by Umberto Eco
First published 1997
When an odd platypus stumbles into the ivory tower, philosophers scramble to define its fuzzy existence. Eco weaves a series of playful fables exploring the thorny relationship between language, experience, and reality. Through the platypus's eyes, we see the limits of human rationality and the surprising ways our common sense can lead us astray. At the heart of these delightful digressions lies a profound meditation on the slippery nature of meaning itself.
Genres: fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water
464 pages · Hardcover · Harcourt Brace & Company