I went to high school from 1984 - 1988 and it was not on the curriculum, although I went to two different schools in that time frame, so perhaps I just missed out. I ended up reading Romeo and Juliet as well as Tale of Two Cities twice for the two HS’s I went to. Blah.
1 Like
This book influenced me to (1) become an archivist and (2) write my own version of the “Last Monastery/Library on Earth” – or at least imagine it in my head. I agree with the criticisms of the 3rd part which to me felt like it would never. ever. end. However, the first two parts more than make up for that weakness, and anyway you can always use Nancy Pearl’s “Rule of Fifty” to bail before you get bored. http://nancypearlbooks.wordpress.com/pearlisms/
I first encountered “Canticle for Liebowitz” through JMS’ excellent homage to it in the 5th season episode of Babylon 5, titled “The Deconstruction of Falling Stars.” In it, set far in the future, 500 years after a war on Earth called “The Great Burn” has wiped out most life on Earth, an order of Catholic monks (secretly Anla’Shok Rangers) are preserving lost human knowledge and surreptitiously helping humanity to climb back into the light after it nearly committed suicide.
2 Likes
My creative writing teacher in high school was a huge sci-fi fan, and she introduced me to this book back in the 90s. It was one of the first sci-fi books that I absolutely loved (and still do).
It’s an important book for the genre, but I rarely meet someone in person who’s read it which I think is a shame. It’s held up well over time and fits in nicely with all the post-apocalyptic / dystopian media around today. It’s as much of a “must read” as Dune IMO.
Such a great book, but like so many other lost sf classics nearly forgotten, I see someone’s already mentioned Lord of Light, I’m also thinking Doctor Rat by William Katzwinkle, Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon, Cities in Flight by Silverberg and The Martian Chronicles by Bradbury, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone under 30 who would know any of these books.
I’ve got a copy of St Liebowitz and the Wild Horse Women, but it’s not a very good, dull and turgid, haven’t been able to finish it.
2 Likes
If you want to read more SF with a religious bent try A Case of Conscience by James Blish. A strong book on how the discovery of alien species affects beliefs. Although it seems it’s kind of a love it or hate it novel.
1 Like
I was going to say, “hey, I’m under 30 and know many of these!”
Then I remembered I haven’t been for more than half a decade and got sad. Thanks for that. 
(In fairness, I’ve been counting my age in hexadecimal for the past couple years, ever since I hit 20 (hex))
2 Likes
Cities in Flight was by Blish – one of my favorites, though. Individual elements don’t hold up, but the totality of the thing, and the Big Ideas still remain favorites of mine.
I finially finished Last and First men recently and it is Epic, but also… hunh. Not sure. Bizarre. Martian Chronicles I read too many times to count in Jr High and High School. I’ve yet to read Doctor Rat – thanks for the reminder. I greatly enjoyed “Bear went over the Mountain” by same.
1 Like
Dr Rat is fantastic; I sneaked it off my dad’s bookshelf as a kid.
A teenage Vonnegut fan stumbling on this one on my own here as well… My memory of the lazy summer afternoon when I read this remains a very fond memory. People’s complaints of the book here remind me that I don’t want to revisit the book for fear of tainting that memory.
Babylon 5 fans might remember the fourth season finale which references this book.
In a lot of ways, the final episode of Babylon 5’s 4th season, “The Deconstruction of Falling Stars”, is a tribute to Canticle, right down to the Monks as preservers of civilization. . .
It’s a book written by a Catholic Apologist, trying desperately to validate his religion and avoiding any responsibility of the region for the collapses it has been a party to–“oh we save knowledge”.
The sad ending is that the Church escapes on its generation ship to populate yet another planet with until the population expands and fights for limited resources due to lack of birth control and the pattern will repeat; again and again.
1 Like
Canticle was always on my list of classics that I really should read but never quite got around to. I finally moved it to a prominent position on my bookshelves, where it sat like an artifact of possibly alien origin inherited from a mysterious great-uncle, an artifact inert and lifeless yet hinting at mechanisms to be activated and energies to be summoned if only one could work out how. In the end, it took me about seven tries before I got into it; the trick was to start at random locations in the story until I found something that kept me reading, then to go back and read from the start once I was into it. Worth it.
1 Like
I’m sure that by now many artists have done serious works based on the idea of the illuminated schematic… but I haven’t seen one yet, and I sorta regret that.
I’ve found the perfect book for you.
Titan, by Stephen Baster
People say that the ending is a downer, but I think it’s all about hope.
A good book. It is amazing to me that it was only a few years ago that I got around to reading it - I remember some of my friends reading it in high school but for some reason I didn`t.
The concepts were fun. As for classic SF, I can only underline previous mentions of Lord of Light, and throw in *The Man in the High Castle*and *The Stars My Destination* as great reads.
2 Likes
Gully Foyle is my name,
and Terra is my nation.
Deep space is my dwelling place -
The Stars my Destination.
(doesn’t everyone have that memorized?)
Yes, and I also have:
Tenser, said the Tensor,
Tenser, said the Tensor,
Tension, Apprehension, and Dissension have begun
2 Likes
Well, I haven’t read it myself yet, but here’s something (free) for Kindle by Miller. Looks interesting! http://www.amazon.com/Death-Spaceman-Walter-M-Miller-ebook/dp/B004TQGBIQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397231520&sr=1-3
I heartily second your recommendation, A Case of Conscience is da bomb. It’s conveniently packaged in The Library of America’s lovely American Science Fiction: Nine Classic Novels of the 1950s set, which itself is pretty much an unbeatably great anthology. LoA folks, it’s time for the 1960s!
