I haven't seen any posts, so I guess it's up to me to open one. As many of you may know, two great authors of world litterature of the XXth century died today. So, you know...Fuck.
Harper Lee from Alabama. She authored only two books, including one of the great masterpieces of modern american litterature, To Kill a Mockingbird and the unforgettable Atticus Finch, an unforgettable figure of the fight against racism.
And Umberto Eco, italian author and philosopher, had published many many books. He is particularly remember for Il nomme della Rosa (The name of the Rose), a very intellectual "medieval mystery novel", intertwined with philosphy and semiotics.
There's not much to say about this, but I feel truly sad. Although I only discovered Harper Lee late, Eco had an big ingluence on me as a young reader. He was a bridge, from my classics and easy readings to more conceptual litterature. If you haven't read their work, I highly recommend both those authors, and almost all of their work.
Advanced Wordsmith