flâneur

A Guide to Thesis-Writing and a Guide to Life | The New Yorker

newyorker.com · 1,551 words · saved by 1 readers

Writing and research manuals like Umberto Eco’s “How to Write a Thesis” offer a vision of our best selves.

Save this story Save this story “How to Write a Thesis,” by Umberto Eco, first appeared on Italian bookshelves in 1977. For Eco, the playful philosopher and novelist best known for his work on semiotics, there was a practical reason for writing it. Up until 1999, a thesis of original research was required of every student pursuing the Italian equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. Collecting his thoughts on the thesis process would save him the trouble of reciting the same advice to students each year. Since its publication, “How to Write a Thesis” has gone through twenty-three editions in Italy a

saved by

related reading