Genre: Book
Grade: A-
Notable People: Ken Follett
Title: Pillars of the Earth
Review: This almost 8 pound, 1000-page hardcover book took me a month to read (some read In between for a break) and gave me forearm cramps juts holding it up (might want to consider this one on kindle). But-its’ a beauty. Follett is a master writer of spy fiction-dating back to the Cold War- but took a break in 1989, defying convention, to write this, the first of three works on medieval history/culture and the building of the giant European cathedrals. This book has it all: love, lust, extreme evil, power brokering rarely seen, extraordinary perseverance, enlightenment, scientific discovery- all around the lives of a group of people in 12th century Britain, over a 60-year period and amidst the building of a historically designed massive cathedral (without power tools). It is an amazing wok of historical fiction and filled with unique highs and lows in the reading of it. Hard not to love and hate the characters and hard to take the sheer brutality of the lust for power and control, but this is a brilliant piece of work worthy of your time (a lot of it). And, Follett’s circa 2000 updated intro is worth the price of admission