Best-selling author Umberto Eco's latest work unlocks the riddles of history in an exploration of the 'linguistics of the lunatic,' stories told by scholars, scientists, poets, fanatics, and ordinary people in order to make sense of the world. Exploring the 'Force of the False,' Eco uncovers layers of mistakes that have shaped human history, such as Columbus's assumption that the world was much smaller than it is, leading him to seek out a quick route to the East via the West and thus fortuitous