This essay collection by the revered public intellectual displays his βprofound erudition, lively wit, and passion for ideas of all shapes and sizesβ (Booklist).
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In these fourteen essays, Umberto Eco examines many of the ideas that have inspired his provocative and illuminating fiction. From the title essayβa disquisition of the notion that every country needs an enemyβhe takes readers on an exploration of lost islands, mythical realms, and the medieval world. His topics range from indignant reviews of James Joyceβs Ulysses by fascist journalists, to an examination of Saint Thomas Aquinasβs notions about the soul of an unborn child, to censorship, violence and WikiLeaks. Here are essays full of passion, curiosity, and probing intellect by one of the worldβs most esteemed scholars and critically acclaimed, best-selling novelists.
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βTrue wit and wisdom coexist with fierce scholarship inside Umberto Eco, a writer who actually knows a thing or two about being truly human.β β Buffalo News