The Name of the Rose

By: Umberto Eco

Narrated by: Theodore Bikel

Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. But his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths that take place in seven days and nights of apocalyptic terror. Brother William turns detective, and a uniquely deft one at that. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon - all sharpened to a glistening edge by his wry humor and ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols, and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where "the most interesting things happen at night."

As Brother William goes about unraveling the mystery of what happens at they abbey by day and by night, listeners step into a brilliant re-creation of the 14th century, with its dark superstitions and wild prejudices, its hidden passions and sordid intrigues. Virtuoso storyteller Umberto Eco conjures up a gloriously rich portrait of this world with such grace, ease, wit, and love that you will become utterly intoxicated with the place and time. The story is performed by Theodore Bikel who has starred in numerous Broadway hits, including The Sound of Music, Zorba, and Fiddler on the Roof.

©1983 by Harcourt Brace & Company and Martin Secker & Warburg Limited; 1980 by Gruppo Editoriale Fabbri-Bompiani, Snzogno, Etas S.p.A. (P)1985 by Audio Renaissance Tapes, a Division of Cassette Productions Unlimited, Inc.

Abridged is not as sweet

When I read the print version about 20 years ago, I thought it one of the best novels I had come across. I think the audio version's "brilliant re-creation of the 14th century" and plot suffer in abridgement, or perhaps there are just other good historical novels out there these days to compare.

The narration is good and the story is easy to follow, however - and an abridged rose is still sweeter than none.

incredible

I really enjoy learning something about history. Most will probably enjoy this book for the murder mystery, but the historical context is fascinating. If you are at all interestged in medieval christianity, this will be for you. The narrator is pretty close to perfect. While the movie is spectacular, this is even better.

Murder over metaphor

Eco masterfully paints the culture and the ethos of the 14th century monastery, but I believe that the motivation behind this murder mystery is weak at best. That so many deaths might result from a desire to keep the world from laughing is laughable. When confronted with his evil in the final 'pages' of the book, the antagonist expands the evil by burning down his beloved library.

I've loved everything I've read of Eco's including this, but I don't buy the motivation.

You've seen this before

Would you listen to The Name of the Rose again? Why?

Sean Connery was a monk in the movie version.. The book fills in the details of the community more than the movie did.. and if you know the way the community was organized you see more intensely the intrigue.. I might listen to it again

What did you like best about this story?

Again the rich description of the contemplatives.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not Laugh or Cry but I am very interested in the way people lived back then. This paints a clear picture of the life in those times..

abridging is like amputation.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. This isn't a terrible abridgement, but so much is lost for so little reason. Why the producers chose to do this I will never know.
As to the book, it's the most unexpected ending I've ever seen in a mystery, one of the best looks at monastic life I've ever read and one of the most sensible things I've ever read about the differences in monastic orders. Why you would mess with that I cannot imagine. But, they did.

The Abridged Edition cuts the heart out

What did you like best about The Name of the Rose? What did you like least?

This edition suffers from Bikel's matter of fact narration and the lack of character development. My reaction was "How did we get here?".This is scarcely more than a synopsis.

The film is a better version than this abridged edition.

Two visit a monastery

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not really. There are better stories.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Good.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

It was OK. It was not as much the reader as the writer, but I lost who was who. I listen to books a good deal and this is not usually a problem.

Do you think The Name of the Rose needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. It was finished.

Any additional comments?

They made a movie of this book. Start with the movie...

bikel is incredible

absolutely love this masterpiece of medieval whodunit. eco proves he is the king of the historical fiction.

Skipped large portions of the book

Frustrated so much was skipped. Important information was left out and for what? I'll read it again for myself.

And Excellent Book, A poor Audio

This is an outstanding and complex work. It deserves to be released unabridged. So much is lost in an abridgment that it isn't worth listening to. If you are interested in what was one of the few best sellers deserving that status, read the book. If you want to listen, then wait until it is available unabridged. An abridgement is a waste of money.