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Place Called Freedom
by
Ken Follett (Goodreads Author)
Sentenced to a life of misery in the Scottish coal mines, twenty-one-year-old Mack McAsh hungers for escape. His only ally: beautiful high-born Lizzie Hallim, who is trapped in her own kind of hell.
In 1766, from the teeming streets of London to the infernal hold of a slave ship headed for the American colonies to a sprawling Virginia plantation, two restless young people,...more
In 1766, from the teeming streets of London to the infernal hold of a slave ship headed for the American colonies to a sprawling Virginia plantation, two restless young people,...more
ebook, 0 pages
Published
November 17th 2010
by Fawcett
(first published 1995)
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Forget team Edward or team Jacob--
When I picked up this book it was only because I dissolve into the pages of every Ken Follett book I read.
Follett took me back in time to Scotland and I was that girl working in the mines six days a week. I felt the burn of the leather strap that pressed against my forehead as I dragged a load too heavy for my small frame to bear, not giving in to the danger, the fear, the exhaustion.
Then he introduced me to Mac McAsh and I fell deeply in love. He was also fro...more
When I picked up this book it was only because I dissolve into the pages of every Ken Follett book I read.
Follett took me back in time to Scotland and I was that girl working in the mines six days a week. I felt the burn of the leather strap that pressed against my forehead as I dragged a load too heavy for my small frame to bear, not giving in to the danger, the fear, the exhaustion.
Then he introduced me to Mac McAsh and I fell deeply in love. He was also fro...more
This has a very different flavor from other Ken Follet works I have read. As opposed to modern-world, conspiracy/espionage stories I had come across earlier, this novel is a historical.
The story starts in early 18th century, in coal mines of Scotland, where every miner's sons are enslaved at birth to the lord of the mine. Thus, miners are enslaved generation after generation, and live in torturous conditions till they die of illness or accident. Young McAsh finds out that this inhuman treatment...more
The story starts in early 18th century, in coal mines of Scotland, where every miner's sons are enslaved at birth to the lord of the mine. Thus, miners are enslaved generation after generation, and live in torturous conditions till they die of illness or accident. Young McAsh finds out that this inhuman treatment...more
I liked this book for a different reason then I like some other book sIve read.
This was the last christmas gift I ever gave my father for christmas 1995, I was very sick in 1996 and didnt get gifts for any one, he died before the next christmas, I had not been thinking of it or able to read it until recently, I found the book that I gave him , I never asked him what he thought about it, that is one of the best things about reading a book is being able to talk with some body about it.
I liked the...more
This was the last christmas gift I ever gave my father for christmas 1995, I was very sick in 1996 and didnt get gifts for any one, he died before the next christmas, I had not been thinking of it or able to read it until recently, I found the book that I gave him , I never asked him what he thought about it, that is one of the best things about reading a book is being able to talk with some body about it.
I liked the...more
Lizzie Hallim est une jeune fille de la noblesse, élevée par sa mère dans l'attente d'un mariage qui préservera leur riche propriété de High Glen. Mais Lizzie n'en fait qu'à sa tête et n'hésite pas à flirter avec le cadet de Lord Jamisson, dont on sait qu'il n'aura aucun héritage. Mack MacAsh est un mineur épris de liberté, aux idées révolutionnaires, qui va tomber malgré lui sous le charme de Lizzie. Ces deux-là se croiseront tout au long du roman, dans des circonstances de plus en plus artific...more
An informative historical adventure
Follett's A Place Called Freedom was one of the most requested books when I worked at a now-defunct used book store more than 10 years ago. I finally got around to reading it and I can see why it was in such demand.
Follett introduces the reader to the turbulent politics on 1760s England, Scotland and America. He throws in a liberal dose of romance and the reader will be reminded of the Tom Cruise / Nicole Kiddman epic movie Far and Away . There are plenty of...more
Follett's A Place Called Freedom was one of the most requested books when I worked at a now-defunct used book store more than 10 years ago. I finally got around to reading it and I can see why it was in such demand.
