Book 83: "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco

They had no idea of the pandemonium they were unleashing. Andreae spent the rest of his life swearing he hadn't written the manifestoes, which he claimed were a lusus, a ludibrium, a prank. It cost him his academic reputation. He grew angry, said that the Rosicrucians, if indeed they existed, were all impostors. But that didn't help. Once the manifestoes appeared, it was as if people had been waiting for them. Learned men from all over Europe actually wrote to the Rosicrucians, and since there was no address, they sent open letters, pamphlets, printed volumes.

Casaubon, Belbo and Diotallevi are editors working on a series of esoteric books for a Milan publisher. As a game, they decide to create their own Templar mystery, basing it on bits and pieces from the manuscripts that have been submitted to the publisher, but when someone starts taking their theory seriously, they are in big trouble.

My favourite part was when Casaubon's wife Lia presented him with her prosaic interpretation of the document that started it all off!

Nottingham Round the World Reading Challenge - ITALY - MILAN

Book 84: "The Cat Who Walks Through Walls" by Robert A. Heinlein

I don't think I've read anything by Heinlein since "Time Enough For Love" (the story of Lazarus Long, who also appears in the latter part of this book), which I think I read when I was still at school and much less critical than I am nowadays.

Richard Ames, aka Colin Campbell is the most irritating protagonist I've come across since I read "Headlong" by Michael Frayn! He is arrogant and condescending, speaks in an arch and mannered way, and practically every woman he meets wants to marry him, even though he keeps going on about wanting to spank their pink bottoms. Grrr!