The Name of the Rose

Introduction by David Lodge

Introduction by David Lodge
Translated by William Weaver
Look inside
Hardcover
$32.00 US
On sale Sep 26, 2006 | 600 Pages | 9780307264893

A spectacular best seller and now a classic, The Name of the Rose catapulted Umberto Eco, an Italian professor of semiotics turned novelist, to international prominence. An erudite murder mystery set in a fourteenth-century monastery, it is not only a gripping story but also a brilliant exploration of medieval philosophy, history, theology, and logic.

In 1327, Brother William of Baskerville is sent to investigate a wealthy Italian abbey whose monks are suspected of heresy. When his mission is overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths patterned on the book of Revelation, Brother William turns detective, following the trail of a conspiracy that brings him face-to-face with the abbey’s labyrinthine secrets, the subversive effects of laughter, and the medieval Inquisition. Caught in a power struggle between the emperor he serves and the pope who rules the Church, Brother William comes to see that what is at stake is larger than any mere political dispute–that his investigation is being blocked by those who fear imagination, curiosity, and the power of ideas.

The Name of the Rose offers the reader not only an ingeniously constructed mystery—complete with secret symbols and coded manuscripts—but also an unparalleled portrait of the medieval world on the brink of profound transformation.

Umberto Eco is a professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna. His other books include Foucault's Pendulum, The Island of the Day Before, and three collections of popular essays, Travels in Hyperreality, Misreadings, and How to Travel with a Salmon and Other Essays. He lives in Milan.

*****************
Umberto Eco, ensayista italiano de renombre internacional y profesor en la universidad de Bolonia, hizo su entrada triunfal en el mundo de la ficción hace más de treinta años con El nombre de la rosa, una novela que lo convirtió en un autor admirado tanto por la crítica como por el gran público. A este primer éxito siguieron El péndulo de FoucaultLa isla del día de antesBaudolino y La misteriosa llama de la reina LoanaNúmero Cero, su novela más reciente, se ha colocado ya en la lista de títulos más vendidos en Italia y está suscitando una polémica extraordinaria en todos los medios de comunicación. 

View titles by Umberto Eco

About

A spectacular best seller and now a classic, The Name of the Rose catapulted Umberto Eco, an Italian professor of semiotics turned novelist, to international prominence. An erudite murder mystery set in a fourteenth-century monastery, it is not only a gripping story but also a brilliant exploration of medieval philosophy, history, theology, and logic.

In 1327, Brother William of Baskerville is sent to investigate a wealthy Italian abbey whose monks are suspected of heresy. When his mission is overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths patterned on the book of Revelation, Brother William turns detective, following the trail of a conspiracy that brings him face-to-face with the abbey’s labyrinthine secrets, the subversive effects of laughter, and the medieval Inquisition. Caught in a power struggle between the emperor he serves and the pope who rules the Church, Brother William comes to see that what is at stake is larger than any mere political dispute–that his investigation is being blocked by those who fear imagination, curiosity, and the power of ideas.

The Name of the Rose offers the reader not only an ingeniously constructed mystery—complete with secret symbols and coded manuscripts—but also an unparalleled portrait of the medieval world on the brink of profound transformation.

Author

Umberto Eco is a professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna. His other books include Foucault's Pendulum, The Island of the Day Before, and three collections of popular essays, Travels in Hyperreality, Misreadings, and How to Travel with a Salmon and Other Essays. He lives in Milan.

*****************
Umberto Eco, ensayista italiano de renombre internacional y profesor en la universidad de Bolonia, hizo su entrada triunfal en el mundo de la ficción hace más de treinta años con El nombre de la rosa, una novela que lo convirtió en un autor admirado tanto por la crítica como por el gran público. A este primer éxito siguieron El péndulo de FoucaultLa isla del día de antesBaudolino y La misteriosa llama de la reina LoanaNúmero Cero, su novela más reciente, se ha colocado ya en la lista de títulos más vendidos en Italia y está suscitando una polémica extraordinaria en todos los medios de comunicación. 

View titles by Umberto Eco

Three Penguin Random House Authors Win Pulitzer Prizes

On Monday, May 5, three Penguin Random House authors were honored with a Pulitzer Prize. Established in 1917, the Pulitzer Prizes are the most prestigious awards in American letters. To date, PRH has 143 Pulitzer Prize winners, including William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Josh Steinbeck, Ron Chernow, Anne Applebaum, Colson Whitehead, and many more. Take a look at our 2025 Pulitzer Prize

Read more

Books for LGBTQIA+ Pride Month

In June we celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual + (LGBTQIA+) Pride Month, which honors the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan. Pride Month is a time to both celebrate the accomplishments of those in the LGBTQ+ community and recognize the ongoing struggles faced by many across the world who wish to live

Read more