A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M Miller Jr 5 Stars

[Sue]

Written in 1959 at the height of almost certainty that nuclear war was on the horizon, this book opens in the aftermath of nuclear holocaust.

Similar to monks during the Dark Ages, a new order of monks has formed to find and preserve any written knowledge they can find. Regardless of content, they carefully gather, copy and store any and all materials they can find - usually fragments that survived both the initial nuclear event and the subsequent purges and book burnings.

The story covers three different time periods, each hundreds of years apart, all told from the point of view of a monk or priest in the Leibowitz Abbey. Over time, civilization goes from tribalism to city states to a new globalism similar to modern society - an echo of the exact path humans took before. Will it end in the same nuclear holocaust?

Not a very happy book, but a very wry and ironic look at humanity and history repeating itself.

[Joy D]

I loved this book. So glad to see you 5-star review!

[Heather Reads Books]

Ahhh this is one of my favorite books ever! Every time I see the title it reminds me I should do a reread.

[NancyJ]

So much love! This is getting bumped up to my 2026 TBR. It fits a prompt and one of my themes planned for next year. (It’s been on my huge tbr for a long time.). Thanks!