About this title: The time: 2000 to 2005, the years of neoconservatism, terrorism, the twenty-four-hour news cycle, the ascension of Bush, Blair, and Berlusconi, and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Umberto Eco's response is a provocative, passionate, and witty series of essays--which originally appeared in the Italian newspapers La Repubblica and L'Espresso- ...
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Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harcourt
Date Published: 2007-10
ISBN-13:9780151013517ISBN:0151013519
Description: Like New. Like new hardcover in dj. Dust jacket shows very minor shelf wear, otherwise an unblemished copy.; 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! Free Delivery Confirmation! Ships same or next business day! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harcourt
Date Published: 2007-10
ISBN-13:9780151013517ISBN:0151013519
Description: Like New. May be shiny, in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, no damage to binding, may have a remainder mark. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harcourt
Date Published: 2007-10
ISBN-13:9780151013517ISBN:0151013519
Description: Very good. Very minimal damage to the cover (no holes or tears, only minimal scuff marks), in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, minimal to no highlighting/under. read more
Description: Good. 0151013519 Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Description: Good. 0151013519 Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
"Umberto Eco likes to think of himself as disagreeable. Being described as such, he says, "fills me with pride and virtuous satisfaction". To this end, he exhorts readers to, amongst other things, insult the dead, ritually sacrifice presidents, choose their own judge, and boycott products sold on state-owned television channels. None of which, it could possibly be argued, is entirely unreasonable or disagreeable.
What is disagreeable - more irritating, really - is Eco's tone. Supercilious, ponderous, petulant, and almost entirely lacking in humour, he deems the entire southern US morons, informs us that not all suicide bombers are Muslim (did anyone think they were?), and dismisses any dissenters as fools and infantile idiots.
He is not entirely without generosity. Writing on immortality, he comments that, though they may not leave anything of particular note behind, even "the humblest creature" can achieve immortality by passing on tales of his experience to his children. How magnanimous."
"Highly entertaining, while sobering at the same time. I wish everyone were as sane and possessed clarity like Eco.
This book kept me laughing while reading it; I really love pieces like the ones on Passion of the Christ (which shows that actually it's Mel Gibson who loves to torture Jesus, LOL!) and Dan Brown.
"This is the weakest non-fiction book written by Eco that I have read. There is still a great deal of useful information, particularly when he is discussing Italian politics and Anthropology but many of the essay are too topical and could have only been of interest to Italians at the time of their publication."
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