Better reality than a dream: if something is real, then it's real and you're not to blame. Umberto Eco blamedreamreal Change image and share on social
Religion has nothing to do with God. It's a fundamental attitude of human beings, who ask about the origins of life and what happens after death. For many, the answer is a personal god. In my opinion, it's religion that produces God, not the other way round. Umberto Eco answerattitudebeing share on social
I developed a passion for the Middle Ages the same way some people develop a passion for coconuts. Umberto Eco agecoconutdevelop Change image and share on social
The most interesting letters I received about 'The Name of the Rose' were from people in the Midwest that maybe didn't understand exactly, but wanted to understand more and who were excited by this picture of a world which was not their own. Umberto Eco exciteinterestletter share on social
In the United States there's a Puritan ethic and a mythology of success. He who is successful is good. In Latin countries, in Catholic countries, a successful person is a sinner. Umberto Eco catholiccountryethic Change image and share on social
The book is like the spoon, scissors, the hammer, the wheel. Once invented, it cannot be improved. You cannot make a spoon that is better than a spoon... The book has been thoroughly tested, and it's very hard to see how it could be improved on for its current purposes. Umberto Eco bookcurrenthammer share on social
But Italy is not an intellectual country. On the subway in Tokyo everybody reads. In Italy, they don't. Don't evaluate Italy from the fact that it produced Raphael and Michelangelo. Umberto Eco countryevaluatefact Change image and share on social
The good of a book lies in its being read. A book is made up of signs that speak of other signs, which in their turn speak of things. Without an eye to read them, a book contains signs that produce no concepts; therefore it is dumb. Umberto Eco bookconceptdumb share on social
Every time that I write a novel I am convinced for at least two years that it is the last one, because a novel is like a child. It takes two years after its birth. You have to take care of it. It starts walking, and then speaking. Umberto Eco birthcarechild share on social
