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The Pillars of the Earth
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The Pillars of the Earth Hardcover - 1989

by Ken Follett


About this book

The Pillars of the Earth is an historical novel by Welsh author Ken Follett that centers on the building of a Gothic cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England in the mid-twelfth century. Set against the backdrop of The Anarchy after the sinking of a ship containing King Henry I’s only legitimate heir, the story interweaves themes of intrigue, conspiracy, politics and religion as master builder Tom Builder and the visionary Prior Philip build a cathedral over 50 years. An Oprah Book Club selection in 2007, it was made into an eight-part miniseries in 2010. 

Published in 1989, Pillars of the Earth was a major departure from Follett’s usual spy and thriller genre, but was enormously successful and continues to be so. In 2007 he published a long-awaited sequel World Without End, and later A Column of Fire in 2017 as the third book in the Kingsbridge Series.

Summary

Ken Follett is known worldwide as the master of split-second suspense, but his most beloved and bestselling book tells the magnificent tale of a twelfth-century monk driven to do the seemingly impossible: build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known. Everything readers expect from Follett is here: intrigue, fast-paced action, and passionate romance. But what makesThe Pillars of the Earth extraordinary is the time—the twelfth century; the place—feudal England; and the subject—the building of a glorious cathedral. Follett has re-created the crude, flamboyant England of the Middle Ages in every detail. The vast forests, the walled towns, the castles, and the monasteries become a familiar landscape. Against this richly imagined and intricately interwoven backdrop, filled with the ravages of war and the rhythms of daily life, the master storyteller draws the reader irresistibly into the intertwined lives of his characters—into their dreams, their labors, and their loves: Tom, the master builder; Aliena, the ravishingly beautiful noblewoman; Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge; Jack, the artist in stone; and Ellen, the woman of the forest who casts a terrifying curse. From humble stonemason to imperious monarch, each character is brought vividly to life. The building of the cathedral, with the almost eerie artistry of the unschooled stonemasons, is the center of the drama. Around the site of the construction, Follett weaves a story of betrayal, revenge, and love, which begins with the public hanging of an innocent man and ends with the humiliation of a king. At once a sensuous and endearing love story and an epic that shines with the fierce spirit of a passionate age,The Pillars of the Earth is without a doubt Ken Follett’s masterpiece.

From the publisher

Ken Follett is known worldwide as the master of split-second suspense, but his most beloved and bestselling book tells the magnificent tale of a twelfth-century monk driven to do the seemingly impossible: build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known.

Everything readers expect from Follett is here: intrigue, fast-paced action, and passionate romance. But what makes The Pillars of the Earth extraordinary is the time the twelfth century; the place feudal England; and the subject the building of a glorious cathedral. Follett has re-created the crude, flamboyant England of the Middle Ages in every detail. The vast forests, the walled towns, the castles, and the monasteries become a familiar landscape. Against this richly imagined and intricately interwoven backdrop, filled with the ravages of war and the rhythms of daily life, the master storyteller draws the reader irresistibly into the intertwined lives of his characters into their dreams, their labors, and their loves: Tom, the master builder; Aliena, the ravishingly beautiful noblewoman; Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge; Jack, the artist in stone; and Ellen, the woman of the forest who casts a terrifying curse. From humble stonemason to imperious monarch, each character is brought vividly to life.

The building of the cathedral, with the almost eerie artistry of the unschooled stonemasons, is the center of the drama. Around the site of the construction, Follett weaves a story of betrayal, revenge, and love, which begins with the public hanging of an innocent man and ends with the humiliation of a king.

At once a sensuous and endearing love story and an epic that shines with the fierce spirit of a passionate age, The Pillars of the Earth is without a doubt Ken Follett's masterpiece."

First Edition Identification

The true first edition of Pillars of the Earth is the UK edition, published by Macmillan in black cloth with gilt spine lettering, in a pictorial jacket featuring lightening striking a distant cathedral. As is customary for Macmillan UK, the first edition reads “First published 1989” on the copyright page. The first US edition was published subsequently in tan boards and a jacket featuring a gargoyle. It has a number line on the copyright page that starts with one and is noted “First Edition”. First UK editions might currently fetch $300-500, depending on whether it’s signed (Follett’s signature is not uncommon) and US editions $150-250.

Details

  • Title The Pillars of the Earth
  • Author Ken Follett
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition FIRST EDITION
  • Pages 973
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher William Morrow, New York
  • Date 1989
  • ISBN 9780688046590
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The Pillars of the Earth

by Follett, Ken

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The Pillars of the Earth

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The Pillars of the Earth

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The Pillars of the Earth

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The Pillars of the Earth
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The Pillars of the Earth

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