Foucault's Pendulum

By: Umberto Eco

Narrated by: Tim Curry

Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

One Colonel Ardenti, who has unnaturally black, brilliantined hair, a carefully groomed mustache, wears maroon socks, and who once served in the Foreign Legion, starts it all. He tells three Milan book editors that he has discovered a coded message about a Templar Plan, centuries old and involving Stonehenge, a plan to tap a mystic source of power far greater than atomic energy.

The editors, who have spent altogether too much time rewriting crackpot manuscripts on the occult by fanatics and dilettante, decide to have a little fun. They'll create a Plan of their own. But how? Randomly they throw together manuscript pages on hermetic thought: The Masters of the World, who live beneath the earth. The Comte de Saint-Germain, who lives forever. They add Satanic initiation rites of the Kings of the Temple, Assassins, Rosicrucians, Brazilian voodoo, the Third Reich. And they feed all this, and much more, into their powerful computer. Abulafia. A terrific joke, they think, until the Plan assumes a life and power of its own, and turns deadly...as people mysteriously begin to disappear, one by one, starting with Colonel Ardenti.

©1988 Gruppo Editoriale Fabbri-Bompiani, Snzogno, Etas S.p.A.; 1989 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc. (P)1995 Audio Renaissance

Extreme Abridgement Ruins Experience

Would you try another book from Umberto Eco and/or Tim Curry?

I would love to listen to an unabridged version of this book.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The story is great, there's just too much description missing.

Which character – as performed by Tim Curry – was your favorite?

Tim Curry does a phenomenal job with the text he's given, and he's a perfect selection for this book.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Not likely--the essence of this book is the colorful description. The poetic details would not transfer to a screen.

Any additional comments?

Unabridged would be so much better.

Absolutely Brilliant!

Tim Curry does an exemplary job reading Eco's brilliant meditation on the nature of secrets, of life, and the pursuit of truth and beauty. Having read the book twice before, I knew it intimately, and expected to be disappointed by the abridgement. To my surprise, the novel crackled along so well that it took me a while to realize what was missing: Belbo's diaries telling of his battles with fear and self-doubt, the tales of Seven Seas Jim, Don Tico's band, and the word games played with Belbo's computer Abulafia.

Contrary to earlier reviews, the book listens brilliantly, with much warmth, humor and suspense. It might also be your best introduction to Eco. Nor does the ending leave one wanting; Eco knows how to make his novels end with moments of deep revelation. I can say without hesitation that Foucault's Pendulum is one of the greatest books I have ever read (three times!). It will forever hold a special place in my life.

Wonderful narration, adequate abridging

I really would love to give the story higher marks because Umberto Eco's book is a masterpiece. I purchased this audiobook in a sale without even thinking to check if it were unabridged or not. While the editing does get across the general idea of the story so much of the emotion, fear, paranoia and surreality is just lost. It's a shame that audible does not have an unabridged version.

However, if like me you have read the book before and just wish to listen casually to remind yourself of its brilliance then this audiobook is very well narrated and Tim Curry really manages to bring life to the characters with the limited material.

A marvelous, meaningless mystery.

The window dressing of Eco’s novel is about as esoteric as they come. In the many turns of this story, there are countless nods towards obscura and archaic history that I did not (and likely never will) quite understand or even notice. Yet instead of souring the book, the flowery divergences add a wonderful color to a frantic, compelling mystery novel of sorts that had me laughing in one breath and chewing my lip in another.

If you like conspiracy, this is the boo for you. If you have an unhealthy fascination with literary theory, that recommendation goes double. If you just enjoy a strange tale full of colorful characters and sharp writing - well, you get the idea.

Tim Curry is the absolute master of audiobooks

A great abridged version of this magnificent book.
Narrated by the unsurpassed Tim Curry.
He's the narrator and He goes into character. Each character. From the curious Casaubon, the cynical Belbo, the suave and cunning Aglié and the enigmatic Lorenza Pellegrini.
He breathes life into each of them.
This is a classic that I keep coming back to.

Also, for those who find the unabridged version or the book too daunting, this is a great introduction to the novel.

I would count this among the best of the many TimCurry readings. The man is a treasure.

Is this a series?????

I need more. This was great! It was well read and written verrry well. Thank for this book it's like an acid trip in words

Abridged version leaves too much out

I read this book in the mid 00's and again in the next 2010s, I often recommend it to people who will appreciate the styles and themes that Eco plays with and likes to make fun of conspiracy theorists with me. The book's focus on conspiracy theories and the monsterous consequences of provoking the crazies have made it unwittingly relevant to the modern zeitgeist (I'm writing this review in 2021).

I decided to check out the abridged version because it's a long book and there are passages that I think I would cut from a modern edition. Like, in the book there are long passages expressing fascination with the word processor, it's relevant to paint Belbo's relationship with his work and the written word, but it's a difficult headspace for a modern reader. the audiobook cuts that out, and that's fine, but it cuts out quite a bit of Belbo's other writings. The cuts hue too closely to the core plot and loses the themes and characters that make the book impactful. There really isn't much here, the edit follows Casaubon (the narrator) at the expense of the deep dive into Belbo's descent. It's a book about ideas, I think they cut too many ideas out.

A Tale in Wisdom

Tim Curry narrating brings this story to complete fulfillment. An precursor intellectual telling similar to a Dan Brown theme.

Good performance yet a less than expected story.

Books are not meant to be believed, but to be subjected to inquiry. When we consider a book, we mustn’t ask ourselves what it says but what it means.

Umberto Eco

I am not sure what this book means in the end. . .

I liked it.

Interesting premise. Well thought out. I did not like the ending. But overall i enjoyed this book. Would read again.