On the Trail of History - A Column of Fire

Ken Follett visiting research locations for and discussing the background to his new book, A Column of Fire. Published September 2017.
Produced by The Follett Office - Directed by Jann Turner and Laurel Dusenberry - Edited by Laurel Dusenberry.
All further credits at the end of the film.

[@carriewilliams2174]

Dear Mr. Follet Back in Houston at one of your book signings for "Pillars" it was my birthday, so you signed my book with that greeting. It is a precious reminder of the thrill of meeting such a gifted writer as you. I have now read all your books, and several twice. My all time favorite is "Pillars," and your subsequent books fall next in line. Best wishes and many thanks for the thrill of the read. Linda Williams, Fredericksburg, TX.

[@decimustv4257]

Ken, you are fantastic dude. I have great respect for your work. You have created wonderful books for future generations.

[@meredithj8175]

I cried over and over again reading this book. Mr Follet, you really know how to make your readers feel something.

[@MsFrancescaF]

Oh god, this man is so full of charme. I love his books. Reading A Column of Fire right now.

[@nickfoster9350]

"The Pillars of the Earth" is the incredible book I've ever read (I discovered it only a few short years ago via a BookTuber named Brian Lee Durfee; Having read Pillars three times, I decided to finally read "World Without End," having finished it barely a week ago (November 2023), and I am so excited for "A Column of Fire."

[@charlottebaines8055]

The Kingsbridge series is incredible. Totally addictive and hard to put down.

[@adwarfsittingonagiantsshoulder]

Mr Follet, When I first started with Pillars of Earth, I nearly stopped reading after the few pages, thinking it would be another plain medieval story badly researched full of lieu commun... But after one chapter I thought it was not bad, and after the second chapter, I thought it was really exiting... And after finishing the book I was amazed ! It is in my eyes a real masterpiece and the ending just blew my mind. I was also trilled by World Without End. Since then, because I couldn't wait to read A Column of Fire, I read nearly all your books that I could find, and liked most of them if not loved them. I'm actually finishing the phenomenal Century Trilogy. I applaud, not only your writing style, but the quality of the historical research too. What I love so much about your historical novels is the high quantity of qualitative historical elements that you cram into your books, and that you manage to make intricate to the plot and somehow, it never impede the flow of the story ! Bravo. I am pleased that you look so inspired and motivated writing A Column of Fire, and I am really looking forward to it ! PS : I loved the James Bond books too.

[@mikewells9403]

Ur story is much like mine most of us started the pillars of the earth thinking this is going to be boring and we ended it saying whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kristoffer2250]

@@mikewells9403 OMG IT'S THAT ACTUALLY HOW IT IS FOR MOST PEOPLE? I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME!

[@Alya-ew3tz]

So am I the only one that's lowkey depressed after the ending of column of fire?

[@vivreavecaudace]

I absolutely fell in love with his writting. Thank you for making me love reading again.

[@PresterMike]

Im a huge huge fan of your work! You deserve a knighthood for your service in literature. This should get you it.

[@louisejffisher4630]

Hi Ken its good to know you are doing another book ! YaY !

[@danlinder2249]

Great inspiration! Keep up the good work, Mr Follett!

[@BillNeilan]

I just finished this book today and I loved it!! I didn’t want it to end.I enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy as well.

[@judithharris5865]

I love your books. I have read many of them and am eagerly awaiting your next one. I thoroughly enjoyed Column of Fire.

[@maddiemads805]

You're book is in Perú! I got it now! ¡It's amazing! Buen trabajo Ken Follett

[@lisaprince3624]

Cannot wait to read this!

[@nany2012ish]

Espero con ansias ese nuevo libro... Desde ya queda invitado Ken Follett a América Latina para que nos deleite alguna vez con otra fascinante historia sobre el "Nuevo Mundo"... Un cariñoso saludo para Ken desde la Patagonia chilena, al Sur del Sur del mundo...

[@trevorbeatty]

Loved this book

[@House10936]

Great book!

[@MM-gr1gr]

Non vedo l'ora di leggere questo nuovo libro....sara' sicuramente travolgente...come del resto tutti i suoi capolavori

[@kevinpatrick4458]

Great Books!!

[@TheHeebieGeebie]

Wow a new book! Exciting.

