Umberto Eco

Umberto Eco was born to Giulio and Giovanna Eco in Alessandria, Italy. His father was a business accountant and encouraged his interest in literature and philosophy.

Eco enrolls at the University of Turin to study law but quickly switches to medieval philosophy and literature, laying the foundation for his future academic and literary pursuits.

Eco completes his doctorate in philosophy with a thesis on the aesthetics of St. Thomas Aquinas, which later influences his academic and literary work.

Eco begins working at RAI, the Italian national public service broadcaster, as a cultural editor, where he produces and hosts programs on literature and philosophy.

Eco's first major academic work, 'La struttura assente' (The Absent Structure), is published, marking his entry into the field of semiotics and structuralism.

Eco is appointed as the first Professor of Semiotics at the University of Bologna, where he continues to teach and conduct research for many years.

Eco's debut novel, 'The Name of the Rose,' is published and becomes an international bestseller, blending historical fiction with semiotic theory and medieval mystery.

Eco's second novel, 'Foucault's Pendulum,' is released, further cementing his reputation as a master of complex, intellectual storytelling and semiotic analysis.

Eco is awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge, recognizing his contributions to literature, philosophy, and semiotics.

Umberto Eco passes away in his home in Milan, leaving behind a legacy of influential academic works and beloved novels that continue to inspire readers and scholars worldwide.