Feb 18th, 2011 by Lisa
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett is the first book in The Century Trilogy. The series begins with an introduction to five families of different classes and origins - America, England, Germany, Russia and Wales during the First World War and the Russian Revolution.
Summary from the book flap:
Ken Follett’s World Without End was a global phenomenon, a work of grand historical sweep, beloved by millions of readers and acclaimed by critics. Fall of Giants is his magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women’s suffrage.
Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man’s world in the Welsh mining pits…Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson’s White House…two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution…Billy’s sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London.Continue reading ...
These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.
In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the twentieth century, changing themselves-and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.
Here is a character guide from Ken Follett’s website that will help you keep track of all the interweaving characters.
Book Club Ideas
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One entertaining part of the book is the nicknames the people of Wales give to each other. Billy Williams, the coal miner from Wales, was initially given the nickname Billy Twice, until he thought he saw Jesus. His name was then changed to Billy-with-Jesus. Make name tags for your guests with their own nicknames. |
There are so many activities and scenes in this sprawling novel. Using posters and coffee table books, you can take your guests on a pictorial stroll through the historical events in Fall of Giants. Click on the poster or book for more information.
Welsh Coal Miners
British Food Rationing, First World War, 1918
Ammunition Bus, First World War Hunt, Robert
German Troops at the Harbour in Libau, Russia, During the First World War
World War I American War Savings Stamps Poster by James Montgomery Flagg, 1918
Peasants Huddled Near Food Shop, Living Conditions under Bolshevik Rule, Russian Revolution
Revolutionaries Storming the Winter Palace in Petrograd During the Russian Revolution
Russian Troops at the Time of the Revolution
Suffragettes
German Prisoners of War Returning from Russia after World War I
Coffee table books:
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Time-Life Books is a great resource for WWI videos. |
Music
Walter von Ulrich, the diplomat from Germany and Lady Maud’s love interest, could play Beethoven sonatas effortlessly but could not play ragtime, for which he was teased.
Maud, Fitz’s sister and Walter’s love interest, joined an all female band playing jazz. She sang Alberta Hunter and “Downhearted Blues” by Bessie Smith.
Book Club Menu
This is a great book for a potluck book club party. Each member can bring a food and drink from each of the countries in the book – England, America, Russia, Germany and Wales.
The king of England visited Earl Fitzherbert (aka Fitz), the ninth-richest man in Britain. During his visit and elegant meal was served (barely touched) consisting of blinis with caviar and cream, triangles of toast and smoked fish, crackers with soused herrings, pot-au-feu soup, sole, medallions of Welsh lamb, parfait of goose liver and quails with grapes baked in a pastry. Here are some of the English pastry recipes we have done in the past, including Cottage Pie Tart and English Pork Pie.
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In America, Gus Dewar a law student working in Woodrow Wilson’s White House, went to a party where sandwiches, beer, lemonade and cake were served.
For German food, I recommend Pretzels or this German Sausage and Potato Soup.
Lev, a Russian who fled to America, reminisced about the old days in Russia with his brother Grigori, the cheap vodka, the coarse black bread, and the turnip stew. This black bread would go wonderfully with the German soup.
In South Wales, Billy-with-Jesus’ Mam would make sugary Welsh Cakes.
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Search Wine.com for your favorite wines from these region. |
Book Club Resources
Ratings at the time this post was published
Goodreads: 3.99 stars (2824 ratings)
Barnes and Noble: 3 stars* (1131 ratings)
Amazon: 3 stars* (784 reviews).
My rating: 4.5. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but I think this was necessary to set the stage for the upcoming books in the series. This book kept me reading until I couldn’t read anymore. I will definitely be reading the next books in the series.
*Note: Many people gave 1 star because the ebook was more expensive than the hardcover price. It had nothing to do with the quality of the book.
Book Reviews
“Welcome to the 20th Century as you’ve never seen it. At more than 1,000 pages, Fall of Giants delivers all the elements that fans of Ken Follett have come to treasure: historical accuracy, richly developed characters, and a sweeping yet intimate portrait of a past world that you’ll fully inhabit before the first chapter is through.” – Miriam Landis in The Courier-Journal
“Follett’s greatest virtue as a novelist that he has been able to bring forward a writing style he perfected in his earlier thrillers… Essentially, he’s writing several interrelated books at once, without ever losing the inevitable forward impulse. And while it sounds bizarre to consider a book this huge a ‘page-turner,’ that’s exactly what Fall of Giants is.” – Melinda Bargreen in The Seattle Times
“Follett is such a great storyteller, and he really has a knack for fleshing out his characters in a way that makes them real, with quirks, ideals and flaws. By the end of the book, you know these people so well that you feel like they are members of your own family.” – Girls in the Stacks blog
Book Club Discussion
- What is Ken Follett referring to in his title ‘The Fall of Giants”?
- Ken Follett introduces a wide range of characters in Fall of Giants. Did you have difficulty keeping track of each of them? Did you feel that you were able to get the know them? Did you feel that a certain character should have played a more dominant role?
- Discuss the intermingling of classes. Do you think those of power took advantage of those who worked for them?
- Billy’s father is a strong figure. What role did he play in how the futures of his children, Billy and Ethel.
- There were many influential characters in this epic novel. Who do you think was the most influential? Is it the character with the most money or highest ranking? Is it a woman?
- Which character surprised you the most? In what way?
- What do you think is going to happen to the characters in the next installment of the trilogy?
Purchase Fall of Giants at your favorite bookseller
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About the Author
From Ken Follett’s website:
Ken Follett is one of the world’s best-loved novelists. He has sold more than 130 million copies. His latest book, Fall of Giants, went straight to the No.1 position on bestseller lists in the USA, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.
Walter and Maud were discussing the ending of the revolution in Munich and the jailing of Adolf Hitler for high treason. “Good,” Maud said with relief. “Thank God that’s over.” Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
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Book Club Party Ideas This post is filed under : 2010-2012, historical fiction
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Great ideas! I really like the idea of your book club.
Comment by Amanda on February 19, 2011 at 5:56 am
I read Pillars of the Earth and absolutely loved it. I cannot wait to read this one!
Comment by DallasGirls on February 21, 2011 at 6:04 am
Pillars of the Earth is one of my all-time favorite books! This book isn’t quite as good, but I am interested to see where the next books in the series take the characters.
Comment by Lisa on February 21, 2011 at 6:17 am
While Follett’s style occasionally grates on me, I do appreciate that his books make history accessible and interesting. They are “historical thrillers” as a friend puts it.
I love the food rationing poster–some of it seems so counter-intuitive. No limit on eggs, but use bread with care!
Comment by Niranjana (Brown Paper) on February 21, 2011 at 9:57 am
This is a period that interests me (and I love the photos you included). Such a time of transition in so many ways. I’ll check the library next time I visit to see if they have a copy!
Comment by jenclair on February 21, 2011 at 10:31 am
Pillars of the Earth is one of my favorites and I cannot wait to read this one! (By the way, Sugary Welsh Cakes look and sound absolutely delectable!)
Comment by Coffee and a Book Chick on February 22, 2011 at 11:23 am