Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Books read in 2017: No. 32 -- A Canticle For Leibowitz

by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Started: Sept. 19
Finished: Sept. 26

Notes: Here's another classic work I've been meaning to read for years, this time science fiction.

Mini review: This covers particular points in the history of a monastery during an 1,800-year period following a nuclear war. That description pales to the reality, and even sounds trite to my ears, but it's basic enough without giving anything away. There is much in this book to digest, and it is a good book. A very good book. Easy to read but with hidden depths, I'm not convinced it's good enough to have earned the near-mythic reputation it holds in some circles, nor the extent of study that has been heaped upon it, but to quote the late John Gardner, I'm a believer of "criticism makes art sound more intellectual than it is ..." Still, definitely worth reading, even for folks who aren't fans of sci-fi.

1 comment:

Charles Gramlich said...

I don't think it's overrated. It's one of my top ten SF books of all time. I should reread it. I remember how much I enjoyed it the first time but that was long ago now.