The Workshop of Forbidden Books
Synopsis:
Cologne, 15th Century. The winds of reform and change are whipping through a Europe still governed by old beliefs and superstitions. Access to knowledge is in the hands of the few. However, a small group of erudite men meeting in absolute secrecy are united by a common goal: to spread culture amongst the people. How? Through books. But beforehand they will have to overcome the barriers set in place by the church – which doesn’t want “dangerous” works such as the Gospels to reach the masses – and the nobility – who want to hold on to their privileges. One man rises to meet this challenge; a modest goldsmith named Lorenz, helped by his daughter. However, the price to be paid for his insolence could be high: his life and those of everyone close to him.
Highlights
Highlights The Workshop of Forbidden Books
An intense and epic novel about the magic of books. Along the lines of The Pillars of the Earth: the struggle of one man to see his dream become reality.
International Editions
Technical Data
Technical data | Publishing date: 4/02/2011 ISBN: 978-84-270-3709-0 Pages: 640 Imprint: Ediciones Martínez Roca |
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Rights sold | Mondadori (Italy), Marcador (Portugal), Aleksandra i Andrzej Kurylowicz (Poland). |
Reviews | Readers will find it easy to identify with the novel’s plot: the struggle between the corrupt and powerful who want to control everything and idealistic characters who rebel in support of a new invention. The novel is like a fresco of the city of Cologne in the 15th Century. The author describes everything: the monuments, geography, merchandise, jobs of the period, food, streets, dress, interiors of the houses... |