The Name of the Rose
Umberto Eco
18 people recommended it in 11 threads, 2009–2024.
2 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
In the afterward of "The Name of the Rose", Umberto Eco talks about how he wanted to filter for a certain kind of reader with whom the story would resonate, and does so by making the first hundred pages very difficult to read. Overall, the book is worth it in that case (although he might be joking).
It's a fourteenth century murder mystery, set in a monastery, where the mystery is mostly an excuse for exploring the historical and cultural contexts, which are very interesting. Wikipedia has a nice summary: "an intellectual mystery combining semiotics in fiction, biblical analysis, medieval studies, and literary theory".
The characters are more convincing, the narrative momentum more propulsive, and the intellectual pyrotechnics just as satisfying.
Where it comes up
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- Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life? 2020 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What books are you currently reading? 2018 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Which non-technology book has influenced you the most and why? 2017 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books. 2009 · 1 recommendation