RIP Harper Lee and Umberto Eco

We Bid Farewell to Novelists Harper Lee and Umberto Eco

Two giants of literature passed away on Friday, February 19th. Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird, passed away in her sleep at the age of 89 in her home in Monroeville, Alabama. Although To King A Mockingbird was the only novel she published, it had a huge impact and has never stopped being a bestseller to this day. Last year she also published the original version that was to become To Kill A Mockingbird, titled Go Set A Watchman.

To Kill A Mockingbird is one of the few books that I has to read for school that I actually liked, and still remember today. I have been dubious about reading Go Set A Watchman because of some mixed reviews, but a recent online discussion has convinced me to give it a try. I'll probably try to re-watch Gregory Peck's great portrayal of Atticus Finch soon in the movie version of To Kill A Mockingbird.

Also on Friday in Milan, Italy, semiotician and philosopher  Umberto Eco passed away at the age of 84. The author of seven novels and other manuscripts, he is most famous for the best-selling The Name of The Rose, a medieval mystery that is dense with symbol and philosophy. I read it a while ago, and I enjoyed it a lot. The atmosphere is great, and the way he weaves the symbology into it made me feel like I was starting to think like a medieval monk. The Name of the Rose was also made into a movie starring Sean Connery.

Rest in peace to both.