Title: Foucault's Pendulum
Author: Umberto Eco
ISBN: 0-330-31497-1
Pub: Picador

This is the longest book that I have read to date. It was given to my by my brother. For reasons I was never told. But read it I did. And it was a labour to do so.

The book didn't flow easily. It seemed to constantly jump from age reference to age reference. At one point the reader was somewhere back in time. Watching as the Knights Templars' as being set up to take a fall. So the King of France could avoid repaying some rather a stately debt.

Then we are quickly thrown into the speculative future. Wide eyed and wondering if it will develop as expressed. And as soon as we start to get used to this, we find ourselves somewhat dizzy and bewildered in the present. Or is it the present or just a dream.

I did enjoy the overall story line With somewhat over the top characters and locations. It reminded me of how people only perceive what they want to. Ignoring the facts in exchange for the fantastic.

Not an easy book to read; but with that said. One that would be worth attempting. I did find a mathematical error of date in the first two chapters. See if you can find it too.

M J Flack