Numero Zero by Umberto Eco

"Numero Zero" by Umberto Eco, translated from Italian to English by Richard Dixon. This book is published by Random house in 2015 and has 208 pages.

Colonna, a loser and unsuccessful writer, is approached by Simei to work for an as-yet conceptual newspaper's Zero issue and simultaneously ghost write a book, creatively describing the journey of this newspaper, for Simei. There is a conspiracy theory. 

Who has purported conspiracy theories? What does Colonna know? What about Mussolini?

This book is about conspiracy theories, one of which is that Mussolini did not die when the world thought he did. This theory is introduced for the first time when the book is half way through. Till then the story ambles along without much happening. 

It appears as if the author is confused if he wants to write what happens at the newspaper or he wants to write about Mussolini.  In trying to step on both stones he ends up neither here nor there. I decided to read the book after reading the blurb in Bookworld in Dubai mall that emphasizes on Mussolini angle. 

Character of Braggadocio spews conspiracy theories one after another. He is killed. Why? By who? Maia is a lady lost in her own train of thoughts. Colonna appears to be more capable than his achievements. 

Author has a style of writing long nested sentences. The book is written for Italian readers assuming they know all the references. However international readers will either have to go to Internet to understand the references or simply skip them. 

What is the message that author wants to give? Conspiracy theories? Paranoia? Life goes on?

I actually started reading the original Italian book but gave up after a few pages and read the English translation. But I wasn't satisfied with it either. 

AVOID.