Yambo, a sixtyish rare-book dealer who lives in Milan, has suffered a loss of memory-he can remember the plot of every book he has ever read, every line of poetry, but he no longer knows his own name, doesn't recognize his wife or his daughters, and remembers nothing about his parents or his childhood. In an effort to retrieve his past, he withdraws to the family home somewhere in the hills between Milan and Turin. There, in the sprawling attic, he searches through boxes of old newspapers, comics, records, photo albums, and adolescent diaries. And so Yambo relives the story of his generation: Mussolini, Catholic education and guilt, Josephine Baker, Flash Gordon, Fred Astaire. His memories run wild, and the life racing before his eyes takes the form of a graphic novel. Yambo struggles through the frames to capture one simple, innocent image: that of his first love.
A fascinating, abundant new novel-wide-ranging, nostalgic, funny, full of heart-from the incomparable Eco.
Umberto Eco writes for the sophisticated reader only, and this book is no exception. If you're looking for frivolous fiction and light reading, his works are not for you. If you enjoy complex writing and a high-level wit, you must read this book. If you are a true bibliophile or you're interested in antique books, you will especially enjoy this one. The story is also rich in Italian history during WWII. Feel free to email with any questions. ~LeAnn
I am an admirer of Umberto Eco's writings but this book was not to my liking. I am sure if I kept reading it would have been different but I could not get into it at all.The story is slow and repeats itself way too much for me.