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A Place Called Freedom
Scotland, 1766. Sentenced to a life of misery in the brutal coal mines, twenty-one-year-old Mack McAsh hungers for escape. His only ally: the beautiful, highborn Lizzie Hallim, who is trapped in her own kind of hell. Though separated by politics and position, these two restless young people are bound by their passionate search for a place called freedom.
From the teeming streets of London to the infernal hold of a slave ship to a sprawling Virginia plantation, Ken Follett’s turbulent, unforgettable novel of liberty and revolution brings together a vivid cast of heroes and villains, lovers and rebels, hypocrites and hell-raisers—all propelled by destiny toward an epic struggle that will change their lives forever.
From the teeming streets of London to the infernal hold of a slave ship to a sprawling Virginia plantation, Ken Follett’s turbulent, unforgettable novel of liberty and revolution brings together a vivid cast of heroes and villains, lovers and rebels, hypocrites and hell-raisers—all propelled by destiny toward an epic struggle that will change their lives forever.
437 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 28, 1995
About the author
Ken Follett
470 books55.7k followersKen Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. Over 170 million copies of the 36 books he has written have been sold in over 80 countries and in 33 languages.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,990 reviews
April 2, 2014
Forget team Edward or team Jacob--
When I picked up this book it was only because I dissolve into the pages of every Ken Follett book I read.
Follett took me back in time to Scotland and I was that girl working in the mines six days a week. I felt the burn of the leather strap that pressed against my forehead as I dragged a load too heavy for my small frame to bear, not giving in to the danger, the fear, the exhaustion.
Then he introduced me to Mac McAsh and I fell deeply in love. He is also from the mines and carries himself with a Moses-like presence, you know the part of the movie when he grabs the task-master's whip and saves the woman he does not yet know to be his mother. That is the feeling of who Mac is. That is the essence of Mac who never submitted to the life of servitude he was born into. He struggles for the right to live as a free man.
I traveled with him to London, to the new world, and ultimately to a Place Called Freedom.
I don't understand how Follett does it, but he in so few words creates vivid worlds of texture and smell, of pain and pleasure. He brings the reader into these worlds and delivers.
I adored this book!
When I picked up this book it was only because I dissolve into the pages of every Ken Follett book I read.
Follett took me back in time to Scotland and I was that girl working in the mines six days a week. I felt the burn of the leather strap that pressed against my forehead as I dragged a load too heavy for my small frame to bear, not giving in to the danger, the fear, the exhaustion.
Then he introduced me to Mac McAsh and I fell deeply in love. He is also from the mines and carries himself with a Moses-like presence, you know the part of the movie when he grabs the task-master's whip and saves the woman he does not yet know to be his mother. That is the feeling of who Mac is. That is the essence of Mac who never submitted to the life of servitude he was born into. He struggles for the right to live as a free man.
I traveled with him to London, to the new world, and ultimately to a Place Called Freedom.
I don't understand how Follett does it, but he in so few words creates vivid worlds of texture and smell, of pain and pleasure. He brings the reader into these worlds and delivers.
I adored this book!
June 24, 2020
One of the best historical fiction novels I have read in a very long time. In this place and time in history, where freedom is once again taken away by socalled social justice, although it is written into just about every existing constitution in the world, except those of communist countries, this novel strikes hard and fast on the mind and heart.
I didn't know if I wanted to cry or become angry after closing the novel, given that currently some snod-nosed little punks who have all the freedom in the world to be what they want, thanks to those who died for it and still defend it, are trying to destroy freedom of choice for everyone else. This book defines freedom for what it is suppose to mean. Heartbreaking.
I did feel an immense gratitude for the excellent penmanship underscoring this profound tale. Forgive me, but I'm angry. Not for this beautiful novel, but for what's happening to us right now, right this minute. I'm angry, my heart is breaking.
I didn't know if I wanted to cry or become angry after closing the novel, given that currently some snod-nosed little punks who have all the freedom in the world to be what they want, thanks to those who died for it and still defend it, are trying to destroy freedom of choice for everyone else. This book defines freedom for what it is suppose to mean. Heartbreaking.