[@BucyKalman]

I suppose that Denmark-Norway and Sweden do not count as "major countries" in Ken Follett's opinion . Both countries had Protestant kings at the time Elizabeth I became queen of England, which contradicts Follett's statement that Elizabeth was "the only Protestant monarch of a major country".

[@646-48]

BucyKalman hey weren’t major countries though, that’s the point. Spain France and the Italian city-states could not have given less of a care for them.

[@notathaiguy]

From 1611-1718 Sweden had a large empire including most of norway, finland, the baltic states, parts of germany & wroclow, poland, even a piece of present day america on banks of the delaware river. But I haven't read Follett in years since Die neidel & key to rebecca that I enjoyed greatly. But sorry to say i am finding the column of fire very lame: written at high school english level with a weak & juvenile plot that romanticizes the Renaisance.

[@jimme1982]

When is the TV adaptation supposed to come now. It was said to arrive in 2021, but with corona that probably isn't happening. It's impossible to find any new information what so ever though.

[@rainrunner1]

At age of 20 I'd never read a single book over a 100 pages and as a non school assignment. Found Pillars of the Earth on my mothers bedside table. I thought the cover looked interesting so I read the first page and before I knew it I was 30 pages in and I refused to give it back.

[@vic2rvic]

Will there be a 4th book set in the 19th century PLEASE?

[@celestryrose6687]

Evening and the morning is the 4th but is before all the books.

[@vic2rvic]

@@celestryrose6687 Thanks!

[@veronicagorea]

In Italia il 12 settembre...

[@clayton896]

So is this more about politics and religion compared to the previous 2? I really enjoyed the desperation and struggle in the first two.

[@apexxxx10]

*Does Ken Follett walk with a LIMP? **10:55** His gait, his left leg? Maybe an accident. Total Knee Replacement? Bangkok-Johnny*

[@SaoirseK]

Someone help me out without giving too much information away. But clarify something for me, does A Column of Fire feature any of Jack and Aliena's decedents as chief protagonists like World Without End did with Merthin and Ralph? A simple yes or no would suffice! no details please & thanks.

[@Alya-ew3tz]

A column of fire features Ned Willard and Margery Fitzgerald as the main protagonists in England (in the beginning) As well as Sir Fitzgerald, Rollo Fitzgerald and Bart swithin as the main antagonists in England (in the beginning) hope that helps!

[@SaoirseK]

@@Alya-ew3tz Excuse my ignorance as im new to the book series and haven't fully connected the dots as to who's related to who, but are any of those names above decended from Jack & Aliena? Thanks for your reply btw!

[@Alya-ew3tz]

@@SaoirseK Yes the Fitzgeralds (Margery and Rollo) are very distant descendants of Jack and Aliena.

[@SaoirseK]

@@Alya-ew3tz Brilliant, thanks for that. Are Margery & Rollo closly related? Something along the lines of cousins or distant cousins?

[@Alya-ew3tz]

@@SaoirseK I'm not really sure how it branches out as this is set almost 300 years later, all I know is that they share the name of Menthin Fitzgerald who is a direct descendant of Jack and Aliena. Jack and Aliena aren't really mentioned at all in A Column of Fire so it doesn't seem that they have much of an impact on the characters after Pillars of the Earth. My information is rather limited unfortunately, sorry.

[@guziczek]

W Polsce premiera 13.09

[@masterchief7746]

That book is like a glove to my hand here in Israel as a Jewish person we keep persecuted over our religion in the Middle East thank you mr Follett 🇮🇱🇬🇧

[@kristoffer2250]

I feel guilty about not recommending the kingsbridge series to anyone. The reasons are very illogical and I could only hope that someone holds the same illogical feelings as me. I didn't recommend the book, not because it was bad but because it was a masterpiece. It was as if I discovered a gem, unbeknownst to many and beautiful in all sides. A gem would be an understatement but it is unfortunately the only thing I could muster to say without writing an essay that seemed hyperbolic to a fault. Simply put, I love this book, and I want to keep it to myself. The experience I had with kingsbridge cannot be forgotten.

[@sakiyare6839]

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[@sakiyare6839]

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[@sakiyare6839]

Thanks

[@sakiyare6839]

▶️

[@msannetrophy8542]

An expensive disappointment.