Three narratives, set in the fifth, fourteenth, and twentieth centuries, all revolving around an ancient text and each with a love story at its centre, are the elements of this brilliantly ingenious novel, a follow-up to the international bestseller An Instance of the Fingerpost . The centuries are the 5th (the final days of the Roman Empire); the 14th (the years of the Plague -- the Black Death); and the 20th (World War II). The setting for each is the same -- Provence -- and each has at its heart a love story. The ...
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Three narratives, set in the fifth, fourteenth, and twentieth centuries, all revolving around an ancient text and each with a love story at its centre, are the elements of this brilliantly ingenious novel, a follow-up to the international bestseller An Instance of the Fingerpost . The centuries are the 5th (the final days of the Roman Empire); the 14th (the years of the Plague -- the Black Death); and the 20th (World War II). The setting for each is the same -- Provence -- and each has at its heart a love story. The narratives intertwine seamlessly, and what joins them thematically is an ancient text -- "The Dream of Scipio" -- a work of neo-Platonism that poses timeless philosophical questions. What is the obligation of the individual in a society under siege? What is the role of learning when civilization itself is threatened, whether by acts of man or nature? Does virtue lie more in engagement or in neutrality? "Power without wisdom is tyranny; wisdom without power is pointless," warns one of Pears's characters. The Dream of Scipio is a bona fide novel of ideas, a dazzling feat of storytelling, fiction for our times.
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Add this copy of The Dream of Scipio to cart. $6.54, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Random House of Canada, Limited.
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Add this copy of The Dream of Scipio to cart. $12.99, good condition, Sold by Russell Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Victoria, BC, CANADA, published 2003 by Vintage Books Canada.
Add this copy of The Dream of Scipio to cart. $35.13, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Random House of Canada, Limite.
Dream of Scipio takes place in Avignon, France in three different and important eras. First, right after the fall of Rome and the start of the "dark ages," where the only learning took place in the monasteries. 2nd era, the middle ages where the Church and the Kings rivaled for power; 3rd era: France in World War Il when the Nazis invaded the country. The protagonist (each one different according to the times), finds himself making vital decisions that affect not only his own life but those with powerful influence who could change events.The book does not proceed in l-2-3 order but devotes segments to each period and switches around so that the reader is kept in suspense as to the plot resolution for each dramatic era. The reader will learn many new facts of these time periods, and will be entertained by all the characters portrayed.
