The story takes places several hundred years after a nuclear apocalypse, and civilization barely exists. It’s a leisurely read that thoughtfully deals with the aftermath of a post-apocalyptic world through the lens of the denizens of a monastery in the Utah desert.
In this monastery are bits of scientific knowledge that the monks do not understand, and keep to themselves amid their trials and squabbling.
As the story occasionally skips forward in time hundreds of years, you don’t get to really settle in a consistent group of characters, but you do experience their civilization advancing.
Interestingly, during World War II, author Miller was a tail gunner in a bomber crew that participated in the destruction of the 6th-century Christian monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy, founded by St. Benedict, and recognized as the oldest surviving Christian church in the Western world. It’s generally assumed that this experience heavily influenced his writing this story.
Recommendation: Read it, if you’re in an old-school cruising mode. If you’re after something modern or space-opera-y, keep looking.
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I read this about 30 years ago and loved it.
I read this book early in my science fiction reading journey, and was blown away by it. A beautiful book, elegantly written, it poses important philosophical questions. Absolutely work reading (and probably re-reading).
One of my all time favorites! But possibly too optimistic!
I discovered scifi in high school and did my best to read everything in that section of our public library - from Asimov to Zalazny. A Canticle for Leibowitz made a real impression on me.