Book Log 2012 #24: The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is, perhaps, the most famous literary forgery in the world. Based on selections from 19th century fiction and first published in Russia at the start of the 20th century, its ultimate origin is unkown. In this novel, Eco introduces us to its original (and fictional) author, an Italian anti-Semite whose work as an intelligence agent and forger goes wrong during the wars of Italian unification, resulting in an exile in Paris, where he eventually works his way back into both professions.

Most of the book focuses on reminiscences written by the character after he's been robbed. The writings are an attempt to remember what happened, and are often interspersed with the writings of a mysterious French cleric who has strikingly good knowledge of the man and his life.

Eco said in writing the book he was trying to make the main character the most cynical and descpicable character in all of literature, and it was a pretty good attempt. The character has no great love for anyone, has no loyalties outside of himself, and gets into intelligence mainly as a way to make more money than from forging alone. The rest of the characters in the book are real-life figures, though it's unclear to me how much these characters deviate from their actual lives (I assume as much as to allow for the main character to operate, at least).

I liked the book, I think. I often find myself feeling like I don't get everything that Eco packs into his novels, either from not reading closely enough (he's not exactly light reading for the commute) or from not being as familiar with the historical background of the books as I could be. It's certainly more accessible than his more recent novels.