Ian Marshall is a dear friend of mine who I've known since before high school. He now teaches English Language and Media Studies to A-Level students in North Yorkshire, England.

I hope you all had a good Xmas and New Year. We had a very pleasant holiday. I don’t know if Richard told you but we all went to Scotland for Hogmanay. The scenery, weather and company were all very agreeable. One of the things I enjoyed most was the opportunity to catch up on some reading. Yes, I finally got round to reading your book. I must say that I found it very enjoyable. As an educator I feel that you have introduced Eco, Semiotics and the notion of Structuralism in a very clear and accessible way. At first I thought that the idea of introducing the text as narrator was a little corny but as I progressed I came to see that it was a very useful device, particularly to those who have been brought up to see the text as an extension of the author. Far too many English teachers approach texts with biographical data about the author. This approach results in students seeing the thoughts of any narrator as those of the author. The shock value of alienating the text from its author will make many a reader question their preconceptions (I hope). One of the main strengths of your text is the use of examples to illustrate the basic concepts of semiotics. These examples are illuminating and relevant. I’m sure that the average 18 year old will be able to relate to and interpret your examples with ease. Overall, a very accessible and informative book, I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an insight into Eco’s texts. Perhaps your next project could be to produce an introduction to semiotics - a clear accessible guide is yet to be written as far as I can see.

Ian Marshall
Email: ci-marshall@lineone.net