A Canticle for Leibowitz
by Walter M. Miller Jr.
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.16 You Save: $8.83 (59%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $2.99 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of A Canticle for Leibowitz
Book Review: One of the great post apocalyptic novels
Summary: 5 Stars
If a man were only to write one novel in his lifetime, there are very few that could top this. This is a very disturbing, funny, and angry piece of writing. It takes place somewhere in the Utah high desert in the aftermath of a nuclear war. The abbey in the Utah desert preserves what is left of the "pre-deluge" knowledge of mankind and the technological secrets that led to the apocalypse of a Nuclear War. This is not only great science fiction, it is great modern literature. The storyline is easy to follow in itself but there are symbols and allegories lurking just underneath the surface of the prose and descriptive narratives that bring the reader back again to study this book. There is a lot of Latin and the tradition of the Catholic church as a refuge for knowledge is part of the book's central theme. What lies beneath is a morality play; the medieval mentality that technology and knowledge are some how dangerous secrets reemerges in the aftermath of the apocalypse. "Lucifer" will rise again-"lucifer" being technology-a kind of Frankenstein's monster.
The book moves through time and starts in the darkness of the post-apocalypse. A young initiate to the Utah Abbey is spending a hermitage in the desert and finds, through the help of a wandering pilgrim, an old fallout shelter. Inside the shelter he finds some notes that were written by a Jewish Engineer (the mythical founder of the Abbey) who was part of the military industrial complex. His shopping list from his wife "Pound pastrami, can of kraut, six bagels--bring home for Emma," becomes a kind of secret, cryptic document and his engineering scribbles become an ancient, secret tome. There is a kind of dark humor here that shouldn't escape the reader. Censorship and suppression of knowledge by the church is a central theme and it is very important to grasp some of the significance of this when reading this novel for the first time.
As the novel jumps through time, there is theme throughout of the circularity of man's fate in the world. Through his discoveries and technological gains, mankind creates the seeds for his own destruction. This book is a profound meditation on the dark ages and the idea that scientific knowledge can be dangerous is the central theme. It is best for the reader to familiarize his or herself with some Latin phrases and it is good to read this book with a dictionary nearby. Underneath all of the prose are hidden messages and underlying thematic currents that are masterfully conceptualized and presented.
This was the author's only novel during his life time and it is an expansion of some of his short stories that he published in the Sci-Fi Zines' of the 50's. This is definitely a period piece and hearkens back to the cold war and the threat of nuclear war which hovered over that generation. It strikes a chord for me in that when I was living through the end of the cold war, I was convinced that the end of western civilization was an inevitability. I started reading "The Road" and it led me back to this novel which I had read in my college days. This is a book that should be visited again and again. Within its pages lies a wealth of knowledge, incredible symbolism and allegory and it is an angry, profound piece of post-apocalyptic writing. It stands on its own with novels such as the Beach & the Road. I recommend it for all readers who are interested in this literary genre.
Book Review: Humanity: New Scenario... Same choice
Summary: 5 Stars
"A Canticle for Leibowitz" is a post-nuclear holocaust drama set primarily within the walls of a Catholic monastery in the middle of what was once the United States of America. It is divided into three parts, roughly six centuries apart, beginning about six hundred years after a global nuclear event. The story finds the monks of a religious order striving to preserve knowledge and culture (as had been the case in the middle ages) in the hope that it will benefit humanity at some future date when mankind once again attempts to establish an ordered and (hopefully) just civilization--at least more ordered and more just than the last. The question which pervades the story is this: Is all knowledge good and therefore worthy of preservation? Or is it possible that the use (or misuse) of some knowledge has led humanity to nearly annihilate itself?
The story is brilliant, down to the final detail. Miller's work is a reflection on humanity's struggle for objective "progress" while, due to his fallen nature, inevitably digressing into a subjective relativism which--though under the guise of service to mankind--is actually oriented to the service of self. Miller's grasp of the nature and purpose of the Catholic Christian Church is exceptional (Miller converted to Catholicism after serving in World War II), and his reflections demonstrate the applicability of "old" (traditional/universal) Christian principles to new scenarios and circumstances. "Canticle" also shows the resilience of ancient heresies in their ability to resurrect themselves with newer, more "sensible" packaging. Miller's characters even muse on the fact that good intentions entered into with complete sincerity are still not sufficient to render an act as "good"; as the Abbot of the monastery reflects, "Perhaps Satan was the sincerest of the lot."
