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A Canticle for Leibowitz

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A Canticle for Leibowitz

By: Walter M. Miller Jr.
Narrated by: Tom Weiner
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About this listen

Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 1961

Winner of the 1961 Hugo Award for Best Novel and widely considered one of the most accomplished, powerful, and enduring classics of modern speculative fiction, Walter M. Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz is a true landmark of 20th-century literature - a chilling and still-provocative look at a post-apocalyptic future.

In a nightmarish, ruined world, slowly awakening to the light after sleeping in darkness, the infantile rediscoveries of science are secretly nourished by cloistered monks dedicated to the study and preservation of the relics and writings of the blessed Saint Isaac Leibowitz. From there, the story spans centuries of ignorance, violence, and barbarism, viewing through a sharp, satirical eye the relentless progression of a human race damned by its inherent humanness to recelebrate its grand foibles and repeat its grievous mistakes.

Seriously funny, stunning, tragic, eternally fresh, imaginative, and altogether remarkable, A Canticle for Leibowitz retains its ability to enthrall and amaze. It is now, as it always has been, a masterpiece.

©1959 Walter M. Miller, Jr. (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Classics Dystopian Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Witty Funny

Critic Reviews

“Chillingly effective.” (Time)
All stars
Most relevant  
This book could really use a narration team to change voices when the story leaps to a new time period.

The choice of a monastery as the primary setting masks the almost complete lack of female characters.

Showing its age.

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What did you like most about A Canticle for Leibowitz?

it is almost 60 years old but its message is never so timely, crucial and urgent.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Canticle for Leibowitz?

The final chapter and pages were spellbinding and almost peotic

What about Tom Weiner’s performance did you like?

A very versatile voice

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Brother Francis's journey

Any additional comments?

A great and grand & deeply disturbing sci fi saga of apocalyptic past, present and future...a bleak, nihilistic dystopian story, often mixed with philosophy, spirituality, flashes of joy and happiness, dark humour and sardonic wisdom....first published in 1959-1960, the technology is dated but the message and theme are as crucial and urgent as ever. The somewhat long winded Latinisms and Catholicisms, were a little tiring, even for an ex Catholic Latin scholar like me, and parts of the plot superfluous or overly symbolic. Overall, however, a magnificent story...and a damningly powerful polemic against the absolute and almost endless myopic stupidity and cruelty of mankind.....

Past, Present and Future Apocalypse

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Loved it, gritty and pithy.
Enjoyed the three parts and message throughout.
Captured a desolate future that’s very now.

Classic sci-fi

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Takes the story of humanity and Christianity into a post atomic war world. Provoking and challenging ideas around ethics and faith.

A thought provoking post apocalyptic story

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Based on a commonly known "yarn" this story outlines a possible scenario for ongoing religious belief based on the events of an apocalyptic world event and post apocalyptic interpretations of events..
worth the read..

Follow The Marked Path..

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I am working my way through the top sifi books and this one came up. I was doubtful but was glad I took the time.

Better than expected

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I was driven to purchase this book by Tim Cain, the creator of Fallout, who said it was one of the inspirations for his work. Now having listened to it, I am surprised by how much I came to truly admire and appreciate the book. It’s a story of humanity, and all its strengths and failings. To see it through the lens of it’s strange world was fascinating and moving. Its a classic and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Something Special

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Awesome story. I couldn't put it down but in the second part it skipped a fair bit.

so good!

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Had some great twists and philosophical questions and ideas. Loved the idea of how man might rediscover his past .

Really interesting story about a grim possible future.

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I was about as close as I have ever been to requesting a refund on a purchase. Despite a couple of promising moments this was a complete train wreck in my opinion. Each time a section seemed to gain some momentum it just stopped dead. Sci Fi often has allegorical elements and I can go along with that but I just missed the point of this story. It flailed around a lot but just never seemed to land a punch.

What the hell was going on with this story

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