This is a book which stems from the author's account of the genesis of his celebrated novel, The Name of the Rose, but which, like the novel itself, goes far beyond the particular. Eco's investigation of the mechanics of fiction expands into a debate that encompasses, in a small space, the workings of the imagination, the responsibilities of the novelist, and the blend of invention, research, and distilled commonsense that goes to make up the modern novel. Along the way, he touches on bad books, ideal readers, historical form, and the metaphysics of the detective story.