The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco, 1980)

I enjoyed this book a bunch. Moreso than this other book by Eco.

Wealthy abbey in Italy, early 14th century. One death per day for seven days, seeming to follow Apocalypse verses. First death on the day that William of Baskerville (protagonist) arrives as one of numerous visitors for a meeting at the abbey. Important meeting to discuss tensions between Franciscans wanting poverty in their order (reacting to what they perceived as a drift toward materialism and away from St. Francis's teachings), and others who felt too much emphasis on poverty could be a dangerous, destabilizing concept (how far might the impoverished masses go if the concept of renouncing private property took hold?)

Unique abbey: fabulous library, including lots of materials from Arabic and other non-Western sources. But the keepers limit access rather than make widespread availability.

The abbot asks William to get to the bottom of the murders. William references Roger Bacon, William of Occam; uses what would be considered scientific method in a setting where medievalism and superstition tend to control.

In a way this is a detective story, but the "detecting" takes place in the context of so much else.

Long discussions about poverty in religious life (in the context of a very wealthy abbey).

Long discussions about heresy, and how the political and religious leaders pursue heretics to achieve other policies. While little people unable to comprehend (or uninterested in comprehending) doctrinal minutiae are swept up (and used by the leaders) for reasons that have little to do with the ostensible religious issues. Sounds familiar, actually.

Long discussions about the proper role of laughter for man. (Did Jesus ever laugh? Blind Jorge says no.)

Long discussions about appropriate access to knowledge. And the role of the inquisitors.

I read that this was a commercial success. Which seems unlikely given that the book is long and - as should be evident from the above - not focused on pop topics. But it works. Perhaps even gave a snippet or two of insight into life in systems where the civic and religious authorities manage knowledge and doctrine to maintain power and control.

Very good follow-on to this book, which described events a couple hundred years later - but many of the same concepts crossed over.

"The Name of the Rose" shares many concepts with this book, which is another one that I like an awful lot.