On The Other Hand…
How can a great and wise civilization have destroyed itself so completely?
“Perhaps,” said Apollo, “by being materially great and materially wise, and nothing else.”
“Perhaps,” said Thon Taddeo, “but I doubt it.”
“You reject all history, then, as a myth?”
“Not ‘reject.’ But it must be questioned. Who wrote your histories?”
“….a doubt is not a denial. Doubt is a powerful tool, and it should be applied to history.”
A Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr, published 1959
What is A Canticle For Leibowitz?
A Canticle for Leibowitz is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by American writer Walter M. Miller, Jr., first published in 1960. Set in a Catholic monastery in the desert of the Southwestern United States after a devastating nuclear war, the story spans thousands of years as civilization rebuilds itself. The monks of the fictional Albertian Order of Leibowitz take up the mission of preserving the surviving remnants of man’s scientific knowledge until the day the outside world is again ready for it.
A Canticle for Leibowitz is based on three short stories Miller contributed to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. It is the only novel published by the author during his lifetime. Considered one of the classics of science fiction, it has never been out of print and has seen over 25 reprints and editions. Appealing to mainstream and genre critics and readers alike, it won the 1961 Hugo Award for best science fiction novel. (Wikipedia)
