Call number
FIC ECO
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Publication
Harcourt
Description
It is April 1204, and Constantinople, the splendid capital of the Byzantine Empire, is being sacked and burned by the knights of the Fourth Crusade. Amid the carnage and confusion, one Baudolino saves a historian and high court official from certain death at the hands of the crusading warriors and proceeds to tell his own fantastical story. Born a simple peasant in northern Italy, Baudolino has two major gifts-a talent for learning languages and a skill in telling lies. When still a boy he meets a foreign commander in the woods, charming him with his quick wit and lively mind. The commander-who proves to be Emperor Frederick Barbarossa-adopts Baudolino and sends him to the university in Paris, where he makes a number of fearless, adventurous friends. Spurred on by myths and their own reveries, this merry band sets out in search of Prester John, a legendary priest-king said to rule over a vast kingdom in the East-a phantasmagorical land of strange creatures with eyes on their shoulders and mouths on their stomachs, of eunuchs, unicorns, and lovely maidens. With dazzling digressions, outrageous tricks, extraordinary feeling, and vicarious reflections on our postmodern age, this is Eco the storyteller at his brilliant best.… (more)
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Media reviews
It's a mystery that begins well, and ends well, too, drenched in the scholastic logic and the intricate, entertaining literary gamesmanship that is Mr. Eco's territory. The problem is that while ''Baudolino'' contains plenty of learning and imagination, it is so strenuously fanciful that it becomes
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tedious, like a Thanksgiving Day parade that lasts all day. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member mamzel
The chance mention of the possible existence of a man named Prebster Johanne by an old monk named Otto to a young man with an amazing ability to create stories turns into an entire life story about the search for this man.
The story opens with the sack of Constantinople. A noble man, Niketas, is
Along with the story of how he becomes acquainted with his cohorts Abdul, the Poet, Boron, Rabbi Solomon, Kyot, Zosimos, and Ardzrouni. Along with concocting a story to get them on the road to find Prester John, they also have lively discussions about scientific and religious matters.
Baudolino is a charming liar. Even as we see him weave his tales we enjoy his naivete and faith that things around him are true and real. While some books have amazing first lines, I feel the final lines of this book, while gentle, have a huge and powerful truth that made me very happy that I have read this book.
The story opens with the sack of Constantinople. A noble man, Niketas, is
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caught outside and is in danger of being killed by the hordes when he is rescued by Baudolino. In exchange for the safety of him and his family, Niketas records Baudolino's story which begins when he is adopted by Emperor Frederick. Along with the story of how he becomes acquainted with his cohorts Abdul, the Poet, Boron, Rabbi Solomon, Kyot, Zosimos, and Ardzrouni. Along with concocting a story to get them on the road to find Prester John, they also have lively discussions about scientific and religious matters.
Baudolino is a charming liar. Even as we see him weave his tales we enjoy his naivete and faith that things around him are true and real. While some books have amazing first lines, I feel the final lines of this book, while gentle, have a huge and powerful truth that made me very happy that I have read this book.
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LibraryThing member tronella
"Time is an eternity that stammers. You understand? And with time, he created fire, which gives heat but risks burning everything, water, which quenches thirst but also drowns; earth, which nourishes the grasses but can become avalanche and suffocate them; air, which lets us breathe but can become
This is the life story of one Baudolino, a man who dedicated his life to searching for Prester John and the Grasal, and tells of the many places he saw and people he met in the meantime. Religion and history, always one of my favourite mixtures :)
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hurricane..."This is the life story of one Baudolino, a man who dedicated his life to searching for Prester John and the Grasal, and tells of the many places he saw and people he met in the meantime. Religion and history, always one of my favourite mixtures :)
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LibraryThing member harristwd
I just started this and decided that life is too short, and there are too many books to stick this one out...I'll try another Eco book, but this one is going on to someone else...
LibraryThing member delphica
(#23 in the 2006 book challenge)
A friend recommended this to me about five years ago. Yeah, okay, see there was this problem because I read a review that described the main character as a "sad clown." Which obviously led to a revulsion that prevented me from even touching the book, because you
Grade: A
Recommended: to people who like historical fiction (it helps if your geek is at the level where you get excited whenever you have cause to exclaim "Oh, it's the Comneni!" like they just dropped by for coffee or something) and the late medieval worldview.
