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Pillars of the Almighty: A Celebration of Cathedrals
1994 1st Ed. WM
128 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1994
2 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Ken Follett
590 books59.6k followersKen Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. Over 170 million copies of the 36 books he has written have been sold in over 80 countries and in 33 languages.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 9, 2021
I received the incredible gift of meeting and spending time with f-Stop Fitzgerald at the end of his life several years ago. He was an amazingly humble, witty man and a brilliant photographer. This photographic essay on cathedrals was characteristically excellent, featuring various edifices in Canada, Europe, and the United States. Mr. Follett’s excerpts are nice compliments but be sure to read the brief summaries of each photo at the end of the book to truly appreciate the scope and talent of so many. A+!!
March 14, 2016
If you have never read Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth then this book will give you insight to some of the drama that happens. I read the book first then this book. Plus, I also have taken two Art History courses. In my youth I visited one cathedral and didn't think too much about it. Now from Ken's great story and seeing actual photos, I have a great appreciation of the people, times, and especially the buildings and art.
September 3, 2009
THIS IS NOT A NOVEL but rather a kind of coffee table book about cathedrals and stone masonry. I thought it was going to be a sequel to "Pillars of the Earth," which I enjoyed very much, and ordered it on my library's website with much anticipation. What a disappointment...
If you like coffee table books, it is well done with beautiful pictures and it uses excerpts from "Pillars of the Earth" as a narrative.
At this point, I am very wary of the inconsistent Ken Follett. He can be great (Eye of the Needle, Dangerous Fortune, Pillars of the Earth), he can be OK (Night Over Water) or just plain mediocre (Wings of Eagles).
If you like coffee table books, it is well done with beautiful pictures and it uses excerpts from "Pillars of the Earth" as a narrative.
At this point, I am very wary of the inconsistent Ken Follett. He can be great (Eye of the Needle, Dangerous Fortune, Pillars of the Earth), he can be OK (Night Over Water) or just plain mediocre (Wings of Eagles).
May 27, 2012
A must have after reading Pillars of the Earth. Great photography and information about the cathedrals of that period.
February 2, 2013
Text is not that exciting, but the photographs are amazing!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews