A Canticle for Leibowitz chronicles the rebirth and subsequent downfall of humanity after a nuclear holocaust in the middle of the 20th century. The book focuses on the happenings at the monastery of St. Isaac Leibowitz, an engineer whose scientific accomplishments and actions toward humanity right before the holocaust have made him a revered figure in the Catholicism of this book. Generations of monks, secular scientists, writers and even ordinary people wander the halls of the monastery, forming a complex narrative about the volatile society outside the walls of the sanctuary.

Readers with plenty of experience and an eye for sociology as well as the natural sciences. Though a challenging read at times, the payoff is worth it.

The development of the abbey. Miller did a fantastic job of depicting the sensory details of a type of place few of us will ever experience. He makes sure to engage all of the senses in ways extraordinary and mundane.

The technological developments seen in the later chapters seem almost quaint when compared to what is readily available in the 21st century. This can make for a tricky time in suspending disbelief, especially when the mood of the book as a whole transcend generation gaps.

Set it aside and reread at a later time. It is kind of an intense book and slow going at first. A lot can be missed in the first read. While I enjoyed the first read, I wanted to let it settle in my mind before going back to look at the other layers.

somber but not as shaken as when I read On the Beach. While both revolve around the aftereffects of nuclear holocaust, Canticle is much less immediate and offers the hope that man could survive such a catastrophe. Likewise, the theme of this book is much more cerebral than that of On the Beach, which is good for more analytical types like myself.

participated in the bombing of the Benedictine Abbey during World War II, an experience that ultimately influenced the formation of this novel.

It is a challenge to read. The pace starts off somewhat slow in the beginning, so a good deal of patience is needed. This will flex your mental muscles, which is always a good reason to pick something up.

While it appears on high school and college reading lists, it's not a book for everyone. While it is read outside of the science fiction group, the prose is not always conducive to engagement if the reader is not used to complex sentences and multidimensional descriptions. If you haven't read a variety of works before picking up this book, you may not be able to finish this piece.

Interested in buying this? Support Writing.Com by making your purchase of A Canticle for Leibowitz   from Amazon.Com!

Created Sep 09, 2010 at 11:27pm • Submit your own review...