I find no weaknesses in this book to speak of. Some have lamented upon the relatively frequent use of Latin (which is not always translated), though usually its meaning can be gleaned from the context (the reader can also find translations using a search with "Leibowitz Latin translation"). Others have attempted to dismiss Miller's reflections and even Catholicism itself due to the fact that Miller--who suffered from clinical depression--took his own life decades later. This misses the point entirely; humanity's nature is fallen, and even knowledge of the Truth is not sufficient--it is a day to day battle, and in moments of weakness, any of us can succumb to the darkness.
I would not only identify "A Canticle for Leibowitz" as a good read, but a MUST-read for anyone interested in the so called "post-apocalyptic" genre, but even more so for those who themselves desire a deeper reflection on humanity's existential place, purpose, and ultimate destiny.
Other books of similar genre and/or philosophical reflection:
Father Elijah: An Apocalypse
Dominion I: Seed (A 7-book apocalyptic epic)
Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman (a sequel published posthumously, though possibly "tainted" by Miller's illness and a second writer)
Book Review: Truely a Timeless Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow. I just finished reading Miller's "Canticle for Leibowitz", and the first thing that comes to mind is that it is as relevent today as it was when it was first written in 1955 and '56. Don't be put off by the beginning, which at first may seem somewhat obscure. Nor should you allow the religious themes to be a distraction--this book clearly wasn't written as a diatribe for one belief system or against another. Miller uses religious and cultural allegories with which he is familiar. It would be difficult however, not to see the greater parallel with consideration for humanity's future in this well written book. Keep in mind that this was written during the height of the cold war, when it was normal to practice weekly or monthly duck-&-cover and fallout shelter evacuation drills at work, at school, in public in the United States (and elsewhere, I'd guess).
Imagine an Earth not only post-nuclear apocalypse, but about 600 years down the road, after a complete cultural meltdown. No books, no schools, no motor-cars, not a single luxury (sorry). A Catholic monastary becomes a major source of preserved knowledge, taking its name from a former scientist of the nuclear age who repented his part in the destruction of Earth and encouraged the preservation of remaining knowledge with the hope that humanity could do better. Maybe it's religion's own penence for past eras of book burning and opression, but these dedicated monks are in it to preserve knowledge regardless of whether it agrees with their beliefs or not, dedicating their existence to the preservation of written knowledge the way bootleggers dedicated their lives to the production and transport of alcohol in the U.S. when it was prohibited. Hence the term Booklegger (I love it!).
Just when you come to know a generation of monks, time moves on. Don't be disappointed, the next generation (monks and all!) is as fascinating as that which preceeded it. It wasn't difficult to recognize human elements of behavior, or to appreciate his diversity among characters. The development of character and plot are both excellent. There are 3 major time periods, each highlighting a different period in this new humanity's development. Some things are familiar, some not surprising, and a few are...unusual.
One may take from this book any number of thoughts. The positives and negatives of religion, philosophy, art, politics and humanity in general are all present here. Like other memorable works of fiction, "Canticle" offers, to a degree, what the reader is willing to consider based upon that reader's knowledge. I believe I found the story all the more profound with the recently re-awakened concerns about nuclear power (and weapons) in our world. I came away from this book with a deep appreciation for what we do have in our world today, and a strong and sincere hope that we are wise enough to hold on to it and make it a better and safer place for our children. Read Walter M. Miller Jr's book and see what you think. And thanks, Dad, for recommending the book!
Book Review: Beauitful, challenging, and morally insistent
Summary: 5 Stars
A Canticle for Leibowitz was written in the shadow of the Cold War, and it's easy to be thankful that we managed not to destroy ourselves in a nuclear holocaust, but the deeper questions about the way we use knowledge and the dangers of science misapplied are important and vital. Miller puts together a riveting story about the cyclical nature of human history and the tension between faith and reason (or church and state if you prefer, although there's much more at stake than that). We are taken on a trek through the centuries as man recovers from a nuclear holocaust, the Church is left for centuries as the last guardians of human knowledge, and eventually civilization is rebuilt only to collapse again in a second nuclear war.
Throughout, we bear witness to the folly not of man's quest for knowledge, but of man's quest for knowledge without the moral compass necessary to guide that quest. For centuries, the abbey of the monks of St. Leibowitz (a scientist, and then martyr, who founded the order to protect and perpetuate science and knowledge through the post-apocalyptic dark age) is the last home to the books of the devastated civilization, and it becomes a metaphor for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It's the knowledge contained in the books that dooms mankind to repeatedly destroy itself, and failure to eat of that fruit could save us all. But it's also more complicated than that. There is never any question that the preservation of the books is a noble calling, so it becomes even more imperative that man learn to use that knowledge wisely. Reason may provide what salvation we can hope to find in life, but it may also destroy us.
The only character to reappear throughout every age is the Wandering Jew, cursed to keep searching for the Second Coming. Interestingly enough, he never finds Jesus. We are left to wonder at the end if he will ever find peace, although the closing scene offers some hope that he will. There is an interesting scene in the beginning in which he is mistaken for Leibowitz, and another scene later in which he refers to Leibowitz as a former kinsman, and of course we are left to consider that Leibowitz - a Jew - has become one of the most important saints in a new Catholic rebirth.
The very last scene of this book is the one I find most complex. I think you could level a complain that Miller simply resorts to a (more or less) literal deus ex machina, but I also think (given the rest of this incredibly intricate book) that that would be a disservice to the author. The restoration of innocence comes from a deeply unlikely place, and the narrative arc for this character raises far more issues than it solves. At the risk of ruining one of the best puzzles Miller has to offer, though, I will say no more.
Except this: read this book. It is one of the finest works of the last half century, and it is one of the finest pieces of science fiction ever put to paper.
Book Review: Excellent Read!
Summary: 5 Stars
Originally written in the late 1950s, Walter M. Miller Jr.'s most famous work is still an enjoyable read in my mind. The author skillfully wove together a character driven story of the interplays between faith, technology, and pride. "A Canticle for Liebowitz" combines darkness and ironic humor in a way which takes advantage of both without overplaying either. Likewise the novel's treatment of faith and science is generally very well set up by Miller.
The plot is divided into three main parts:
I. Set several centuries after a twentieth century nuclear war, a Catholic monk in training discovers potentially important documents in an abandoned fallout shelter in the deserts of Utah. Part I is essentially the story of the preservation of the past that successfully manages to merge dark ages/medieval imagery with the genre of post-apocalyptic science fiction.
II. Set roughly six centuries or so later, Part II focuses on a time period rather reminisent of the Age of Reason in Europe (the weapons technology appears roughly at 1600s-1700s level). The ruthless monarch of Texarkana has become a major power on a scene divided between a number of other states (eg. the Empire of Denver), nomadic plains peoples almost certainly meant to resemble the Plains tribes of the American West, and the Papacy in New Rome. One of the main conflicts in Part II is not political however, it is the growing clash between religion and secular science including over how to interpret the generation of Liebowitz (a twentieth century scientist). There is also some conflict between fundamentalist minded Catholics and more scientific Catholics within the abbey.
III. Set roughly six centuries after Part II, Part III tells the story of the possibly final generation of humans on earth. Atomic weapons have once again been invented and humanity has advanced in technology to the point where colonies are being started in other solar systems. On earth, the Atlantic Confederacy and its Asiatic nemesis are moving to the brink of a war that threatens once again to destroy human civilization and perhaps even more completely (at least on Earth) than the last one. Part III deals with very serious issues ranging from euthanasia to nuclear war to the definition of being human. Faith and society clash as the clock ticks down towards the endgame which seems so inevitable. I personally wander whether Miller had read "On the Beach" as the topic of euthanasia after a nuclear assault comes up in this novel as well (Miller seems to take a differeing view from Shute).
Overall, "A Canticle for Liebowitz" combines excellent penmanship with interesting storylines. While parts may be slightly dated considering when it was written, the overall work holds up quite nicely. I highly recommend it.