What do you know about Umberto Eco’s novel ‘The Name of the Rose’? How it is a mystery for him?

In his interview Eco tells Mukund that through writing he reaches a larger audience. He points out his identification with the academic community. Immediately Mukund questioned Eco ‘How his novel The Name of the Rose’ is a very serious novel. It is a detective novel as well as it deals with metaphysics, theology and medieval history. Thus it is a deep and difficult novel. In a very modest and considerate mood, Eco replies that the most journalists and publishers believe that readers are in the habit of reading ‘trash material’ and they don’t like difficult reading experiences.

Eco further tells that the sale of his book has proved that it is not the truth. There are six billion people on this planet. Between 10 to 15 million copies of the novel have been sold. In a way it has reached only a small percentage of readers. This shows that readers do not want easy experiences. The novel deals with a period of medieval history. Mukund questions and it could be the reason of its success. But Eco tells that a lot of books were written about the medieval history before his novel. Eco says that the success of his book is a mystery for him.