From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

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

Walter M. Miller Jr.,

Mary Doria Russell (Introduction)

Start date: June 15, 2014

Finish date: July 1, 2014

Discussion: AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

Discussion leader: Gertie

Why we're reading this: Down the long centuries after the Flame Deluge scoured the earth clean, the monks of the Order of St. Lei…more
[close] Down the long centuries after the Flame Deluge scoured the earth clean, the monks of the Order of St. Leibowitz the Engineer kept alive the ancient knowledge. In their monastery in the Utah desert, the preserved the precious relics of their founder: the blessed blueprint, the sacred shopping list and the holy shrine of Fallout Shelter.

Watched over by an immortal wanderer, they witnessed humanity's rebirth from ashes, and saw reenacted the eternal drama of the struggle between light and darkness, life and death

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AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

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What Members Thought

Nov 27, 2011 Erin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: post-apocalypse-dystopia

Tough to read, and incredibly depressing - this is a classic of post-apocalyptic fiction and I'm glad to have read it - divided into three parts (like Gaul) and to relate much more would be spoiling (I was quite disappointed that a main character did not reappear at the end). While the themes aren't at all out of date, some of the science is, of course (and the history unless it completely repeated itself, down to location). I also think I might have gotten a bit more out of it were I Catholic o ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 11, 2012 Casey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: the-serious-lit, grungy-shelf, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it, audiobook

Freaking awesome!

This is the kind of book I imagined I would be getting when I read Foundation. I had heard a ton of great things about Foundation, and expected a thought-provoking book about a fallen civilization. Unfortunately, Foundation was poorly written, with wooden dialogue and a contrived plot.

Canticle, on the other hand, is well written, and subtle. It doesn't offer easy answers, and instead brings up difficult questions about accessibility of knowledge and the cyclical nature of histor ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 23, 2010 Pat rated it liked it

I would definitely recommend reading a few PA books, both classics and newer releases, before this one. A Canticle for Liebowitz was unlike any PA book I have read before.

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 14, 2022 🥀 Rose 🥀 rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, science-fiction, apocalypse, audio-book

I have wanted to read this book for a very long time. It’s one of those Hugo Aware winning sci fi classics that you must read before you die kind of books.

The only thing I knew about this going in was that it was post apocalyptic times after a nuclear Holocaust.

It’s told in 3 novellas that span centuries between each part. The first part is about 500 years after the end of the world somewhere in Utah where a Monastery stands. This is also where much of this book remains, in the monastery. These I have wanted to read this book for a very long time. It’s one of those Hugo Aware winning sci fi classics that you must read before you die kind of books.

The only thing I knew about this going in was that it was post apocalyptic times after a nuclear Holocaust.

It’s told in 3 novellas that span centuries between each part. The first part is about 500 years after the end of the world somewhere in Utah where a Monastery stands. This is also where much of this book remains, in the monastery. These monks are keepers of book and knowledge. Since the end of the world, the simpletons decided to rid the world of science, books and knowledge since it was science that brought the world to it’s knees. These monks want to preserve the writings. However they have not a clue about what they write.

The second part is about 500 more years and in this time, they start discovering that these are not just words that were preserved but information to learn for which a secular man of science and a monk debate over. The scientist theorizes while the monk actually figured out the math and electricity.

The third and final part of the story, several centuries later, not only discover science but pass us up in terms of science. We have interstellar space travel for example. Also, the world is full of world leaders arguing yet again. I.

So thats sort of an overview of the story, however each section is usually about a monk and or secular folk and monks discussing religion over science in a such a way that there feels like a balance as both tend to make sense. It goes deeply into philosophical ideas about religion versus state versus science etc.
And how we come full circle with out knowledge yet again.

This made for a very boring read/listen. I mean there was some humor, and some interesting ideas that I normally like hearing about, but honestly I couldn’t even remember most of the details. It just wasn’t entertaining enough to keep me engaged.

That said, i get why this is an important book to a lot of people and i get why it won the Hugo away and is considered a classic, but it wasn’t really for this reader.
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Jun 16, 2017 Alice rated it liked it

Shelves: scifi-apocalyptic-fantasy, 2017

If you are looking for a book with strong female characters this is not your book as there are barely female characters at all, strong or other wise. I direct you to page 246 out of 334, when we have our first female character: "Lady Reporter" in all her glory!

Overall an interesting look at a post-nuclear holocaust world, and the repeat evolution to the same cyclical ending of civilization again and again... The last part sort of fell apart for me. Also, probably helpful have grown up Catholic i ...more

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