The Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett
Our Price: $28.76
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.90 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Ken FollettEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Published)
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 973
Publisher: William Morrow and Company, Inc.
Book Reviews of The Pillars of the Earth
Book Review: Beautifully written, historically rich
Summary: 5 Stars
****SPOILER ALERT*** (Tiny little spoiler of something that happens early in the book but you never know what people will get miffed about.)
In 1989 I bought this book because I had read other Follett books and loved them so was excited by a new one. It turned out to be a radical departure from any of his previous books but, oh, what wonderful one. I read the book, all 1,000 pages of it, in a matter of days and was utterly mesmerized by every page. I passed the book on to my Dad who read it in less time than I did and he passed it on to my brother Jack who could not put it down. For a long time after we had all finished it we talked about it. What must it have been like to have lived in those terrible, wonderful times? What must it have been like to build a cathedral?
Some years later when the audio book became available I borrowed it from the library and listened to it again. It was read by one of my favorite actors, Richard E. Grant, who did and amazing job and, as I sat knitting and listening to the story, I lived the whole thing again. It amazes me that even now, 2 decades beyond the time I read it and at least one since I listened to it, I can still remember sections of it with perfect clarity. I can't imagine what could make any writer happier than knowing his story is remembered in such brilliant detail!
Of course to me the story was all about Tom Builder, the carpenter whose dream was to build a cathedral. I was completely in love with Tom and I still recall how bad I felt for him when his wife died --- and how furious I was with him when he boinked the first available woman! But he was a man of consuming passions and I guess they are like that.
Of course there are other memorable characters like the Lady Aliena who starts a business buying and selling wool (I dreamed of living then and doing that) and Tom's amazing step-son Jack who loves her.
The greatest character in the story is, of course, the Cathedral. In writing the book Follett did endless research on cathedral building and it comes alive so fully it is like a living entity. This is a beautifully crafted, historically rich book.
Historical Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Historical Books
Pirate Latitudes: A Novelby Michael Crichton
Harper; Published: 2009-11-24; Roughcut; Book
Best price: $2.28
Price in other shops:
The Master Butchers Singing Club: A Novelby Louise Erdrich
Harper Perennial; Published: 2004-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.83
Price in other shops:
The Last Witchfinder: A Novelby James Morrow
William Morrow; Published: 2006-03-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
Zorroby Isabel Allende
HarperAudio; Published: 2005-05-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
The Hot Kid: A Novelby Elmore Leonard
William Morrow; Published: 2005-05-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.89
Price in other shops:
The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Chronicles Series #1)Mass Market Paperback; Book
Bones of the Hills (Conqueror, Book 3)by Conn Iggulden
Harper Collins Canada; Published: 2008; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $44.70
Marchby Geraldine Brooks
Penguin Books; Published: 2006; Paperback; Book
Girl With a Pearl Earringby Tracy Chevalier
Harper Collins Audio; Published: 2002-06-17; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $34.99
Similar Books and other products
Jackdawsby Ken Follett
Dutton Adult; Published: 2001-12-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.12
Price in other shops:
The Pillars of the Earthby Ken Follett
Signet; Published: 2010-06-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.85
Price in other shops:
The Pillars of the Earth (Deluxe Edition) (Oprah's Book Club)by Ken Follett
NAL Trade; Published: 2007-11-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.69
Price in other shops:
Pillars of the Earth (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)by Ken Follett
Turtleback; Published: 1996-06-01; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $12.00
Price in other shops:
Shantaram: A Novelby Gregory David Roberts
St. Martin's Press; Published: 2004-10-13; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.24
Price in other shops:
Eye of the Needle (The Best Mysteries of All Time)by Ken Follett
Readers Digest; Published: 2002-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $40.99
Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy)by Ken Follett
Dutton Adult; Published: 2010-09-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.00
Price in other shops:
World Without Endby Ken Follett
Dutton Adult; Published: 2007-10-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops:
World Without Endby Ken Follett
Signet; Published: 2010-07-27; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.57
Price in other shops:
The Pillars of the EarthSony; Release date: 2010-11-23; DVD
Best price: $25.67
Price in other shops: