Oct 19, 2007
October 19, 2007
Though known primarily as a writer of suspense/thrillers, author Ken Follett credits his 1989 bestseller THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH --- a historical novel that chronicles the construction of a cathedral during the Middle Ages --- as his greatest work to date. His most recent book, WORLD WITHOUT END, revisits the cathedral town of Kingsbridge 200 years later, during the pivotal time of the Black Plague. In this interview, Follett discusses the shifts in social and religious thought during those two centuries that ultimately gave rise to modern medicine and explains some of the real-life inspirations behind the book's fictional happenings. He also talks about why he chose to write a sequel after 18 years, elaborates on the connections between the two books in terms of setting and characters, and shares topics he'd possibly like to cover in future projects.