Key themes
- Cathedral building as a metaphor for human aspiration
- Power, the Church and the people it crushes
- Tom Builder and the dream that survives everything
About this book
The building of a cathedral across decades of medieval turmoil; a vast, addictive saga.
Published in 1989, The Pillars of the Earth took Follett twelve years to research and write. It was initially rejected by publishers and eventually became one of the bestselling historical novels ever written, spawning sequels and a television adaptation.
Discussion questions
- The novel spans decades of cathedral construction. How does Follett use the building process — as narrative structure, as metaphor for human aspiration, or both?
- Prior Philip is one of fiction's great idealistic clerics — genuinely good in a corrupt institution. How does Follett develop him — and does his goodness feel credible?
- The political violence in the novel is relentless. What is Follett saying about medieval power — and about the relationship between the Church and the poor?
- Ellen is one of the novel's most original characters — outside the Church's control in ways that make her both powerful and vulnerable. How does Follett develop her?
- The Pillars of the Earth has sold over 27 million copies. What does it offer readers of all kinds — and what does its enormous popularity say about historical fiction's appeal?
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