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I don't see how this invalidates the book. Werthead Send a noteboard - 18/05/2010 11:57:24 PM
In the book, the war takes place in the early 1960s (in fact, although Miller didn't intend this at the time of course, you could imagine the situation resulting from the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis having a more disastrous outcome), so all the points about the removal of the Latin Mass don't really play into it. In fact, pointing out that the removal of the Latin Mass makes the book feel dated seems odd when compared to the fact that book depicts the aftermath of a nuclear war that never happened, a rather larger anomaly if you are taking the book on a literal level.

A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ is thus an SF story set in the future of an alternate history (rather like the FALLOUT and BIOSHOCK computer games, or Arthur C. Clarke's 2001 and 2010, which we have already supersceded) rather than a book set in our direct future. Just as the literary and philosophical points an overt alt-history might be trying to make aren't invalidated by the events never happening, I don't see how they are in LEIBOWITZ's case.

The points Miller are making tie into the faith vs. science questions and arguments such as the one between the abbot and the doctor in the last part about euthanasia, debates that are extremely relevant today.
This message last edited by Werthead on 18/05/2010 at 11:58:31 PM
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A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. - 18/05/2010 02:35:02 PM 5529 Views
Why was there a sequel? - 18/05/2010 09:38:57 PM 1488 Views
Miller had been working on it for a while and asked for assistance. - 18/05/2010 11:39:49 PM 1598 Views
It was an interesting book but it is very, very dated. - 18/05/2010 09:46:50 PM 1514 Views
I don't see how this invalidates the book. - 18/05/2010 11:57:24 PM 1429 Views
I think you misunderstand. - 19/05/2010 12:28:42 AM 1491 Views
I agree. - 19/05/2010 09:40:07 AM 1447 Views
I haven't read it yet - 19/05/2010 11:26:23 AM 1536 Views
We have a copy, should you wish to borrow it. *NM* - 19/05/2010 11:30:16 AM 735 Views
I might - 19/05/2010 11:55:04 AM 1429 Views
This is a very good book. - 19/05/2010 03:04:31 PM 1540 Views

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