Limits of Interpretation
A collection of essays by Umberto Eco on how far a reader may go in interpreting a text before interpretation becomes overinterpretation. Writing as a semiotician as well as a novelist, Eco pushes back against readings that make a text mean anything at all, arguing there are limits set by the work itself. The essays range across literary theory, semiotics, and examples drawn from literature. For a book club it is a demanding but rewarding read about the act of reading, best for groups that enjoy arguing about meaning.