerals were a big event held in Milan's castle (which as far as funerals go, is truly as dope as it gets), but sadly enough I wasn't even able to attend those, I was far from town. I can't wait to read The Prague Cemetery (and Focault's Pendulum too), but as I mentioned, it's probably gonna be a while before I can do that.
4:55 "...not so much if you're a normal person"
I am wounded, but I wear my wound with pride.
I saw the movie years ago and I don't remember the end, so I'm not spoiled ;) I really want to read it before trying others of his novels... and I love history, so I'm sure I'll like it.
Problem with the movie was that Eichinger wanted to make it into something like MURDER IN THE ORIENT EXPRESS. All the social-historical and philosophical thoughts in the book were seen by Eichinger just as a balast.
Later on his script writers ( compare Wikipedia ) had commented they had to convince Eichinger to put more of those details into the movie version. But to them it was an uphill battle. Eichinger really was not so much interested in those details.
Originally he and Ecco had tried to collaborate but that worked out bad.
Later asked to the movie Ecco said that Eichinger used his own meemory " of the lost manuscript of Adson von Melk "
Other as Eichinger, in interviews he badmouthed the Italian Professor as bad as he could. Usually i am very impressed of Eichinger and his worked but here I was disappointed of the man who akted in the German speaking TV as born and raised in a barn.
I've read the "Name of the Rose in 2015 and it was so dense and heavy that afterwards I wanted to read something light and I took Angels & Demons by one and only Dan Brown. As a book was pretty good BUT Oh my God! those debates on religion! I was like Mr. Bean at the church. And what's more it was full of Latin phrases sometimes paragraphs, all untranslatable. Why?? Okay I don't know Latin, but how about some footnotes. And all those references to people I didn't have the faintest idea who they were. These three elements reduced my rating from 5 to 3.
I know, you mentioned in your last video that star system is not pretty good for rating but, certainly my reading experience with all those Latin and religious debates was not quite perfect. I read Orhan Pamuk's "My Name is Red" which is similar to Eco's Rose but in a more Ottoman, Islamic way (Islamic art, miniaturists, it is postmodern and metafictional and I liked it more than the Rose)
I want to read "Foucault's Pendulum" but I'm afraid it will be denser and tougher. Have you read it, or are you thinking to read it in the future?
P.S. I will never learn to write brief comments. Ah, well. . .
Foucault's Pendulum is Umberto Eco's masterpiece, by far much much better than The Name of the Rose. Dense, it is dense. But Eco constructs his novels in this way: the first 100 pages are very turf and challenging, but then when you're hooked you cannot put the book down! Eco himself explained once that his novels are like the abbey of the Name of the Rose: the path leading to the abbey is impervious and rocky, but if you are patient you will be rewarded with the sweet secrets of the library! This way of writing was a sort of statement, really. We live in a world of over-simplifications, we don't teach 'difficult things' anymore, we don't read long books anymore, we even oversimplify our language, the way we express ourselves, we are even forgetting the words of our own languages (people's average vocabulary is becoming poorer and poorer). In this climate where 'fast and easy' is 'good' and 'articulate and complex' is 'bad', Eco decided to adopt a style which actually challenges his readers, rather than taking them by hand as if they were cognitively impaired children. The incipit of Foucault's Pendulum is a masterpiece of lyricism. The following 100 pages are as hard as marble. But then, you just get totally addicted to the book, that novel becomes your drug and you will read the last 70 pages in one go. Oh, and by the way: you will also see how much the disgraceful Dan Brown has actually plagiarised from the Foucault's Pendulum!
The thing you said about oversimplification is SO true. And your comment made me want to read Foucault's Pendulum this instance. As soon as I find it lying on a bookshop shelf I'll take it and read it. Thank you!
Risky Oak you are very much welcome indeed! And just to let you understand how much I genuinely love that novel (in case it is not clear) I am join going to tell you this: I've read it twice! I must add that there are only few books which I have actually read twice, namely: Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, Pynchon's V. and Gravity's Rainbow, Dostoevsky's Karamazov Brothers and Aldo Busi's Seminar on Youth (the latter is, in my opinion, one of the greatest living writers, but unfortunately not so many care about Italian literature and some of Busi's novels have been poorly translated and worse reviewed ages ago, which is a shame). Do the whole Foucault's Pendulum experience -- it really is an experience, and I do not exclude that I will take that roller coast a couple of more times in my life. Enjoy!
I can only second this: I first read Foucault's Pendulum fifteen years ago and since then made it a habit of reading it at least once a year. I was hooked from the moment Belbo started to differentiate between cretins, fools, morons and lunatics, jumped in head first when Aglié started talking about the pyramids and had my mind absolutely blown by Lia asking for two days to think about The Plan that Belbo, Casaubon and Dillotallevi thought up.
"When Lia asks for two days to think about something, she's determined to show me I'm stupid"
And she did. She showed him he's stupid. She showed me I'm stupid, and in doing so: she showed how stupid the world is. All we can do is accept that and laugh at its stupidity. Malkuth is Malkuth and that's that.
