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And what book would that be??? Tom Send a noteboard - 09/10/2009 03:47:49 PM
Eco has written five, and exactly five, novels. The Name of the Rose is by far the easiest and most straightforward of the books. The others would be terrible choices for the following reasons:

Foucault's Pendulum - very long, requires an extensive understanding of esoteric and occult topics to enjoy, interspersed with a very slow personal storyline. In short: inaccessible.

Baudolino - not very good, particularly because a large part of the story is so ridiculous that it destroys any attempt at suspension of disbelief, even among people who read sci-fi and fantasy. In short: bad.

The Island of the Day Before - too slow, too ponderous, too introspective, and it's an epistolary novel to boot, which is a genre that a lot of people don't enjoy. In short: worse than Baudolino.

The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana - haven't read it, but everyone I know who has read it hated it. The complaints sound similar to those of the title immediately above.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
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November Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Club: submissions ended! ... New new edit on 18/10/2009 - 08/10/2009 06:56:01 PM 1863 Views
Nabokov's The Original of Laura - 08/10/2009 08:19:01 PM 1346 Views
I'd love that. - 08/10/2009 08:25:39 PM 1350 Views
The real problem... - 08/10/2009 08:40:50 PM 1244 Views
That's a good point too. - 08/10/2009 08:45:30 PM 1213 Views
Well, we could always discuss Nabokov in December. - 08/10/2009 11:18:57 PM 1225 Views
Done! - 09/10/2009 03:00:30 PM 1210 Views
Hmm...I'm still thinking about the name - 09/10/2009 03:57:48 PM 1294 Views
I'd be up for reading Doctor Zhivago. - 08/10/2009 10:08:09 PM 1217 Views
yeah, me too. only need to find it in a library near me. *NM* - 08/10/2009 10:09:32 PM 534 Views
Don't be cheap. Buy it. - 08/10/2009 11:16:18 PM 1227 Views
Well, I would, but I don't like online bookstores. - 09/10/2009 01:19:19 AM 1283 Views
Well, but you just said you didn't know if you could find it in the library. - 09/10/2009 02:07:54 AM 1201 Views
Oh, but... - 09/10/2009 11:01:01 AM 1205 Views
Also: I did not say any such thing. *NM* - 10/10/2009 12:49:06 PM 542 Views
The Gone-Away World, obviously - 08/10/2009 09:23:12 PM 1158 Views
Obviously. - 09/10/2009 03:00:47 PM 1217 Views
I second these statements *NM* - 13/10/2009 09:37:28 PM 562 Views
This one *NM* - 19/10/2009 10:44:37 PM 549 Views
AS Byatt - Possession. - 08/10/2009 10:21:39 PM 1218 Views
It is a book of wonder. Possibly not good for the masses. *NM* - 09/10/2009 03:01:13 PM 647 Views
Perfect timing! Or, perhaps in December. - 09/10/2009 09:35:00 PM 1352 Views
i loved that book!!! she is amazing. just wonderful writing... *NM* - 13/10/2009 08:44:59 PM 508 Views
How about a classic novel? - 08/10/2009 11:30:31 PM 1441 Views
You have a very strange definition of classics... *NM* - 09/10/2009 01:20:37 AM 590 Views
Replace "strange" with "erroneous" and I'll agree with you. - 09/10/2009 02:09:27 AM 1181 Views
Really? - 09/10/2009 03:08:53 AM 1665 Views
for classic science fiction, your list contained one I could support... - 09/10/2009 11:06:34 AM 1227 Views
I'd be up for those. *NM* - 09/10/2009 05:34:19 PM 712 Views
You said "classic novel". Science fiction doesn't generally meet that standard. - 09/10/2009 02:52:01 PM 1254 Views
