MILAN—Umberto Eco started with a novel that set the world’s imagination on fire.
The Italian author and academic who intrigued, puzzled, and delighted readers worldwide with his best-selling medieval thriller, “The Name of the Rose,” died at home in Milan on Friday evening after a battle with cancer, according to a family member who asked not to be identified.
His death was earlier confirmed by his American publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Eco’s contribution to Italian literature was lauded by political and cultural figures alike. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday at Milan’s Sforza Castle, a grand citadel which is overlooked by Eco’s book-filled house.
Italian writer Umberto Eco waits to visit Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci's painting "The last Supper," in Milan, Italy, on Aug. 1, 2015. Daniel Dal Zennaro/ANSA via AP