I did feel an immense gratitude for the excellent penmanship underscoring this profound tale. Forgive me, but I'm angry. Not for this beautiful novel, but for what's happening to us right now, right this minute. I'm angry, my heart is breaking.
October 31, 2019
Freedom — Life’s Corner Stone
Freedom is not always an easy option. However, it’s thoroughly recommendable!😁
Life tends to block without Miss. Liberty around! 😉
Another masterpiece from the great Ken Follet! 🥰
It’s a 4 glued to an huge tail of “++++++++++...”!!! 👍👍👍
Freedom is not always an easy option. However, it’s thoroughly recommendable!😁
Life tends to block without Miss. Liberty around! 😉
Another masterpiece from the great Ken Follet! 🥰
It’s a 4 glued to an huge tail of “++++++++++...”!!! 👍👍👍
June 2, 2016
Um pouco mais selvagem
Publicado em 1995, “Uma Terra Chamada Liberdade”, apenas em 2016 chegou às estantes das livrarias portuguesas.
A escrita de Ken Follet, intensa e descritiva, é mais uma vez rainha ao longo das 456 páginas que compõem a edição da Editorial Presença e engrossa a lista dos romances históricos nascidos sob a sua pena.
Follett viaja entre a Escócia, Inglaterra e os actuais Estados Unidos Americanos, debruça-se essencialmente sobre questões laborais (direitos dos trabalhadores e valor destes na sociedade) e politicas (formas de governação e autonomia das colónias britânicas), sempre tendo como palco o século XVIII.
A magistral recriação do ambiente à época é novamente o ponto forte , ao ponto de mentalmente reconstruirmos com pormenor as minas de carvão da Escócia, os fumos constantes das chaminés de Londres e as planícies ventosas que os primeiros colonos encontraram do outro lado do Atlântico.
O ponto menos empolgante talvez seja a narrativa que tem como cenário de fundo os Estados Unidos Americanos… O contado até esse momento merecia um capitulo final mais à altura. Com mais cidade, mais campo, mais gente, mas condimento. Mais vida dos colonos, mais vida dos escravos, mais vida selvagem, mais nativos. Mais história para além da estória.
O final cumpre, contudo poderia ter tido uma preparação histórica que a aproximasse dos padrões de “Os Pilares da Terra”, “O Mundo Sem Fim” ou da trilogia “O Século”.
"Ainda assim, Jay sentia-se satisfeito ao contemplar, do pórtico, a sua propriedade. Eram mil acres de campos cultivados, colinas arborizadas, regatos cintilantes e vastas lagoas, com quarenta trabalhadores e três criados de casa; e tanto a terra como as pessoas pertenciam-lhe. Não era à familia, não era ao pai, era a ele. Finalmente, era um cavalheiro de pleno direito."
Nota: 4.5/5.0
Publicado em 1995, “Uma Terra Chamada Liberdade”, apenas em 2016 chegou às estantes das livrarias portuguesas.
A escrita de Ken Follet, intensa e descritiva, é mais uma vez rainha ao longo das 456 páginas que compõem a edição da Editorial Presença e engrossa a lista dos romances históricos nascidos sob a sua pena.
Follett viaja entre a Escócia, Inglaterra e os actuais Estados Unidos Americanos, debruça-se essencialmente sobre questões laborais (direitos dos trabalhadores e valor destes na sociedade) e politicas (formas de governação e autonomia das colónias britânicas), sempre tendo como palco o século XVIII.
A magistral recriação do ambiente à época é novamente o ponto forte , ao ponto de mentalmente reconstruirmos com pormenor as minas de carvão da Escócia, os fumos constantes das chaminés de Londres e as planícies ventosas que os primeiros colonos encontraram do outro lado do Atlântico.
O ponto menos empolgante talvez seja a narrativa que tem como cenário de fundo os Estados Unidos Americanos… O contado até esse momento merecia um capitulo final mais à altura. Com mais cidade, mais campo, mais gente, mas condimento. Mais vida dos colonos, mais vida dos escravos, mais vida selvagem, mais nativos. Mais história para além da estória.
O final cumpre, contudo poderia ter tido uma preparação histórica que a aproximasse dos padrões de “Os Pilares da Terra”, “O Mundo Sem Fim” ou da trilogia “O Século”.
