He was more than a writer. He was an intellectual instance, far beyond Italy’s borders.
“If you deal in his life with things, constantly changes everything. And if nothing changes, you’re an idiot. ” This wisdom expressed Umberto Eco, 2009 in an interview with the Mirror – and in fact, he was considered a restless thinker. Worldwide the name Umberto Eco was decades associated with “The Name of the Rose”, but he was more: Bestsellers- and children’s book author, witty and subversive culture critic and essayist, political and moral authority in Italy and above all an academic luminary
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Eco was born on January 5, 1932 in Alessandria in Piedmont, studied in Turin philosophy and literature and a doctorate 1955 on Thomas Aquinas. He then worked for the cultural editor broadcasters RAI and later for a Milan publisher. In 1975 he became professor of semiotics at Bologna to lectureships at several universities. He also worked in Florence and Rome, but the greater part of his life spent Eco with his German wife in Milan. “Oddly, I have never succeeded, Milan to perceive as ‘my city’,” he said 2015 SZ interview. Only after decades he had been reconciled with the metropolis and found in her “a late love”.
In 1962, published Umberto Eco’s theory of art “The Open Work”, in 1968 the first edition of his “Introduction to semiotics “, which is still regarded as a standard work. In 1980 he became famous overnight with the medieval novel “The Name of the Rose” on science circles also a world public. The bestseller linked different elements: Crime, History, philosophical and literary allusions and countless characters and puzzles. This complexity and the description mitteralterlicher mental and emotional worlds drew hundreds of attempts at interpretation by itself. The opulent film starring Sean Connery was not in the US, but in many European countries, a hit movie. From the occupation but Eco was allegedly not done.
“If I were Strauss-Kahn, my books negotiated by Sex”
Also Ecos second novel “Foucault’s Pendulum” found enthusiastic readers. It was about conspiracies, irrationalism and esotericism and linked the different sources, time and levels of action. Ecos fans were fascinated by his attention to detail and the sometimes absurd comic monologues his crazed protagonist. It was followed by several novels (among others “The Island of the Day Before”, “Baudolino” and “zero point”) that have been recorded differently by audiences and critics. Even “The Cemetery of Prague” (2011) dealt with conspiracies, anti-Semitism and fake books. In a Time – interview, said Eco: “All my books are about books Had I Strauss-Kahn, my books negotiated by sex If I were Berlusconi, they acted the money…”
Speaking Berlusconi: Regular Eco commented on current events. Once Eco even threatened with emigration, Berlusconi should stick in Italian politics longer, and was co-founder of the intellectual opposition group “Libertà e Giustizia” (Freedom and Justice).
An important part of Ecos literary work were writings the theory and practice of the characters, to mass culture and art ( “History of Beauty” and as a counterpart “the history of ugliness”). In 2008 at the Süddeutsche Zeitung magazine published this week Eco amused by the huge success of the “History of Beauty”: “We would also be able to sell a phone book under the title, so much tore himself publishers from Eastern Europe and Asia to the rights. “
the Mystery road paved
” He really loves popular culture, “said the author Jonathan Coe in 1989 in the Guardian about Eco. In fact – the Italians, despite its phenomenal classical education never belonged to the intellectuals who viewed sniffed rise above anything that does not fit their abgesegnetes curriculum. “It is because I am an honest person,” rather than like yielding to the enthusiasm for detective stories and secretly, he once declared in the SZ. In Eco’s world was as square as for comic illustrations and the aesthetic impact of supermodels for medieval character riddles. A recipe for success. For his 80th birthday, put the world that: “With its mix of secret doctrine and party knowledge Ecos paved novels a mystery road that successfully by many Dan Brown when now also less traveled education assiduously.”
Ecos glosses appeared for years in the magazine L’espresso under the title “La Bustina di Minerva”. The name was derived from the matchstick stapling the firm Minerva and glosses entertained the reader usually in the form of parodies, z. B. “Plato in striptease bar” or “Derrick or the passion for mediocrity”. The author also published in numerous other newspapers and magazines – from communist Il Manifesto to journals such as structuralist Review . Throughout his career, was Eco Unesco staff, the Fondation Européenne de la Culture, and numerous other organizations. By 2007, Umberto Eco taught at various universities and held countless lectures. More than 30 honorary doctorates were awarded to him, also dozens of Italian and international book awards, the Spanish Prince of Asturias Award on the Great Cross of Merit with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany and the American Academy Award of Arts and Letters.
Documentation showed in 2012 Ecos summer retreat near Rimini – a former Jesuit monastery “with 40 rooms and 40 doors”. This retreat Eco has left now finally at the age of 84 years – he is survived by his wife Renate Eco-Ramge and two children together
your Forum your thoughts on the death of Umberto Eco: A book of condolences
“the present I only know from television, through the middle ages I have knowledge firsthand.” Umberto Eco was more than a writer. He was an intellectual instance, far beyond Italy’s borders.
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