Speaking Volumes

On Thursday September 25, 2008 Beckish Senior Center’s BookWorms will be discussing Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth.  When this book was chosen for our book group I inwardly winced.

I must admit, by description it is everything I do not like in my personnel reading:  It’s unbelievably long (over 800 pages).  It’s about monks, architecture, and politics.  It’s historical.   I must also confess I approached it with dread, sure it would be a chore.

I recognize this is NOT the way to approach a book and certainly can unfairly doom it before the cover is cracked.  At the same time, several people I trust told me they had enjoyed the book.  It received wonderful word of mouth reviews and was chosen by Oprah.  I was still leery.

I have just finished the book and much to my surprise, I truly enjoyed it.  Descriptions of the book and its contents do not do it justice.  True it is all those characteristics described, but much more.  It is a book about faith, family, the cycles of life and the triumph of justice.  It prompted me to research facts and figures referenced in the story and changed my vision, such that I will never look at a cathedral the same way again.

I believe it is a strong testament to a book that can be approached with such negativity and still win the heart of its reader.  This was a book I would have never picked and am now considering reading its sequel, World Without End.  It is nice to be reminded that we can take a chance on a book and be pleasantly surprised.

If you’ve not read Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, I do recommend it.  If you have, I’m certain all of us  Bookworms would enjoy hearing your thoughts.

  Both Pillars and World Without End  are available at the Library.