"Ainda assim, Jay sentia-se satisfeito ao contemplar, do pórtico, a sua propriedade. Eram mil acres de campos cultivados, colinas arborizadas, regatos cintilantes e vastas lagoas, com quarenta trabalhadores e três criados de casa; e tanto a terra como as pessoas pertenciam-lhe. Não era à familia, não era ao pai, era a ele. Finalmente, era um cavalheiro de pleno direito."
Nota: 4.5/5.0
September 4, 2012
Oh, honestly...
How did this book ever make it past an editor and onto a shelf and, consequently, onto my Kindle? My Kindle doesn't deserve this!
What could have been SUCH a cool story feel painfully flat due to writing that was, in my opinion, elementary at best. Unbearable. Cliche. Eye-roll worthy times 1000.All tell and absolutely, positively no show whatsoever.
Let me give you some recurring examples:
'She felt afraid.'
'She felt cold.'
'She felt strange.'
'He felt exhausted.'
I'm not kidding. Those are direct quotes. And there are so, so many more just like it throughout the book.
I just couldn't do it.
I would love to say something positive, but I couldn't see the story for the inept writing...
How did this book ever make it past an editor and onto a shelf and, consequently, onto my Kindle? My Kindle doesn't deserve this!
What could have been SUCH a cool story feel painfully flat due to writing that was, in my opinion, elementary at best. Unbearable. Cliche. Eye-roll worthy times 1000.All tell and absolutely, positively no show whatsoever.
Let me give you some recurring examples:
'She felt afraid.'
'She felt cold.'
'She felt strange.'
'He felt exhausted.'
I'm not kidding. Those are direct quotes. And there are so, so many more just like it throughout the book.
I just couldn't do it.
I would love to say something positive, but I couldn't see the story for the inept writing...
March 26, 2016
3.5 stars - It was really good.
I didn't even notice until I sat down to write this review, that I did not make any highlights in this novel. While Follett may not have a literary flair that makes me highlight beautiful passages, this story grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me captivated until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling within this novel and learned a great deal about the atrocious coal mining work environment in Scotland during the mid 1700s. It was also rather refreshing to have a heroine that was feisty and independent without her having to be a fighting warrior bad ass to prove it.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: N/A
First Sentence: Snow crowned the ridges of High Glen and lay on the wooded slopes in pearly patches, like jewelry on the bosom of a green silk dress.
I didn't even notice until I sat down to write this review, that I did not make any highlights in this novel. While Follett may not have a literary flair that makes me highlight beautiful passages, this story grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me captivated until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling within this novel and learned a great deal about the atrocious coal mining work environment in Scotland during the mid 1700s. It was also rather refreshing to have a heroine that was feisty and independent without her having to be a fighting warrior bad ass to prove it.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: N/A
First Sentence: Snow crowned the ridges of High Glen and lay on the wooded slopes in pearly patches, like jewelry on the bosom of a green silk dress.
May 6, 2016
Pelo maravilhoso enredo, pelo interesse histórico do mesmo, pela excelente contextualização e pelas fantásticas personagens, este livro merece sem dúvida cinco estrelas.
Malachi e Lizzie são prisioneiros do século XVIII, ele por ter nascido um escravo nas minas de carvão escocesas e ela por ter nascido mulher. Depois de Mack fugir da Escócia voltam a encontrar-se em Londres quando Lizzie casa com um dos filhos do proprietário da mina. Na capital, Mack começa a arranjar problemas por difundir as suas perigosas ideias sobre os direitos dos trabalhadores e sobre como a autoridade do governo devia vir do consentimento do povo, Ao chamar a atenção de homens importantes, Mack é vítima de uma cilada, julgado e condenado a ser transportado para uma colónia americana onde será vendido como escravo, juntamente com muitos outros criminosos. Lizzie viaja no mesmo barco, antecipando uma vida feliz e de liberdade na propriedade que o sogro passou para o marido na Virgínia.
Assim, as vidas de Mack e Lizzie seguem a par como se os seus destinos estivessem ligados, ajudando-se um ao outro em várias ocasiões.