Follett introduces the reader to the turbulent politics on 1760s England, Scotland and America. He throws in a liberal dose of romance and the reader will be reminded of the Tom Cruise / Nicole Kiddman epic movie Far and Away . There are plenty of...more
A Place Called Freedom follows the character Mack from a coal mine in Scotland to London where he struggles to earn decent pay for himself and other laborers. He ends up in the colony of Virginia still yearning for true freedom. This novel had great potential to be a story as gripping as Pillars of the Earth, but it feels rushed instead. I would have loved more detail about the surroundings and period details about dress, food, & everyday life. I especially thought the story fell short when...more
This is a light, entertaining, but soap-operettish read detailing the story of Mac McAsh a Scottish coalminer who rebels against the slave-like conditions of the mines(19thC)and sets out to find his freedom. He appeals to a London lawyer who is a proponent of human rights,and who informs him that the tradition of binding a miner to a mine for life is not supported by law, if he leaves the work before a certain age. However the mine owners who dislike him for spreading unrest among the miners, do...more
The story was enjoyable, the characters a little too predictable and that's why I've given the book a 4 star rating instead of 5 stars. Malachi (Mack) McAsh and Lizzie Hallim are the two main characters. The story begins in Scotland. Mack is a coal miner and Lizzie is the daughter one of the lairds, a widow. Lizzie's mother has mortgaged her property so they could live well after Lizzie's father dies and now the loan is about to be called. Lizzie needs to marry into a wealthy family to save her...more
I loved this book!!! It was basically 3 books in one, set in the late 18th century: (1) the coal mines and mining industry of Scotland; (2) industrial London, focusing mainly on the unloading of coal; and (3) colonial America, and the push to escape to, and populate, the frontier. One learns not only the technology of mining coal in that era, but also the terrible conditions that the miners had to endure to earn a living. Then in London, one learns about the intrigue and conditions involved in t...more
Ce roman met en scène un mineur, un jeune homme travaillant dans les mines de charbon d'un riche seigneur écossais. La condition de ces hommes, femmes et enfants qui travaillent avec lui se résume à l'esclavage. Ainsi, le thème du livre au fil de différentes séquences se trouve être la quête de la liberté confrontée à l'esclavagisme qui bat son plein au XVIIIe siècle. Néanmoins, ce thème est abordé de façon assez légère et le roman, haletant et très efficace, ne rend pas forcément compte de la d...more
Anyone who likes good historical fiction will like this. The beginning is particularly good as it introduces the reader to the little known world of Scottish coal mines and their almost slave labour. The harsh conditions of the miners is contrasted well with the wealthy world of the mine owner and his family. Set in the late 18th century, Mack, a young miner, is forced to flee his village after a clash with his owner. Ending up in London, Mack is arrested and transported as a convict to America...more
Nov 11, 2012
Delicious Strawberry
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ken-follett,
historical-fiction
This was the first book I ever read by this author, and I ended up enjoying it. It was surprising to hear about white people being held as slaves (or practically slaves) in a time where it was usually the black person in that situation, so I found this book to be rather educational. I certainly am glad I wasn't a coal-miner back then, these white 'slaves' were really not much better off (and sometimes worse-off) than the blacks because they had to work in caves all day and deal with black lung a...more
Bei manchen Büchern, weiß man schon nach den ersten Seiten, wie sie ablaufen und enden. Bei diesem hier weiß man es schon nach dem Lesen der kurzen Inhaltsangabe auf dem Rücken des Buches. Und das hat mich doch etwas überrascht, handelt es sich doch bei Ken Follett um einen der bekannteren Autoren historischer Romane. Bestseller sind nicht gleich gute Literatur, schon klar, aber was hier geboten wird, ist katastrophal. Die Geschichte ist flach, die Personen eindimensional, die guten sind edelmüt...more
Sep 19, 2012
Bludhaven
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2012,
historical-fiction
This was an okay, quick read, but really nothing memorable.
