# 50 pages into "A Canticle for Leibowitz", already hooked. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 28, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831 "2006-12-28T02:46:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/1 "2006-12-28T02:46:57Z")
I don’t know what I love about this story but it’s freaking sweet. I know that’s not much into the book, only about a sixth, but I don’t care. Just had to say something! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/2 "2006-12-28T03:33:56Z")
Enjoy! I found it on my parents’ bookshelf about 30 years ago, among the Bible and the Catholic Digests and the _Lives of the Saints_ and stuff. Coulda knocked me over with a feather when I cracked it and found science fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/3 "2006-12-28T03:37:34Z")
SHH!!! It is being shipped to me RIGHT NOW! I’ll catch up fast, if it can lure me more than A Suitable Boy or Trinity. Oh my goodness, my books are coming! YAY! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/4 "2006-12-28T03:37:53Z")
My favorite bit was the completely gratuitous self-indulgent poetry at the beginning of Part 3 _(Fiat Voluntas Tua.)_😃 ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/5 "2006-12-28T12:20:40Z")
I read it at 15 and was hooked. Don’t bother with the sequel (St. Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman) though. It’s crappity crap crap crap. (I really want to read Boedullus’ history, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/6 "2006-12-28T13:55:37Z")
Interesting. I got about that far into the book (maybe 40 pages) and I thought I was missing something. For whatever reason it failed to grab me and I put it down. Perhaps, I’ll pick it back up and start again. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/7 "2006-12-28T18:52:57Z")
Wow, I wish I could read it again for the first time. I’m not as huge a fan of the second part, but the first and the third parts are just amazing. I might even call it my favorite book, and it’s rare for me to admit a favorite like that. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/8 "2006-12-28T23:42:15Z")
The Vatican’s selection of St. Isidore of Seville as the patron saint of the Internet just had to be an homage to this book. No way it could be a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/9 "2006-12-28T23:45:16Z")
There was a radio drama (that I rememeber listening to) but it seems to be out of “print”. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/10 "2006-12-28T23:49:06Z")
Glad to here I’m not crazy. A while back there was a “recommend me some post apocalyptic fiction” thread, and I mentioned this book. Apparently a lot of people didn’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/11 "2006-12-29T00:30:12Z")
Certainly one of my favorite books. How can there be a sequel? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/12 "2006-12-29T00:46:41Z")
The radio drama mentioned previously is fantastic. The first 11 minutes of it are available [here.](http://wpr.org/ideas/canticle/) It is available on CD through the same site. This story is chilling. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/13 "2006-12-29T02:03:19Z")
It is a fantastic book. I should dig it out and re-read it. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/14 "2006-12-29T02:17:04Z")
Sorry, clicking on the picture goes to a dead link, and any seach on the real university bookstore says “product has been discontinued” It definitely WAS available at one point. (ZBS had it for a bit) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/15 "2006-12-29T02:54:42Z")
To the OP, did you get the urge to read the book from [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=399593) by any chance? I ask because I’ve had “Canticle” sitting in my collection for years and only got around to reading it after that thread reminded me I had it. Whatever your answer, as someone who just finished the book today for the first time let me say that I found it to be fantastic novel. I was about 50 pages in yesterday, roughly the same amount you are now (or were), and I had a similar reaction to yours. Let us know your overall opinion when you finish it. ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/16 "2006-12-29T05:20:28Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP] Sorry, clicking on the picture goes to a dead link [/QUOTE] Yeah, sorry, I realized that shortly after I posted. I contacted my friends at Wisconsin Public Radio and hope to hear from them soon. Norman Gilliland, one of the actors and producers of the radio drama, still works for Wisconsin Public Radio and can be heard almost daily. I’m sure I’ll hear back from them soon. If WPR can’t get me a copy - nobody can. Listen to the first 11 minutes if you get the chance. You may want to hear the rest. I, for one, would dearly love to have a copy for myself. I’ll check back if I hear from them soon. ---
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/17 "2006-12-29T05:50:17Z")
[QUOTE=Asylum] To the OP, did you get the urge to read the book from [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=399593) by any chance? I ask because I’ve had “Canticle” sitting in my collection for years and only got around to reading it after that thread reminded me I had it. Whatever your answer, as someone who just finished the book today for the first time let me say that I found it to be fantastic novel. I was about 50 pages in yesterday, roughly the same amount you are now (or were), and I had a similar reaction to yours. Let us know your overall opinion when you finish it. [/QUOTE] Actually, my father, **The Surb** got the book for me for Christmas when he saw it on the list! I didn’t get to read it much today. More tommorow hopefully. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-pages-into-a-canticle-for-leibowitz-already-hooked/385831/18 "2006-12-29T06:00:51Z")
It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. (Partly because it caught me by surprise–I thought it might be a fun, quick read…and instead got immersed in some pretty deep and cynical insights about human nature). (To the OP: it took you a whole 50 pages?—I got hooked after 2 or 3…and then it gets better and better.) But there are a couple things I still need help to understand: - what’s the point behind the Poet (Sirrah!) ,with his fake eye? - what’s the point behind the two-headed lady at the end of the book? Wouldn’t one head have been enough?