Summary The Name of the Rose
“The Name of the Rose” is a historical novel set in a North Italian monastery during the 14th century. It combines a suspenseful medieval murder mystery with a novel of ideas, featuring many references to other literary texts and philosophers such as Aristoteles.
Reasons to read The Name of the Rose
“The Name of the Rose” is a sophisticated historical whodunnit that vividly portrays monastery life in the early 14th century, including the philosophical, religious, and political debates among the monks. The novel became a literary sensation and an international bestseller upon its publication. It received numerous awards, including the Premio Strega in 1981 and the Prix Medicis étranger in 1982. Umberto Eco was a professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna and author of many bestselling historical novels, including “Foucault’s Pendulum”, “The Island of the Day Before”, and “Baudolino”. In 1986, “The Name of the Rose” was adapted into a film, starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater.
Setting: Piedmont (Italy)
Although the exact location of the abbey is not specified in the novel, Umberto Eco was inspired by Saint Michael’s Abbey (Sacra di San Michele) on Mount Pirchiriano in Val di Susa, Piedmont. Browse books set in Northern Italy.
Original title: Il nome della rosa
Year of publication: 1980
Nr of pages: 592