there are books that manage to surprise you along the way and there are books that are pretty much predictable from page one. This is one of the later. It's pretty obvious where Follett's true strength lies when he writes about the coal mining in Scotland and the political uproar in London and Virginia, but sadly he barley spends time on this. Instead he focuses on the personal journeys of his three main characters and their developing r...more
there are books that manage to surprise you along the way and there are books that are pretty much predictable from page one. This is one of the later. It's pretty obvious where Follett's true strength lies when he writes about the coal mining in Scotland and the political uproar in London and Virginia, but sadly he barley spends time on this. Instead he focuses on the personal journeys of his three main characters and their developing r...more
I was introduced to Ken Follett in "Pillars of the Earth" and this epic is in the same vein but not as lofty or well written. The story starts strong in Scotland in the late 1700's in the world of poor coal miners and rich mine owners and winds its way eventually to America which is on the brink of revolution. The story and characters are rich and engaging and while the novel is long I ended up feeling like the author had still skimmed over their personalities. Perhaps because many of the charac...more
Jul 29, 2011
Jean Perry
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
very good book, typically Ken Follett's good story-telling. I had no knowledge of the "slavery" aspect of the mining industry in the United Kindom - Scotland, but it should have been apparent to me - i just have never tho't about mining in Scotland at all. It gives a good look at how thruout history the people in power have little concern for the laborer and only the courageous have opposed the powers-that-be. Only in America, particularly colonial America, had there been a chance in history, un...more
This very interesting novel should be required reading in social and economic history courses, and for anybody interested in labor and immigration history. Follett gives us the story or Mack McAsh, a coal mining serf from 18th century Scotland. He eventually escapes to London, where he works on the docks unloading the coal ships from Scotland and northern England, and where he gets caught up in labor conflict and social unrest and is imprisoned. His punishment is to be transported to America whe...more
A good read. I really like the way Ken Follett writes, he knows how to get you wrapped up in his stories so that you can read for hours and feel as though no time has passed at all. Yes this is one of those books that follows a pretty standard storyline in terms of how the characters relationships develop and the ending you can pretty much guess at before opening the book. However, I generally read this type of book when I am away for the weekend (as I did this one) and want to be able to read w...more
What I like about historical fiction is the opportunity to understand a particular time and place through an entertaining story. This book does that very well, following the characters through the intricately interlinked social, political and economic structures of 1766 coal mining Scotland, London and the Virginia colony. Fascinating. The characters are a vehicle to present the history of that time. There are a lot of John Locke references which was an influence of theories of government at tha...more
This book was not as indepth and amazing as Ken Follett's "Pillars Of The Earth"....but it still had a pretty good story and the characters were fun to follow. The classes cast in this book were worlds apart yet they were brought together and it worked. The character imperfections were shown as to make them human and it helped to make me feel anger and joy and sadness and many emotions as I read about their lives. The ending deaths were pretty gruesome but were somewhat earned. It was a pretty g...more
Ken Follett is a guilty pleasure of mine. Who knew I had a thing for sexually explicit historical fiction? At least the historical fiction part. I've read so many of these books that the pattern is easy to identify - you can tell who will end up together in love forever from the very start, but there's so much adversity along the way that it makes for a fun read. This one takes place during the years leading up to the American Revolution and it's a fun and easy and sleazy way for me to learn a l...more
Ken follett has the unique power of transporting you to an altogether different era. You as a reader are a mere puppet in his hands. In this book we are ushered to 18th century england with all the trials and tribulations associated with that period. We follow the story of malachi mcCash as he escapes from the coal mines of scotland only to be bound as a slave in the plantations of the new world and his quest for freedom which always seems to elude his grasp. Relentless and fast moving, this is...more
İlk defa bir Follett kitabı okudum. Bu kitabı çok sevdim. Mack bir maden işçisidir ve efendinin kölesidir. Ama hayatını bu şekilde geçirmeye hiç niyeti yoktur. Efendisi Jamisson'lara başkaldırır ve ne yapar ne eder Londra'ya kaçar. Lizzie ise parasız ama üst tabakadan bir kızdır. Paralı biriyle evlenmelidir. Jay Jamisson'dan hoşlanır ama annesi ağabeyi Robert'la evlenmesini ister. Çünkü miras ona kalacaktır. Ama Lizzie ve Jay birlikte bir gelecek kurarlar. İngiliz kolonisi Virginia'ya gitmeden ö...more
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Just loved it.
