NOTRE-DAME A Short History of the Meaning of Cathedrals

Ken Follett doesn't usually narrate his own works, something many will regret after listening to his fine performance of this short audiobook history of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Written in response to 2019's devastating fire, Follett's narrative has a personal investment lacking in many histories and, at the same time, a factual authority absent in many narratives based on a contemporary event. Just over an hour long, this historical essay is a series of brief chapters on cathedral building, the career of Victor Hugo, Charles de Gaulle's return to Paris in 1944, and more. Informative, enlightening glimpses of a rich history are performed with deep affection and skill. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2019]