Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Book Club - Pillars of the Earth
April's book was Pillars of the Earth of Ken Follet, and I for one, found it very interesting. "In the quest to build the greatest Gothic cathedral ever known, a struggle between good and evil erupts, turning church against state and brother against brother. An international best-seller and Oprah's Book Club pick, The Pillars of the Earth weaves together timeless themes of love, loss, pride, humility, ambition and revenge?all set against the facinating background of the Middle Ages."
Did anyone else get a chance to read it? Did you like it? I found a few discussion questions to help us get a conversation going. Feel free to answers these or come up with your own!
"Tom had been offered the post of builder to the Exeter castellan, repairing and improving the city's fortifications. It would have been a lifetime job, barring accidents. But Tom had turned it down, for he wanted to build another cathedral" (p. 23). Do you think Tom should have taken the position? Have you ever passed up a sure thing in pursuit of your life's passion?
Once Tom discovers where his newborn son is, he considers trying to get him back. What would you have done? Do you think Tom would have succeeded?
What do you make of William Hamleigh's penchant for violence, yet fear of hell? Is character a result of his upbringing and situation, or is he pure evil?
Why is Ellen reluctant to tell Jack the truth about his father? Is she trying to protect Jack or herself?
Ellen has a tendency to curse situations she thinks unjust. Do you think her curse on Alfred and Aliena's marriage has an impact on their problems? Could Ellen really be a witch?
Why does Philip take the builders' strike so personally? How does his reaction make the situation worse? If you were a mason in the situation, would you have stayed at Kingsbridge or left for Shiring?
Compare and contrast Kingsbridge from the beginning of the novel to the end. How has it changed? What do you think the most defining events were? Who were the most influential characters?
Which character do you think is the most like yourself?