Ken Follett criou uma viagem fantástica para os seus leitores. Não ficamos indiferentes perante as atrocidades que "presenciamos", pelas péssimas condições em que viviam homens, mulheres e crianças e pelo duríssimo trabalho diário que executavam em tempos em que as pessoas eram propriedade.
O escritor aborda a instabilidade política na capital do império britânico e posteriormente a discussão que a soberania de Londres começa a gerar nas colónias, bem como as respectivas falhas que estavam a provocar insatisfação, afastamento à Coroa e à formação de um nível colonial político que viria a fazer-se ouvir.
Sem dúvida que os personagens enriquecem muito o livro. Follett criou excelentes e odiosos vilões com a mesma capacidade que construiu heróis fantásticos, ligando o leitor aos mesmos através das terríveis provocações que os vemos passar. Não sendo perfeitos, Lizzie e Mack têm espaço para crescimento pessoal e é isso mesmo que presenciamos ao longo do livro, um amadurecimento de acordo com as experiências vividas.
Por vezes é necessário muita coragem para lutar pelo que se acredita ser correcto, pelo que se quer... e pela liberdade que se merece.
March 14, 2019
A Pedra Angular da Vida
A Liberdade é uma escolha complicada, mas mandatória!
Sem ela a Vida não acontece...
A Liberdade é uma escolha complicada, mas mandatória!
Sem ela a Vida não acontece...
November 16, 2017
Follett's characters are so extreme-you are either a saint or a really despicable human....not much in between. Highly predicatable you knew where this one was going writhin the first few pages.
August 24, 2018
A sweeping saga of love, greed, betrayal and revolt combined with period drama is worth a read. A Ken Follett book makes it really special. This is a story of Malachi McAsh who is a Scottish slave working in the coal mines of Scotland owned by a greedy and wily man George Jamisson and his sons. McAsh yearns for freedom from slavery and circumstances arise when he is forced to go to America as a convict. He falls in love with Lizzie Hallim, an aristocrat lady who is married to the villain of the story, Jay Jamisson, the son of George Jamisson. This is the story of McAsh journey to freedom.
The characters are well developed and I loved the character of Lizzie who is portrayed as dare-devil and tom-boyish. You feel for McAsh who never gives up on his dream of breaking free from the shackles of slavery. You hate Jay for his selfishness and bigotry. There are fringe characters like Lennox, Cora and Peggy who complete the story beautifully. A nice and quick enjoyable read. However this cannot be compared to Pillars of the Earth which was a magnificent period drama.
The characters are well developed and I loved the character of Lizzie who is portrayed as dare-devil and tom-boyish. You feel for McAsh who never gives up on his dream of breaking free from the shackles of slavery. You hate Jay for his selfishness and bigotry. There are fringe characters like Lennox, Cora and Peggy who complete the story beautifully. A nice and quick enjoyable read. However this cannot be compared to Pillars of the Earth which was a magnificent period drama.
June 16, 2024
Jackdaws 5 stars
Hornet Flight 5 stars
A Place Called Freedom 5 stars
What an amazing writer he is! It's one of the two best yarn spinners I've ever known.
Scotland, 18th century.
Young Mack works in a mine and he is a slave. His only goal is to get rid of this predicament and go to London to find a new life for himself and his sister. The law is on his side but during this time the most important things are money and social stratification, not the law. And nobody even wants to inform workers or slaves about their laws.
This book is about fighting for freedom and better life from point of view a person who is at the bottom of social hierarchy.
A young Lizzie is meant to marry Robert only because her family is kinda bankrupt. The merger of two families would save her family and make both families richer. The problem is that she doesn't love him and she wants to get rid of the predicament. She's a very vivid character, doing things no other woman does, and it's not only riding her horse astride.
This book is about fighting for happiness from the point of view a woman who is in the high echelons of the society.
Their paths cross in Scotland, then in London, and finally on the other side of Atlantic.
The book becomes better and better with time, excellently crafted with his amazing prose.
There's one thing about all his three books I've read; the way how he writes about sex, desire and physical attraction. I love it.
Follet The Great!
Hornet Flight 5 stars
A Place Called Freedom 5 stars
What an amazing writer he is! It's one of the two best yarn spinners I've ever known.
Scotland, 18th century.
