About the book
Thriller writer Ken Follett changed course with this 1989 historical novel about building a cathedral in Kingsbridge, a fictional English town, in the 12th century. The story focuses mainly on the Anarchy, the civil war over the throne after the sinking of the White Ship left Henry I without a clear heir. Its central figures include Philip, the devout prior of Kingsbridge, Tom, a mason who becomes his architect, and the Lady Aliena. The novel also tracks the rise of Gothic architecture out of the Romanesque style. It opens the Kingsbridge series, became Follett's best-selling work, and was adapted as an eight-part television miniseries in 2010.
Oprah Winfrey said no reader looks at a church or cathedral the same way afterward and called it a treasure, and Gift-it-Forward founder Theresa Evanoff named it a favorite she has reread many times, praising its complex characters.
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This book has 2 recommendations
Oprah Winfrey (CEO/Oprah Winfrey Network)
Nobody who reads it—nobody who reads it—looks at a church or a cathedral the same. I made me think about my own life differently, reading that book, the experience of reading that book. What a treasure.
Theresa Evanoff (Founder/Gift-it-Forward)
One of my favourite non-business book is “Pillars of the Earth”, by Ken Follett. I have read this many times over the years, and still enjoy eit ach time. I love how the characters are all very complex, strategic, and how the story weaves together on so many levels.
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Oprah Winfrey, Theresa Evanoff