Umberto Eco

Umberto Eco (Italian: [umˈbɛrto ˈɛːko]; January 5, 1932 – February 19, 2016) was an Italian novelist, literary critic, philosopher, semiotician, and university professor. In addition to serious academic works, he has written a large number of novels and essays, and has been writing witty and satirical essays for magazine columns for many years. Best known for his 1980 novel "Il nome della rosa" (The Name of the Rose), he later wrote other novels, including "Foucault's Pendulum" and "The Island of Yesterday". His novel "Prague Cemetery" was published in 2010 and topped the Italian bestseller list. Eco previously taught at the University of Bologna and lived in Milan.