Young Mack works in a mine and he is a slave. His only goal is to get rid of this predicament and go to London to find a new life for himself and his sister. The law is on his side but during this time the most important things are money and social stratification, not the law. And nobody even wants to inform workers or slaves about their laws.
This book is about fighting for freedom and better life from point of view a person who is at the bottom of social hierarchy.
A young Lizzie is meant to marry Robert only because her family is kinda bankrupt. The merger of two families would save her family and make both families richer. The problem is that she doesn't love him and she wants to get rid of the predicament. She's a very vivid character, doing things no other woman does, and it's not only riding her horse astride.
This book is about fighting for happiness from the point of view a woman who is in the high echelons of the society.
Their paths cross in Scotland, then in London, and finally on the other side of Atlantic.
The book becomes better and better with time, excellently crafted with his amazing prose.
There's one thing about all his three books I've read; the way how he writes about sex, desire and physical attraction. I love it.
Follet The Great!
September 22, 2024
A Place Called Freedom is another example of Follett's familiar and usually successful mix of romance and adventure. However, APCF is not quite as good as the author's other works. The chief problem is characters that are far too black or white be believable. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD This is perfectly illustrated by Jay and Lizzy. Jay is written without a single redeeming quality. Lizzy, on the other hand, is always virtuous. On the plus side, the novel offers an interesting examination of freedom, showing that this ideal frequently eludes not just slaves and indentured servants, but, in other ways, members of the elite class as well.
January 21, 2022
Ken Follet voltou a oferecer uma história brilhante! Não esperava render-me a sua escrita, depois de ter lido "Um mundo sem fim" ( uma das suas obras mais afamadas). Mas apaixonei-me perdidamente pela jornada de Mack e Lizzie.
Não costumo ler histórias sobre escravatura, a par das do holocausto, são histórias bastante dramáticas e que emocionam. Felizmente Follet não exagerou no drama e nos deu uma bela história de amor entre Mack e Lizzie. É daqueles romances que não são nada previsíveis. Eu esperava que ela ficasse com o Jay, apesar de amar o Mack. Porque no início do livro Lizzie ama Jay, mas o casamento deles é muito apressado e não lhes dá o tempo suficiente para se conhecer melhor.
Mack, o protagonista desta história,é um escravo que trabalho na minas. Ele sonha diariamente com a liberdade. E isso acaba por acontecer graças a ajuda de Lizzie, que torna-se sua aliada e amiga.
"Uma terra chamada liberdade" é uma obra que aborda temas como a amizade, casamentos de conveniência, a época industrial e amores proibidos.
Não costumo ler histórias sobre escravatura, a par das do holocausto, são histórias bastante dramáticas e que emocionam. Felizmente Follet não exagerou no drama e nos deu uma bela história de amor entre Mack e Lizzie. É daqueles romances que não são nada previsíveis. Eu esperava que ela ficasse com o Jay, apesar de amar o Mack. Porque no início do livro Lizzie ama Jay, mas o casamento deles é muito apressado e não lhes dá o tempo suficiente para se conhecer melhor.
Mack, o protagonista desta história,é um escravo que trabalho na minas. Ele sonha diariamente com a liberdade. E isso acaba por acontecer graças a ajuda de Lizzie, que torna-se sua aliada e amiga.
"Uma terra chamada liberdade" é uma obra que aborda temas como a amizade, casamentos de conveniência, a época industrial e amores proibidos.
January 28, 2024
Why did I read this book, give it a 5-star rating, and put it on my “Favorites” shelf list?
First, it is a Ken Follett material; I believe his only mission in life is to sway people into loving anything he writes— I say this because it has certainly worked for me. Second, the story is set in a former era—the late 18th century—and I am such a fan of period/historical reads. Third, it talks about a young man’s struggle against social injustices, a subject to which I am largely sympathetic (having worked closely with peasant farmers and workers during my time as a student activist). Lastly, the book’s hero, Malachi “Mack” McAsh, hails from Scotland, and I devoured anything Scottish during the time I was reading this novel.
A combination of all four reasons gives me a story that is both compelling and worth reading.
