Customer Reviews

The Infinity of Lists: An Illustrated Essay

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This book, a birthday present, revived the literature I once knew well and have over the years let slip away. As an essay on the function of listing, it is extraordinary; as an anthology of Western literature it is invaluable, as an art book, it is beautiful, but as a review of what was once known and is now almost forgotten, it is priceless. Anyone who thinks great literature is out of date or corny, or thinks the day of real books is over, should hold this book in his or her hands for an hour. Its "weight," both physical and intellectual, makes a "kindle" seem flimsy and as ephemeral as an eight-track.

In 2007 Bompiani published a similar non-fiction work by Umberto Eco, "Dall'Albero al Labrinto: Studi Storici sul Segno e l'Interpretazione," that investigated the histories of sign and interpretation alongside the history of encyclopedistics. Its aim was to more fully examine organization as a human phenomenon. "The Infinity of Lists," I believe, continues this examination by identifying the nature of lists across time. In short, Eco appears to be following a particular trend with his recent research - one that explores our immense fascination with the organization of content and its many forms.

A WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF TRIVIA AND PICTURES TO WANDER THROUGH..THIS IS A GREAT GIFT TO SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO EXPLORE THE FRINGES OF CULTURE..GOOD DENSITY AND A FUN TRIP THROUGH HISTORY..

Where do you go to find a list, besides the grocery store...what about lists of animals, real or fictional..the list of innumerous things that you need to know or DON'T need to know about. Better yet, why do we make lists? That is the real question Mr. Eco descends upon.

Somehow it seems so appropriate that Eco would organize an exhibition and series of public programs on enumeration for the Louvre, at this time of endless list making via social media (afterall a facebook wall is nothing but an elaborate recounting of one's subjectivity in list form). The poetic of lists as seen through Eco's eyes is tremendously moving. Eco's project constitutes both a deeply thoughtful vertically study of the subject of lists, and a broad horizontal consideration of great expanses of literature from the Greeks to the present-day.

As a huge fan of everything 'Eco', this book is a joy to read. What more can you say. Written with intelligence, humor, knowledge and wisdom.