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A Canticle for Leibowitz (St. Leibowitz, #1)

Walter M. Miller Jr.,

Mary Doria Russell (Introduction)

Start date: March 1, 2023

Finish date: March 31, 2023

Discussion: Science Fiction and Fantasy

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What Members Thought

Jan 20, 2014 midnightfaerie rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, classic-tomes

I commented on my update while reading this that I couldn't decide whether I hated this or thought it was brilliant. My conclusion has to be a little bit of both, I think. The book is a post apocalyptic type story about monks that live through centuries of time, with the sole purpose of protecting any of the written word they can find, called the memorabilia. When the world was first destroyed (by nuclear weapons), most of the books and written words were burned, and the monks believe it's their I commented on my update while reading this that I couldn't decide whether I hated this or thought it was brilliant. My conclusion has to be a little bit of both, I think. The book is a post apocalyptic type story about monks that live through centuries of time, with the sole purpose of protecting any of the written word they can find, called the memorabilia. When the world was first destroyed (by nuclear weapons), most of the books and written words were burned, and the monks believe it's their duty to take of any documents they can find, no matter what it is.

First, the brilliance. To discuss the folly of man, to ridicule the endless cycle of stupidity, and to make insignificant the hope that perpetuates these cycles is what this book does exceedingly well. At first I thought it's main purpose was to devalue man's faith, but I think it's actually the contrary. Despite the hopelessness that seems evident in every civilization, the monks continue to persist over time, sticking to their beliefs, and protect the memorabilia. The satirical view of a world gone horribly wrong doesn't completely overshadow the consistency we see in the monk's faith, and so allows the reader some small vestige of hope if you're prone to that sort of thing. I can see how common opinion might see this as a possible classic. Miller has an elaborate but beautiful way of writing.

One of my favorite passages:

"Ignorance is king. Many would not profit by his abdication. Many enrich themselves by means of his dark monarchy. They are his Court, and in his name they defraud and govern, enrich themselves and perpetuate their power. Even literacy they fear, for the written word is another channel of communication that might cause their enemies to become united. Their weapons are keen-honed, and they use them with skill. They will press the battle upon the world when their interests are threatened, and the violence which follows will last until the structure of society as it now exists is leveled to rubble, and a new society emerges."

To say I will never read this book again, is probably also an understatement. I detest post apocalyptic stories with doomsday prophecies that seem to leave a lump of clay in the pit of your stomach type feeling of depression and overwhelming sense of ickiness. I think writers who want to make a grand statement use this end of the world concept because it seems to evoke a stronger reaction compared to other settings. The perception it gives is one that shows more dire consequences if the correct decision made. Not that this is bad, I just personally just don't enjoy it. I felt the same way after I read The Road by McCarthy. The only reason I read it is because someone said to me if they could only recommend one book for someone to read, it would be this one. This, to me, is a strong statement. It's the reason I read The Road and Canticle.

To say this book is about an idiocracy ignorant of its history so doomed to repeat it, is a gross understatement. I think it has potential for greatness, and Miller's writing is extraordinary. The closer I got to the end of this book, the more I appreciated it. First of all, I think it has longevity. It will stand the test of time and is incapable of not touching all those that read it in some profound way. It definitely has the Magic Factor, I couldn't put it down. Miller has a very unique style of writing and exploring concepts that I've never seen in any other reader, and I believe this book also has a huge following, another factor in my determining it a classic. It's many underlying themes of good verses evil, the past repeating itself, political agenda concerning nuclear weapons, and many others are very controversial and could spark debates for years to come. All in all, I think this was well worth the read despite my dislike of post apocalyptic novels, and should be considered a classic.

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Nov 26, 2016 Sarah rated it it was ok

Not a strong recommend for the plot/story. It was interesting for the, what do I call it? Historical perspective? This was written in 1950's, first published in 1959. It is an anti-war (specifically anti-nuclear war) screed. Its also very pro-religion (specifically catholic, perhaps even pro-science catholic, Jesuit?). Mankind destroys itself a couple of times via nuclear destruction, makes a comeback, and learns nothing, so it happens all over again. The Abbey of St. Liebowitz is in the busines Not a strong recommend for the plot/story. It was interesting for the, what do I call it? Historical perspective? This was written in 1950's, first published in 1959. It is an anti-war (specifically anti-nuclear war) screed. Its also very pro-religion (specifically catholic, perhaps even pro-science catholic, Jesuit?). Mankind destroys itself a couple of times via nuclear destruction, makes a comeback, and learns nothing, so it happens all over again. The Abbey of St. Liebowitz is in the business of preserving the "memorabilia," or whatever bits of human culture survive the nuclear disaster. After hundreds of years these bits are used to rebuild human culture. And what do those lucky surviing humans do? The same damn things, apparently because they ignore religion and god. Miller is not exactly anti-science, but at that same time his premise seems to be choosing humanist science over God leads only to destruction. He does seem to think that living n the dessert with candles and no printing press is "better" than our modern life?

Miller, like most of his science fiction contemporaries, also has a woman problem. There are simply no female characters of substance in this novel. Only five women make an appearance at all. One of them is already dead, and appears via her skull. Most of the others don't even get names. "Lady Reporter" gets about ten lines of dialogue. A woman dying of radiation poisoning gets the biggest part (appears on maybe a dozen pages), but never gets a name. I guess the good news is that women are not to blame for the multiple destructions of our world - they are never given the chance to participate. He also refers to someone "gypping" someone in a trade transaction, so the poor gypsies are still hated 3000 years in the future.

Considering our recent election, and lack of interest in science and truth, I found Miller's description of "Great Simplification" a bit less unrealistic than I might otherwise have. After the first nuclear destruction, the survivors conducted a war against science and literacy. Destroying everything that indicated any little hints of learning or intelligence. The authors, and scientists were also killed, because they obviously caused all this destruction.

This was a long, slow, boring read. Perhaps it felt new to people in the 1960's, but there was nothing here of real interest to me.
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Feb 23, 2020 Beth Buning rated it it was ok

Interesting book. Kind of hard to believe it nearly 60 years old! Somewhere around page 80 the abbot at the time exclaims something to the effect of "We claim we were attacked, the other country claims we attacked them. Where does the truth lie?" A question very true still today.
I liked the last quarter of the book better for some of the theological issues it addressed. I find it interesting that Mary Doria Russel wrote a new introduction to this book, this story seems to have some common theme ...more

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Nov 05, 2015 Alexander rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-trash

Really liked this book, had a lot of interesting themes and moral questions. I also enjoy a good post apocalyptic novel and a creative vision of the future.

Is this a bit of Catholic apologism re: their control of information and repression of knowledge for hundreds of years in Europe, sure. But outside of that it was a fun book.

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Jun 17, 2024 Jill rated it it was ok

Although I found the idea behind the story fascinating, I found the time changes extremely disconcerting and had a difficult time settling in to the new characters. Each time I felt I was just getting to the meat of the story when suddenly it was whisked away and a new story replaced it. I realize that all three stories are really one story, but it didn't really work for me. I found the third book the weakest of the three and never really felt connected to it and then it ended. ...more

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Sep 26, 2014 Gin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, owned

Mar 03, 2016 Yefim rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, audiobooks, sci-fi, hugo-award, psychological-drama, sociological, classics, religious-studies, post-apocalyptic, books-in-english