A Canticle for Leibowitz

About “A Canticle for Leibowitz”

A 1959 novel by Walter M. Miller, Jr., this story is highly unusual among After the Holocaust novels. Set in the far future, it describes a monastery where 20th-century texts are kept as "sacred books." The monks have preserved science texts and blueprints for centuries, creating beautifully illuminated copies. The story begins in a world governed by feudal structures, where science is once again becoming popular, though at a level similar to the 18th or early 19th century. A local lord, interested in science, visits the monastery. What follows is an exquisitely told tale that is stunning and extremely moving, standing apart from other After the Holocaust narratives.