A friend recommended this to me about five years ago. Yeah, okay, see there was this problem because I read a review that described the main character as a "sad clown." Which obviously led to a revulsion that prevented me from even touching the book, because you
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know, sad clown. It turns out the reviewer was on drugs and the moral of the story is that you should always listen to friends who recommend books. This book rocked my socks -- it's got a grail quest and crusades and Barbarossa and mirrors of Archimedes and the manufacture of holy relics and Prester John, and it's funny as all get out.Grade: A
Recommended: to people who like historical fiction (it helps if your geek is at the level where you get excited whenever you have cause to exclaim "Oh, it's the Comneni!" like they just dropped by for coffee or something) and the late medieval worldview.
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LibraryThing member lmckend
Probably one of the most dissapointing offerings from Eco. Far from his best.
LibraryThing member shushokan
Honestly, I couldn't finish it. This is rare as I can usually stomach most things. I just felt that there are so many other books to read that I could use my time more constructively. As another reviewer says, don't look for a nice linear plot, try to keep in mind that what the central character
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says may or may not be true (and you won't know which is which) and you may get to the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member jxn
This was a fantastic read in every sense. Eco managed to make this interesting on levels that aren't always his strong suit--enchanting characters, plot, themes, real suspense. I was really not expecting this work to live up to the level of The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum--or expected
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that it would somehow exhaust the breadth of the interesting and novel intellectual puzzles or concepts that Eco had to offer his readers through fiction. Needless to say, I was glad to find that standard upheld. This work raises some fascinating question about the nature of truth and testimony, reality, history, social progress, the nature of faith, narrative as a concept, the nature of language as a communication device, translation, and cause and effect. There are a great number of subtle intellectual references cast into a sparkling narrative with a real and almost linear plot (something of a surprise coming from Eco, I think) and some of the most humorous--if dark--and creative historical redescriptions I have ever happened upon. I also get the sense that there's a bit of biography hidden in this work for Baudolino's fellow Alessandrian Umberto Eco. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecrow
Baudolino is in his sixties when he saves a minister of Constantinople during its sacking by the Fourth Crusade. This provides opportunity for him to recount his life story, one that begins as a historical fiction centered in the Holy Roman Emperor in the company of Barbarossa, but lends itself to
I liked The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum, but this novel was easily the most fun to read. Loads of humour and pathos + brain candy = a rare find, but here it is. As with the author's other novels there is much playfulness incorporating European legends of the Middle Ages, here centered mostly upon the mythical realm of Prester John, and the Holy Grail.
The narrator is wonderfully unreliable by his own confession. He openly admits to viewing lying as bringing things into being, merely by bearing false witness to them. There's an interesting, sharply defined progression from the first half of the story when Baudolino could be given benefit of the doubt (as what he says fits well with historical fact), into the latter half where he is clearly making everything up. Ironically Niketas appears to find his tale more credible in this latter half, even as it becomes increasingly wondrous (a similar theme was apparent in Foucault's Pendulum).
Regardless of the facts or fiction contained in Baudolino's story, it always conveys a great deal of heart and he is eminently likeable as a character to the last. The author has taught us love for a liar, and respect for a liar's method of introducing wonder into the world, not unlike my appreciation for this talented writer.
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fantasy once he engages upon a journey that leads him into an unlikely version of the middle east and India.I liked The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum, but this novel was easily the most fun to read. Loads of humour and pathos + brain candy = a rare find, but here it is. As with the author's other novels there is much playfulness incorporating European legends of the Middle Ages, here centered mostly upon the mythical realm of Prester John, and the Holy Grail.
The narrator is wonderfully unreliable by his own confession. He openly admits to viewing lying as bringing things into being, merely by bearing false witness to them. There's an interesting, sharply defined progression from the first half of the story when Baudolino could be given benefit of the doubt (as what he says fits well with historical fact), into the latter half where he is clearly making everything up. Ironically Niketas appears to find his tale more credible in this latter half, even as it becomes increasingly wondrous (a similar theme was apparent in Foucault's Pendulum).
Regardless of the facts or fiction contained in Baudolino's story, it always conveys a great deal of heart and he is eminently likeable as a character to the last. The author has taught us love for a liar, and respect for a liar's method of introducing wonder into the world, not unlike my appreciation for this talented writer.
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LibraryThing member vieth
The novel starts out promising, powered by Eco's great gift for conjuring up vivid images of past cultures, in this case medieval Italy. But about half way through the novel changes character plunging into an overdrive of fantastical events and figures. I wasn't convinced.
LibraryThing member DanCook
'If you can imagine a thing, then it must exist'; now that's an exciting logical proposition for a fantastical Medieval romp through the lands of legend, meeting fables in the flesh.
LibraryThing member readafew
This was an interesting book. It wasn't a very easy read but it was fun and somtimes pretty funny.
In the Name of the Rose (for those who read it) there is a special book that is the cause for the problems. I can not remember the title it was given but I do remember the description and Baudolino
This book was written from the point of view someone who's maps still had around the edges Monsters depicting the unknown lands and seas.
In the Name of the Rose (for those who read it) there is a special book that is the cause for the problems. I can not remember the title it was given but I do remember the description and Baudolino
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could very well be the book descriped. This book was written from the point of view someone who's maps still had around the edges Monsters depicting the unknown lands and seas.
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LibraryThing member ragwaine
Strange structure, almost like he decided to make it a mystery novel in the last chapter. Funny but kind of silly sometimes.
LibraryThing member P_S_Patrick
This book might seem a bit eccentric to someone who hasn't read one of Eco's books before, otherwise you might be a bit more prepared for it. I thought that the story was interesting, and while the end didn't seem that satisfactory to me, it overall didn't let the book down too much. I didn't enjoy
Overall this book should appeal to those with an interest in the medieval times, fans of the author, and those who like a sprawling adventure story.
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it quite as much as The Island of The Day Before, or Foucault's Pendulum, as it seemed perhaps a bit less serious, with everything being that little bit less convincing. The book is meant to be funny, and not taken completely seriously though, and it does manage to be funny in places and does not miss the mark by too much. Present in full force are the digressions into philosophy and theology that the author seems to like to indulge in in his novels, I find them interesting, while they will be lost completely on others I imagine. Overall this book should appeal to those with an interest in the medieval times, fans of the author, and those who like a sprawling adventure story.
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LibraryThing member arouse77
the Forrest Gump of Byzantium, Baudolino always seems to find himself in the midst of earth-changing history with no hope of having his role acknowledged.
a teller of tall tales and general scoundrel our hero is likable but not to be taken without skepticism.
a rollicking read, enjoyable if stilted
a teller of tall tales and general scoundrel our hero is likable but not to be taken without skepticism.
a rollicking read, enjoyable if stilted
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at times. Show Less
LibraryThing member SirRoger
A phrase used to describe 'Foucault's Pendulum' also aptly describes 'Baudolino:' "endlessly diverting." It is at once fascinating history, bawdy farce, riveting mystery, and profound allegory.
LibraryThing member jddunn
This is another diverting instance of Eco playing around with history, mythology, and ideas like a kid with Legos or something. This one is nominally set in 12th Century Byzantium and Northern Italy, but pulls in all kinds of crazy stuff from the early Sorbonne to the court of Frederick Barbarossa
The main thrust is the use of the Prester John myth as a political tool for Barbarossa's attempts to expand his power, but as with most of Eco's work, people soon start believing their own tales, and the protagonists set off on a quest for John's mythical kingdom, where all kinds of mythological and quasi-historical madness ensues. If you like Eco's other stuff, you'll definitely enjoy this one too.
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to the Assasins to the greater part of a mythological bestiary. The main thrust is the use of the Prester John myth as a political tool for Barbarossa's attempts to expand his power, but as with most of Eco's work, people soon start believing their own tales, and the protagonists set off on a quest for John's mythical kingdom, where all kinds of mythological and quasi-historical madness ensues. If you like Eco's other stuff, you'll definitely enjoy this one too.
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LibraryThing member jpporter
Baudolino will no doubt be my favorite Umberto Eco book. From the very beginning it stood out as something distinctly memorable among the other books he's written.
Baudolino is a young man (at least, at the beginning of the tale) who has two noteworthy talents: he can learn any language after
Unlike Eco's other works, Baudolino lacks much of the high-powered scholastic verbosity that permeates most of his other writings. That's not to say there are no extended exegeses here, but this is perhaps the most accessible book Eco has written. It is witty, intelligent and captivating. If you have avoided Eco because of the extensive scholastic passages he is prone to write, Baudolino is the book for you.
I highly recommend this book.
