Review: The Name of the Rose

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you make it through the first 100 pages, you’re good for the rest. The beginning was purposefully developed to “construct a reader suitable for what comes afterward”. The book was deep into church theology of the era of 1327, while the mystery of why dead monks were turning up took a back seat. Quite a lot going on the book, including a labyrinth library off limits to all but the librarian and assistant.

Have to admit I was disappointed with the ending. But not disappointed with reading the book – a glimpse into the life of monks in the middle ages.


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Review: The Name of the Rose

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: The Christian Watt Papers

The Christian Watt Papers by Christian Watt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: The Dark Frontier: Unlocking the Secrets of the Deep Sea

The Dark Frontier: Unlocking the Secrets of the Deep Sea by Jeffrey Marlow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is full of scientific discoveries and information about the deep ocean. It also is a bit of an autobiography for the author, but mostly not. Several different people and aspects are discussed throughout the book. This is very cursory and not much of a review...

The last portion gets a bit too much in the weeds about treaty negotiations to protect the ocean floor. Unfortunately, too often money influences when instead an ecosystem should be looked at, or science.

I made a mistake in listening to this book via audio. The narrator was not a good fit for the book.
Normally I don't let a narration influnce how I feel about a book, but this one is long, and I became annoyed. I really should have switched to print. Perhaps one day I will return and read a print version, but I don't expect that will happen anytime soon (if at all).

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