Umberto Eco, The Da Vinci Code, and the Intellectual in the Age of Popular Culture

Product Description This book provides a philosophical overview of Umberto Eco's historical and cultural development as a unique, internationally recognized public intellectual who communicates his ideas to both an academic and a popular audience. It describes Eco’s intellectual development from his childhood during World War II and student involvement as a Catholic youth activist and scholar of the Middle Ages, to his early writings on the "openness" of modern works such as Joyce's Finnegans Wake. Merrell also explores Eco’s pioneering role in semiotics and his later career as a novelist. Review “The book’s style and focus remain professional throughout. … the author is nimble and shrewd in his explanations of Eco’s works and his desire to foster a critical consciousness in his readers. … this work is essential for anyone with more than a passing interest in Eco.” (Andre van Loon, The Cambridge Quarterly, Vol. 47 (02), June, 2018) From the Back Cover This book provides a philosophical overview of Umberto Eco's historical and cultural development as a unique, internationally recognized public intellectual who communicates his ideas to both an academic and a popular audience. It describes Eco’s intellectual development from his childhood during World War II and student involvement as a Catholic youth activist and scholar of the Middle Ages, to his early writings on the "openness" of modern works such as Joyce's Finnegans Wake. Merrell also explores Eco’s pioneering role in semiotics and his later career as a novelist. About the Author Douglass Merrell completed his PhD in in History on Umberto Eco at the University of Washington in 2000.  He has subsequently taught in Rome, Venice, and Padua.