Umberto Eco followed up the enormous success of his semiotic murder-mystery, THE NAME OF THE ROSE, with an equally erudite and intellectually spellbinding novel, the pseudo-thriller FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM. In jest, two editors in Milan and an expert on the Knights Templar invent an elaborate plan linking dozens of occult events with a secret scheme by the Templars to take over the world. The key to their world domination rests at Foucault's Pendulum in Paris. However, various nefarious organizations catch wind of the "plan," and soon what began as an intellectual prank becomes deadly serious.

After his heart attack, Milanese bookseller Yambo Battista's memory for the events of his life utterly deserts him: even his name is gone. All that's left is the culture, pop and otherwise, he has absorbed over his 60+ years--including every book he has ever read--and an elusive thread that ties him to Lila Saba, his first love, with whom he plans to reunite. Then he has another attack, which brings his memory back. Umberto Eco's fantastic tale is, as usual, richly embellished with his remarkable erudition, which extends beyond literary and intellectual concerns to such pop icons as Flash Gordon and Captain Kirk.

A veteran of the Thirty Years War, Roberto della Griva is shipwrecked in the South Seas on a secret mission to the Antipodes. Roberto is saved by the appearance of an abandoned ship, the Daphne, which has enough stores to sustain him. The time aboard the Daphne affords Roberto opportunity to reflect. As he looks back on his loves and education, he is haunted by his doppelganger, whom he has suspected of being on board the ship. The book features the philosophical and scientific digressions and musings which are familiar to the readers of Eco's other novels.

The first book in the Belgariad series, an epic saga of men and gods. A young farmhand, not believing in the ancient stories passed down through the generations, is surprised to find himself embroiled in a quest to battle the evil Torak, a god who has been brought into the world after years of sleep.

A princess, joining the quest for a missing magical orb that may protect the land from Torak, begins to fall in love with the former farmhand Garion, whose powers keep growing stronger. The third book in the Balgariad series.

Travelling in the company of a sorcerer and his daughter has rubbed off on Garion, the farmhand. Though still not fully believing in magic, he begins to rethink his position as the power grows within him. The second book in the "Belgariad" series.

The Hero and Kingpin are kidnapped and stranded in the desert, but only the hero makes it back to avenge the crime in this third part of the trilogy that began with "When Gravity Fails."

In this sequel to "When Gravity Fails," the existence of "the Phoenix File," an alleged agreement between two rival kingpins in the black market, is questioned by competing alliances.

A big wheel in the black market asks a police detective for help in solving a series of brutal murders.

A big wheel in the black market asks a police detective for help in solving a series of brutal murders.

Dave Eggers gathers a second collection of what he considers to be the best writing of the year. Contributors include David Drury, Judy Budnitz, Daniel Voll, David Sedaris--and Lynda Barry with a story in comic-book form.

This exuberant debut novel, a hymn to the blue-collar workers of the world, begins during the Ice Age and ends in the Midwest of the late 20th century. John Kaltenbrunner is the Midwestern farm boy who is at the center of the action.