Baudolino is a young man (at least, at the beginning of the tale) who has two noteworthy talents: he can learn any language after
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minimal exposure, even a brief conversation; he is also a liar par excellence. He becomes a favorite of Emperor Frederik, who sends the youth to Paris for an education. While there, Baudolino begins forming friendships with an unlikely group of people - a rabbi, a knight known as The Poet, an infidel, amongst others. Together they create evidence of the existence of Prester John, who was (mythologically speaking) a great Christian priest/king who ruled over a huge kingdom east of the lands of the Moorish infidels. Ultimately, Baudolino and his band of followers undertake to find Prester John, initially to legitimatize the rule of Emperor Frederik, but really to prove that he does, in fact, exist.Unlike Eco's other works, Baudolino lacks much of the high-powered scholastic verbosity that permeates most of his other writings. That's not to say there are no extended exegeses here, but this is perhaps the most accessible book Eco has written. It is witty, intelligent and captivating. If you have avoided Eco because of the extensive scholastic passages he is prone to write, Baudolino is the book for you.
I highly recommend this book.
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LibraryThing member JCO123
Great reading, lots of fun. Wish that I knew more about the period to appreciate the book more.
LibraryThing member Czrbr
Book Description: New York: Harcourt, Inc c2002. 1st U. S. ed. eng. First printing. 522 p. ; 25 cm. Fine in Fine dust jacket. Unblemished, unread hardcover.
LibraryThing member Limelite
Decameron-like philosophical fable of adventure set during the time of Frederick Barbarossa as told by a liar to a Greek chronicler while Constantinople burns down around them.
Eco is showing us that religious myths arise from political need to suit the requirements of the actors on history’s
An unreliable narrator is employed to illustrate the unreliable nature of history, which deals in facts, and religious history, which deals in a tissue of fantastic myths and superstitions largely concocted to give provenance to false “relics” that meant economic and political power accrued to the cities and rulers who held them. Masterful, gargantuan tale tracing the adventures of Baudolino from his adoption by Barbarossa after his father sells him, to his education in Paris, to his days of ghost-writing poetry, to his exploits as Barbarossa’s envoy/spy, to his yearnings for the mythical kingdom of Prester John, to his love for a Gnostic sylph, to his deeds as a Crusader and sacker of cities.
Don’t look for an easy read when reading Eco; hang on for the ride and try to keep up if the story, with all it digressions, seems to get away from you. Great book -- almost but not quite as good as "The Name of the Rose" -- by one of the greatest living authors of our time.
Eco is showing us that religious myths arise from political need to suit the requirements of the actors on history’s
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stage; that history is story and story is exaggeration, and exaggerations are really just plain lies invented by the more intelligent among us to suit the occasion or solve a problem.An unreliable narrator is employed to illustrate the unreliable nature of history, which deals in facts, and religious history, which deals in a tissue of fantastic myths and superstitions largely concocted to give provenance to false “relics” that meant economic and political power accrued to the cities and rulers who held them. Masterful, gargantuan tale tracing the adventures of Baudolino from his adoption by Barbarossa after his father sells him, to his education in Paris, to his days of ghost-writing poetry, to his exploits as Barbarossa’s envoy/spy, to his yearnings for the mythical kingdom of Prester John, to his love for a Gnostic sylph, to his deeds as a Crusader and sacker of cities.
Don’t look for an easy read when reading Eco; hang on for the ride and try to keep up if the story, with all it digressions, seems to get away from you. Great book -- almost but not quite as good as "The Name of the Rose" -- by one of the greatest living authors of our time.
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LibraryThing member librisissimo
Substance: Full of information and atmosphere about 12th century Europe and Constantinople, with a deliberate blurring of fact and mythology taken as fact at the time. The engaging protagonist, an inveterate liar who seems to have been responsible for most of the major historical events of the
Style: An easy narrative voice that makes learned discourses enjoyable and exotic imaginings plausible.
Notes: see pages 232 and 518 on the crux of life's decisions.
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period, discovers that he gets into the most trouble when he tells the truth. Eco takes 300 pages to get to the central mystery (death of Frederick Barbarossa) and 200 more to produce the solution.Style: An easy narrative voice that makes learned discourses enjoyable and exotic imaginings plausible.
Notes: see pages 232 and 518 on the crux of life's decisions.
