Foucaults Pendulum

JCDenton

Following a short conversation with an acquaintance, I was recommended a look at “Foucault’s Pendulum”, which I tracked down and promptly put on the shelf for 8 months.

Last night however, I dusted it off, and launched into it – only to be instantly confused.

20 or so pages into it, and it reads a lot like an Encyclopedia Britannica in novel form.

I’d heard rumblings of “DaVinci Code” similarities, but for all that book’s failings – its trivia and “facts” were short and snappy.


Am I being far too harsh and “judging a book by its cover”? (or first 20 pages…?)

Can anyone else recommend it, based on a past read-through?

IronMan

I found it a tough read, almost impenetrable at times. I'm beginning to think that life is too short to read literature you don't enjoy. Eco does have a large fanbase around the world though, so it may be a matter of personal preference.

LoLth

JCDenton wrote: »

Following a short conversation with an acquaintance, I was recommended a look at “Foucault’s Pendulum”, which I tracked down and promptly put on the shelf for 8 months.

Last night however, I dusted it off, and launched into it – only to be instantly confused.

20 or so pages into it, and it reads a lot like an Encyclopedia Britannica in novel form.

I’d heard rumblings of “DaVinci Code” similarities, but for all that book’s failings – its trivia and “facts” were short and snappy.


Am I being far too harsh and “judging a book by its cover”? (or first 20 pages…?)

Can anyone else recommend it, based on a past read-through?

hmmm, Davinci code = Focault's Pendulum Lite Zero Sugar zero taste...

yes the davinci code has short and snappy facts (well, fact is possibly being a bit generous, I think assumption based on popular belief would be a better descritpion). and yes, I have read the daVinci code and I did like it initially as a piece of popcorn fiction. pick it up, read it, enjoy, put down, move on to the next book. - it was great book and it stirred up a lot of interest in reading again - seriously, the amount of people I suddenly saw reading books in pubs, on busses and trains etc was incredible and they were all reading the daVinci Code! (on holidays I overheard on american lady saying she was disappointed because the mona lisa wasnt as impressive as she read about in the book - my own opinion aside, at least the book gave her the desire to see the mona lisa ). so, daVinci code = good but you really cant compare it to Focaults Pendulum (popcorn vs a really good carbonara imho)

focault's Pendulum, like many of Eco's books, are incredibly well researched. Both Eco and Neal Stephenson have the same approach of "batter the reader with facts and huge prose and if they survive the first third of the book they get rewarded with an incredible story". When I started Focault's Pendulum I was the same. it took ages to plough through it. brain started to hurt. But then I decided that I didnt need to plough through. Thats not why I was reading the book . So i slowed down and started paying attention, looking up bits and pieces on the net when I read something interesting - just be careful to avoid any spoilers! then, about 200 pages in the story really starts and, armed with the research provided in the first section you can really enjoy what is happening and make educated guesses about where it is all headed. By itself, the research is boring. by itself the story is a bit amateur. together the book is a fantastic read and well worth the effort.

as I said, just enjoy it. dont worry abotu how much you read in a night. I found that where I could whip through 100 pages in one sitting of a generic fantasy/sci-fi book, I would spend a whole night on one or two pages of Pendulum just making sure I was familiar with the information being presented.

If you do continue and you do enjoy the book I would also suggest:
umberto Eco : Name of the Rose
neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon
neal Stephenson: the Baroque Cycle (big and hefty series but great fun)
Dan Simmons: the Terror

Dades

OP, I have Foucault's Pendulum beside my bed - with about 50 pages read!
(Have read about 4 books since last putting it aside).

Starting to wonder about the "life is too short" idea too...

I got it after really enjoying The Name of the Rose, which although tough at times, was a great story.

EskimoErased

Yeah, it's a weird one alright. I read it at some point last year and seriously struggled at first.

After a while, though, one really finds oneself getting into the swing of it.

While it's fair to say that the DaVinci Code is reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally similar, I think it would not be fair to say they're the same. Foucault's Pendulum has some really interesting supernatural stuff that just does not get a look into Mr. Brown's more down-to-earth take on the premise.

I'd say it's worth it, even if you do feel like life is slipping away from you, one chapter at a time...

SJPRogue

I agree with everyone here..... the first 50+ pages are very hard to read. I sat down to read it maybe 5 times over a 7 year period before finally getting through the first bit.

Whereas I am all for well-researched book & would like to think that i am at least above average in terms of llitreawsy... litterassy .... litaraly.... No, wati - literacy, I do think that some of the best authors follow the "less is more" rule. Where you can take out a word, do. Cut 3 syllable words down to 2; 2 syllables to 1. Once you've cut out half the words, halve that again.

Some of the best stories with the most complex subject matters have been written in plainer language. It just makes a read more enjoyable.


As for In the Name of the Rose..... Brilliant book. If you drop the Pendulum, read the Rose, no matter what!