Why don't editors and pubs offer us more writers like Follett? Of course,he does not follow any of the new creative writing rules, all tell and no show, but we grip and turn every page with delight.
Here is historical fiction: gentry in Scotland, dock strikes, plantation rebels - and with twists and turns. All right - much of it is predictable and the heroine is too feisty and the villains too obvious and the hero too handsome...but is still works.
Worth every damned penny.
Why don't editors and pubs offer us more writers like Follett? Of course,he does not follow any of the new creative writing rules, all tell and no show, but we grip and turn every page with delight.
Here is historical fiction: gentry in Scotland, dock strikes, plantation rebels - and with twists and turns. All right - much of it is predictable and the heroine is too feisty and the villains too obvious and the hero too handsome...but is still works.
Worth every damned penny.
Who knew there was such as thing as sexually explicit historical fiction?
I read this during my youngest's recovery from a tonsillectomy- started when they took him into surgery, read while he laid on me during his morphine induced 6 hour nap, and then finished it while he slept on my chest for 24 hours.
This is almost three novels in one- one section about Scotland's mining and caste system, a second about life in London, and then a fascinating take on plantation life in the States.
I read this during my youngest's recovery from a tonsillectomy- started when they took him into surgery, read while he laid on me during his morphine induced 6 hour nap, and then finished it while he slept on my chest for 24 hours.
This is almost three novels in one- one section about Scotland's mining and caste system, a second about life in London, and then a fascinating take on plantation life in the States.
Okay, this is my favorite book of all time. My neighbor talked me into reading it. I didn't want to just the size of the book was overwhelming. I gave in and started reading and got so caught up in the lives of the main characters I couldn't put it down. I read this book in 5 days which is a record for me. It has heartache, happiness, death, violence, rich, poor, love and sex. I gave it to a coworker and she read it in 4 days, so it's not just me. You will not be disappointed.
Main subject is about miner slaves. Portuguese version.A very good novel very touching when it comes to describe the life of the slaves and how much Mack suffered.He was a coal miner and at that century coal miners were like slaves..and always Follet gives the woman in his novel freedom and all women character possess a free will and engage themselves in satisfying their desires like Lizzie here who kept wearing men clothes just to make things as man are free to do.
Very nice, quick read, and the historical setting seems to be solid, but this is the fifth book I have read by Ken Follett, and, well ... The characters remain the same, just the names and places change. That's great for the first book... Or two.. But Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, Fall of Giants... And this one, are all just too similar in terms of the characters, their integrity (everyone seems to be very good or very bad), even the somewhat gratuitous sex scenes seem to be recycled.
may have actually read this years ago when I tore my way through most of his books. it was good, interesting. I do wonder how a book like this gets categorized as mass market historical fiction and not (historical) romance. all of his books in this vein I remember are highly formulaic--scrappy ne'er do well comes between a high-born, head-strong lady and her upper-class intended--and while I totally enjoy them the distinction seems meaningless.
Read it for the second time. The first time, years ago I wasn't captured by the story. It's the same basic character mix he uses in many of his books: The bad guy with the powerful, political, driven mother. The hero from the lower classes. The girl torn by 2 worlds. But he's researched a lot what it was like to live in particular times and places. This time I read it from a historical perspective and liked it better.
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Ken Follett burst onto the book world in 1978 with Eye of the Needle, a taut and original thriller with a memorable woman character in the central role. The book won the Edgar award and became an outstanding film.
He went on to write four more bestselling thrillers: Triple; The Key to Rebecca; The Man from St Petersburg; and Lie Down with Lions.
He also wrote On Wings of Eagles, the true story of ho...more
More about Ken Follett...
He went on to write four more bestselling thrillers: Triple; The Key to Rebecca; The Man from St Petersburg; and Lie Down with Lions.
He also wrote On Wings of Eagles, the true story of ho...more
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May 21, 2012 01:30am