The Spire

I reread this difficult but worthy book during the shut down of our government. Golding has mirrored the self-righteous arrogance of those who have the only answer. I had read the book 45 years earlier but found it more impressive now that I could ever appreciate in my youth. This is the painful tale of a man whose arrogant self-righteous posture reeks havoc and destruction on the lives of others as he descends into insanity. It is Golding at his best and most difficult.

Another masterpiece of William Golding, the Nobel Prize winning author of "Lord of the Flies." I enjoyed reading the book, while simultaneously listening to the Audio recording, read by Benedict Cumberbatch. Absorbing, a rare pleasure.

This is written in a "stream of consciousness" style which makes is somewhat inaccessible and difficult to follow. The book is written as the thoughts of the insane bishop building the spire. What interested me in the book is actually visiting Salisbury cathedral in England and seeing the impossible spire myself. Golding taught at the school attached to Salisbury cathedral and this inspired his story. The hubris of building the tallest tower and stone spire in England on top of thin pillars never meant to hold the weight, themselves built on 4' deep foundations set on wet gravel is amazing. The fact this this was done in the thirteen hundreds is amazing and might inspire one to faith. Read this classic and then go to see that cathedral that has been continually about to fall since the middle ages.

Perhaps one of the finest books written, certainly one of the finest I've read. An emotional and intellectual tour de force. There are few writers who explore the crevices of the human heart and mind with the dexterity achieved in this novel (perhaps Malouf in 'Remembering Babylon' or Kundera in his earlier novels? Certainly Shakespeare.). Not everyone's cup of tea ... but certainly mine, "... it's like the apple tree ..." Highly recommended for those with patience.

Benedict Cumberbatch provides an inspired reading of this lively play set in a church in England; the characters come to life as Benedict reads us through the chapters with flair and perfectly isolating the characters with his vocal acuity!