The Island of the Day Before
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| The Island of the Day Before | |
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| Author | Umberto Eco |
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| Original title | L’isola del giorno prima |
| Translator | William Weaver |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Secker & Warburg (UK)
Harcourt (US) |
| Publication date | 1995 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 513 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-436-20270-0 (UK)
0151001510 (US) |
| Preceded by | Foucault's Pendulum |
| Followed by | Baudolino |
The Island of the Day Before (L'isola del giorno prima) is a 1994 novel by Umberto Eco. It is the story of a 17th century Italian nobleman who is the only survivor of a shipwreck during a fierce storm. He finds himself washed up on an abandoned ship in a harbour through which, he convinces himself, runs the International Date Line. Although he can see land, his inability to swim leaves him marooned and he begins to reminisce about his life and his love. He becomes obsessed about his allegedly evil twin brother, who is split from his own persona through a process reminiscent of the doppelganger effect, and thus accusing him of all the bad things that happened in his life. The brother takes blame mainly for his bad choices and is present to sweeten the disappointments of life . Through this reminiscence he becomes convinced that all his troubles will end, if only he can reach the land. The story is told from the point of view of a modern editor who has sorted through the man's papers. Exactly how the papers were preserved and eventually handed down to the editor remains a point of conjecture.
[edit] Trivia
This work contains subtle references to Eco's previous novels. In one example, the captain of the Daphne mentions that he has heard stories of men who were poisoned by moistening their fingers with saliva before turning the pages of certain books; this was a crucial plot point in Eco's first novel The Name of the Rose.
