My second book for November was Circle of Days by Ken Follett. Carmen's parents-Pam and Mike-gave me the book while I was recovering. I saw the author interviewed about the book on the Today show earlier this year standing in the middle of Stonehenge.
The novel is set in 2500 BC. The entire story is centered on the Salisbury Plain in the English county of Wiltshire. The people are divided into tribes, each named according to their role: miners, herders, woodlanders, and farmers. The main arc of the story is the conflict between the tribes, particularly the farmers and the herders.
In the background of the conflict between the tribes, there is a sacred site with a wooden structure (the Monument). The people meet each season at the wooden Monument for religious rites and festivities. The rituals are led by priestesses who track the movements of the sun, reflecting the astronomical significance of the site. Over the course of the book, a new, ambitious stone circle (Stonehenge) is planned and built.
Except for a couple of the Doonesbury books, I am not sure when the last time I read a physical book. Over the last ten years, I have switched to reading everything in the Kindle app on my iPad and iPhone. Athough I miss the viseral feel of a physical book, I love always having my current book in my pocket if I get stuck somewhere.
Jack, Sharon and I visited Stonehenge in March of 2019. Although this is not a book that I would have bought for myself, I enjoyed it.
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