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LibraryThing member tuckerresearch
An author who writes both fiction and non-fiction, and about discerning if there is any difference between fiction and non-fiction, writes a fictional account of a fictional character who interacts with many non-fictional characters. These non-fictional characters are given fictional dialogs,
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interact with fictional characters to do fictional and non-fictional things. The protagonist is the son of a mythical personage who may be fictional but is said to have done something to explain a non-fictional mystery. In fact, the fictional protagonist is fictionally adopted by a non-fictional person. The fictional protagonist explains many fine points of non-fiction, though he has admitted he is a fine liar. The fictional protagonist, writes fictional letters to his non-fictional love, and when he finally reads his fictional dialog to his non-fictional love, she responds as if the letters were non-fictional, all the while this scene is fictional. The fictional protagonist then hatches a plan with some of his non-fictional friends to write fictional letters about a fictional place that non-fictional people once believed was non-fictional, though we now know it was fictional. After participating in more fictional non-fiction, the fictional protagonist explains the non-fictional death of a non-fictional king who many believe did not in fact die in this non-fictional manner. The fictional protagonist and some of his non-fictional and fictional companions leave a non-fictional city for a fictional land. After many fictional adventures, they reach the fictional place many believed was once non-fictional. Here they have many adventures with fictional creatures many once believed were non-fictional and the fictional protagonist finds love in a scenario we all now is highly fictional, but we want to believe it is non-fictional because it reaches us in such a non-fictional way. The quick denouement follows, and we receive several more fictional explanations for non-fictional happenings and non-fictional artifacts that may be fictional non-fictional artifacts. Fictional non-fictional artifacts that provide believers with non-fictional feelings, making them, in the fictional words of a non-fictional character, as if they were non-fictional non-fictional artifacts, even though they are fictional. Finally, we learn that the fictional protagonist's fictional explanation for the non-fictional death of the non-fictional king who many believe did not in fact die in this non-fictional manner was in fact fictional itself. The non-fictional manner of death was non-fictional, though our protagonist believed it was fictional. Thus the non-fictional death actually occurred as non-fictional history says. At least in this work of fiction. At the last, we see our fictional protagonist who has had so many non-fictional friends and adventures setting off for a fictional land we know is probably fiction, though he seems to think it is non-fictional, and we hope it is. This fictional land many once thought was non-fictional, but we now know was fictional. Or it was Ethiopia. And the grail, called grasal, be it stone or dish is just the fictional dish of a non-fictional man who may be fictional, at least his son is fictional, though the father is the central part of a non-fictional legend explaining a non-fictional event. It now resides in a non-fictional statue in a non-fictional city that non-fictionally began as a legal fiction. At least this fiction tells us. Could be. And this is how we find our fiction. And this is exactly how our author wants it to be. Or is it how you the reader wants it to be? Which is how the author wanted it to be, right? Show Less
LibraryThing member JBD1
I didn't like this as well as I did "Name of the Rose," but it was still a decent read. Some very amusing tales of mythical creatures.
LibraryThing member Ballardion
Baudolino feels more like a contrived and expanded homage to Borges, if not also a prolapse of The Name of the Rose. Here we are not privy to Eco the complicated weaver of a tale as we find in Foucault's Pendulum, but a more tired Italian-academic sentimentalist.
LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
excellent story by one of my favorite authors, Umberto Eco. I've seen this book really panned because it didn't "measure up to" Name of the Rose, but don't let that deter you. The two books are apples and oranges and shouldn't be compared together.
As the story opens, Constantinople is being sacked
As the story opens, Constantinople is being sacked
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in 1204 and the hero of this novel, Baudolino, is telling his dear friend Niketas Choniates, who, as it turns out, is the most famous chronicler of these events. As Baudolino begins his tale, it takes the reader back in time to when he was just a child, the son of a peasant family in what is now Italy. By some bizarre chance, he encountered the famous Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (so called for his red beard) and again by chance, became his adopted son. The story continues through the sacking of the city, as Baudolino relates his very bizarre life and the odd things that happened to him before he arrived in Constantinople. The problem is that Baudolino himself knows that he is an accomplished liar. No matter; this story will keep you entertained for hours. It is funny, sarcastic, full of an H. Rider Haggard type of adventure, and the ending is probably the most ironic of any book I've come across lately. Please don't miss this one; it is one of the most intelligent things I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time. Highly recommended if you want something out of the ordinary. Show Less
Awards
Nagroda SFinks (2002)
Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Fiction — 2002)
ISBN
0151006903 / 9780151006908