Fuck it, I'm going to start reading it right now!
good stuff, will probably buy and read at some point
I loved how it had more theological and philosophical content compared to the crime plot. The atmosphere built with these actually offered a lot of vividness to the main narrative thread. The historical context and the inquisition descriptions really constructed a world around them, and the philosophical ideas were often thought provoking. I also don't agree with the "it's not a book 17 year olds read" because I'm 17. Well, I guess generally the readers are a little older.
Great video - as a native Italian speaker is there a particular English translation you would recommend?
No no no.....u must read the book, not watch the movie. It's different, u'll regret if u never read it. It's not about murder cases, but more than that. It's a literature novel. I cried living in Asia when i heard Umberto Eco passed away.
I ve read it when i was seventeen, i think you are wrong
I don't agree its heavy book , as all Eco books you need to find right time to read it then you will find the "rhythm" of the book and you will be not able to stop read it. I read this book may be 6 times and 5 times I read the whole book during the weekend. It's amazing. Movie is fine and realxing but faaar from the book.
I enjoyed it, but I think I would have appreciated it more if I knew the history better.
😂 At about the 6 min mark, he tries so hard to not "spoil" Star Wars! Lol
I had to listen to the audiobook..first time ever..buy I found it better to be taught than to read
Excuse me, what is the book that you mentioned at 10:40?
The Bethrothed (I promessi sposi) by Alessandro Manzoni
@@TheBookchemist Okay. Thank you!
sorry if I'm late to the party but I don't totally agree with you saying that it is "sheer escapism" and has nothing to do with our modern world. I thought the reflection on the way people can do very ugly things even with the best intentions are universal, especially on the gloomy role of the poor in the perpetual replacement of a source of power by another : people can give a multitude of meaning to their action but from the outside it pretty much looks like a similar pattern of oppression being repeated over and over again. The subtle and deceitful connection between ideology and reality is also tackled through what you mentioned as the way people can lose themselves in books. To that extent I think it is a magnificent book insofar as the process of the enquiry (which is like trying to read the world as a book and making sense of everything) is fully aware of its own limits. Immense escapist pleasure too though
So I've just done some reading about this work. Apparently there are many references to older works of fiction. Should I look into these references before I read The Name of the Rose?
Not necessarily at all, the other way round would work just as well - if you haven't read Borges' stories you might wish to read a collection or two, like The Aleph or Fictions, as Borges is... 'mentioned' in the novel :)
Questo è proprio il genere di libro che i sedicenni devono leggere. Il giovane lettore va sfidato, non coccolato, se vuole crescere. E la maggioranza delle persone non leggerà mai così tanto come quando ha 17 anni.
Mr Bookchemist, how do you read so much during the school year? I'm an undergraduate in the US, and the amount of novels I read has plummeted since I entered college. I used to read about 5 novels a month (not great, but I was happy with the number), and now I read about a book or two a month. With all the required and supplemental reading professors assign me, along with the homework and the social aspect of college, I just haven't read that much over the past couple of months. Do you have any advice on how to read more while being a student in university?
Also, is the majority of what you read comprised of novels your professors assigned or novels you read for your personal enjoyment?
The trick's that I'm a Literature student, and a PhD student since about a month ago. The even trickier part of that is that I study contemporary American literature, which is highly intertextual and not too extensively mapped yet, which means that there are not too many monographs (long critical books) I have to read (not as many as if I were studying, say, Early Modern lit) but that each novel I read requires me to read at least a couple others to be fully understood. So, yeah, most of my readings (100% these days) are not "required" readings for classes or such, but in a way they are still things I "have" to read for my research.
As for the whole university thing, I started to read a lot precisely when I started university, but that's because uni in Italy is very different than in the US, there are not so many assignments on a week-by-week basis and the whole social aspect is pretty much non-existent. Also, most students (me included) don't live in halls but commute to uni every day, which means I had 2 train or subway hours every day where I could just read. I was in England one year as an undergraduate and I could read way less there, where the system is closer to yours, so I can understand your pain - I'm sure calmer times will come sooner or later ;)
The_Bookchemist Thanks for the reply. I really enjoy your videos.
But the academic intellectualism is what makes the book great! Also, I read the book at 16, why shouldn't 16-year-olds read the book?
Do you always eat yogurt?
That's rice pudding!
Thar Wars
Dope.
I read The Name of the Rose when I was 17 and enjoyed it. I didn't know any German, French or Latin. I also read Naked Lunch when I was 14 so maybe I'm not the average reader. Thank the dark lord my parents were voracious readers.
Heaven fordid one learns anything.
A love letter to books and literature, eh?...sounds like 'If on a winter's night a traveler'!
Us Italians, always passionate about the stuff we love
The_Bookchemist Of course! Would love to hear your thoughts on 'traveler' some time as I just finished it. You've whet my appetite for Eco/Rose.
I don't think this book heavy reading...try Heidegger or Derrida if you want heavy.
So much uptalk. Why does every single sentence sound like a question?
The only non American novel you will read for a while! I suggest such an admission disqualifies you as a serious reviewer of books.
Ico? Ma parla come mangi!
penitenziagite.
The book was a great read, but there's only so much description of a woman's breasts I can stand. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the look on my school librarian's face when I checked it out as a 6th grader. Even better when my mom asked what I was reading and she freaked out.
Payton L I Ioved this book and don't recall many descriptions of women's breasts.But then again when I watched the movie there were so many scenes that weren't in the book that I might be confusing the two.