I understand your point. However... - 09/10/2009 05:47:54 PM 1653 Views
This isn't really a SF/F Board - 09/10/2009 09:35:06 PM 1218 Views
I like your list. - 09/10/2009 03:02:09 PM 1179 Views
I think if you're gonna do Eco, picking another book to start with would be wiser... *NM* - 09/10/2009 03:28:50 PM 543 Views
Why? - 09/10/2009 03:32:05 PM 1111 Views
And what book would that be??? - 09/10/2009 03:47:49 PM 1210 Views
Foucault's Pendulum seems like the obvious one. - 09/10/2009 03:58:37 PM 1281 Views
Having both FP and NotR recently... - 09/10/2009 04:31:00 PM 1170 Views
No way. - 09/10/2009 04:56:39 PM 1327 Views
Oh well. I'll have to blame my faulty memory then. - 09/10/2009 10:11:55 PM 1112 Views
Based on past experiences here and elsewhere, it'll be hard to choose the "right" book - 09/10/2009 02:46:22 AM 1527 Views
That Hitchhiker book is as genuine as the "new" Winnie-the-Pooh book - 09/10/2009 02:54:23 PM 1238 Views
Perhaps, but it's worth remembering that... - 09/10/2009 03:45:53 PM 1135 Views
Adams killed Arthur Dent for a reason - 09/10/2009 05:02:23 PM 1240 Views
The movie was not faithful to the books in any meaningful way. *NM* - 09/10/2009 08:58:01 PM 528 Views
The movie sucked, yes. Adams had also been dead for four years when it came out. *NM* - 10/10/2009 02:19:38 AM 533 Views
Right. - 10/10/2009 02:37:08 AM 1159 Views
One little thing - 10/10/2009 02:39:01 AM 1236 Views
Are you sure? - 10/10/2009 02:43:01 AM 1159 Views
Yes - 10/10/2009 04:02:40 AM 1448 Views
I stand corrected. Looking forward to your review! - 10/10/2009 01:00:38 PM 1134 Views
Perhaps - 09/10/2009 06:08:17 PM 1272 Views
So on Monday we'll find out if the widow's cash need resulted in a good book. - 10/10/2009 04:21:22 AM 1165 Views
Pretty much (plus I have to finish reading the second half) - 10/10/2009 05:34:38 AM 1142 Views
A contrasting take on the first half of the book - 10/10/2009 04:10:18 PM 1136 Views
Pretty sure Eugammon beat you to that sequel. - 19/10/2009 09:31:05 PM 1328 Views
Yes! - 19/10/2009 09:20:09 AM 1034 Views
Rothfuss is a good idea, actually. - 09/10/2009 02:59:53 PM 1139 Views
There are a few, if I recall - 09/10/2009 06:09:54 PM 1096 Views
A question for you all. - 09/10/2009 03:04:17 PM 1205 Views
Sounds good to me. *NM* - 09/10/2009 03:29:54 PM 492 Views
I agree , or ... - 09/10/2009 04:36:03 PM 1129 Views
That could work if people were interested enough. - 11/10/2009 12:40:16 PM 1155 Views
That would be cool with me. *NM* - 10/10/2009 10:32:15 AM 508 Views
Sounds interesting. *NM* - 13/10/2009 08:51:31 PM 476 Views
I suggest - 09/10/2009 04:58:27 PM 1161 Views
Acacia: The War with the Mein by David Anthony Durham - 10/10/2009 02:32:59 PM 1127 Views
You didn't mention the rapture! If that happens, will the club still be on? *NM* - 11/10/2009 07:51:59 AM 688 Views
I'd say yes. Pretty sure the people here will be Left Behind. *NM* - 11/10/2009 12:39:05 PM 616 Views
Some will probably even be actively serving the Antichrist. - 11/10/2009 04:16:45 PM 1354 Views
Prefer not to. - 12/10/2009 03:14:30 AM 1020 Views
Diary of a Drug Fiend was rather good. *NM* - 12/10/2009 03:57:42 PM 510 Views
A compromise candidate - 14/10/2009 06:40:56 PM 1028 Views
Is it bad that I read this as 'submissives wanted' - 14/10/2009 08:04:31 PM 1320 Views
Hyperion *NM* - 15/10/2009 01:56:31 AM 481 Views

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