afeigel wrote:
Thanks! The Larry Elder books look too political for me. I read a ton of political drivel during the last election, and I'm taking a self imposed hiatus from them for the foreseeable future. The Ken Follett book looks interesting, I'll probably look into that one.
10 Things You Can't Say In America is more about racism, but what makes it interesting is that he mostly criticizes black people.
As for Pillars Of The Earth, don't let the premise fool you. I force this book onto everyone. Normally Ken Follett is a mystery writer, not really my thing, but this one is out in left field for him. Simply put, this book is about building a church. Sounds retarded, right? That's what I thought, too. It takes place in the 12th century. My favorite type of films are period pieces—places and times that I can't possibly relate to—so this book was right down my alley. But the story line just seemed stupid when my friend described it to me. Here is a better summary:
Set in 12th-century England, the narrative concerns the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge. The ambitions of three men merge, conflict and collide through 40 years of social and political upheaval as internal church politics affect the progress of the cathedral and the fortunes of the protagonists.
The story spans a few generations. The book is almost 1,000 pages long and was so unbelievably captivating through the ENTIRE thing. I was stunned when I started reading it, equally so when I finished. I didn't want it to end (such a cliche, I know). It's definitely a top 5 book for me. One of the few books I can ever see myself reading multiple times.
Anyway, this is my personal suggestion. I continously try and get people to read it because it's simply that good. Definitely give it a try if you ever find yourself in want of something new to read.
