Independent rare book expert Rebecca Romney remembers the great Italian linguist and writer Umberto Eco, who died last week. For a young woman who trained as a linguist; who spent more hours in her college years reading in Latin than reading modern novels; who has a particularly delicate spot for Borges, and for Bruno Schultz; and who found her calling in the rare book world, Umberto Eco was like a lodestar. I feel as if I followed him everywhere. After my first experience with his work, I didn't rush out and buy every book with his name on it; I watched life bring me the opportunities instead. I'd stop in a bookstore and begin searching the shelves for an Eco I hadn't read yet. I especially looked forward to plunking down next to the Essay section in a small independent bookstore on that (always and inevitably) hard carpet, boots splayed... [more Umberto Eco: In Memoriam]
Blog posts by Rebecca Romney
Rebecca Romney is an independent rare book specialist formerly of Bauman Rare Books, where she managed projects in acquisitions, catalogues, and web services, as well as maintaining a portfolio of dedicated collectors building rare book libraries. She began appearing on the History Channel's hit TV show Pawn Stars in 2011, one year after becoming manager of Bauman's Las Vegas gallery. You can find her at www.rebeccaromney.com.