The story starts with Mack wanting to be free from the chains that bind him to coal mining slavery and getting severely punished for it. Sick of a life of servitude, he escapes to London in the hope of a better life and witnesses the same sordid condition of the workers and poor people in general. He finds work as a coal heaver and later leads a gang of workers. He also organizes his gang to assert better working conditions and acceptable wages for themselves, but authorities view it as subversive and soon they fabricated charges against him. He is arrested, found ‘guilty’ of fomenting a riot (an offense punishable by death), and sent to a tobacco plantation in Virginia as an indentured servant, which at the time was a convenient replacement for the gallows. There, he is reunited with Scottish noblewoman Lizzie Hallim, a childhood acquaintance struggling with the restrictions of her own privileged life. Their friendship turns to love, and in the end, they decide to finally take hold of the freedom that has eluded them throughout the years and create a life together.
Ken Follett said that he never saw this book as political, but I can’t seem to separate the political tone of the story from the satisfaction of just writing about inequality and seeking out justice. For me, Mack is an outward representation of the progressive labor sector that continues to decry the existence of repressive trade laws, of people who don’t get properly compensated for long hours of hard work, or of the hazardous conditions of most blue-collar workplaces. I am reminded of the countless faces asserting their rights to live human, and of the countless more still bound in their chains, unable to speak out and unable to break free.
It is difficult to live with the kind of choices Mack has made especially when he almost died for it, but for him, it meant his freedom, and being able to make that one shot at redemption is better than doing nothing at all to rid himself of his chains.
First, it is a Ken Follett material; I believe his only mission in life is to sway people into loving anything he writes— I say this because it has certainly worked for me. Second, the story is set in a former era—the late 18th century—and I am such a fan of period/historical reads. Third, it talks about a young man’s struggle against social injustices, a subject to which I am largely sympathetic (having worked closely with peasant farmers and workers during my time as a student activist). Lastly, the book’s hero, Malachi “Mack” McAsh, hails from Scotland, and I devoured anything Scottish during the time I was reading this novel.
A combination of all four reasons gives me a story that is both compelling and worth reading.
The story starts with Mack wanting to be free from the chains that bind him to coal mining slavery and getting severely punished for it. Sick of a life of servitude, he escapes to London in the hope of a better life and witnesses the same sordid condition of the workers and poor people in general. He finds work as a coal heaver and later leads a gang of workers. He also organizes his gang to assert better working conditions and acceptable wages for themselves, but authorities view it as subversive and soon they fabricated charges against him. He is arrested, found ‘guilty’ of fomenting a riot (an offense punishable by death), and sent to a tobacco plantation in Virginia as an indentured servant, which at the time was a convenient replacement for the gallows. There, he is reunited with Scottish noblewoman Lizzie Hallim, a childhood acquaintance struggling with the restrictions of her own privileged life. Their friendship turns to love, and in the end, they decide to finally take hold of the freedom that has eluded them throughout the years and create a life together.
Ken Follett said that he never saw this book as political, but I can’t seem to separate the political tone of the story from the satisfaction of just writing about inequality and seeking out justice. For me, Mack is an outward representation of the progressive labor sector that continues to decry the existence of repressive trade laws, of people who don’t get properly compensated for long hours of hard work, or of the hazardous conditions of most blue-collar workplaces. I am reminded of the countless faces asserting their rights to live human, and of the countless more still bound in their chains, unable to speak out and unable to break free.
It is difficult to live with the kind of choices Mack has made especially when he almost died for it, but for him, it meant his freedom, and being able to make that one shot at redemption is better than doing nothing at all to rid himself of his chains.
July 1, 2016
Tenho sentimentos mistos em relação a este livro.
Não é brilhante. Não está excepcionalmente bem escrito.
Tudo é cliché: o triângulo amoroso, o vilão, as características das personagens....
Contudo, li-o de uma assentada e conseguiu-me cativar.
Uma leitura de verão perfeita, creio.
Não é brilhante. Não está excepcionalmente bem escrito.
Tudo é cliché: o triângulo amoroso, o vilão, as características das personagens....
Contudo, li-o de uma assentada e conseguiu-me cativar.
Uma leitura de verão perfeita, creio.
May 26, 2023
I read two pages and I was into the book - immediately!! But OK - I am biased, as this is my favorite author. I'm on page 36 - yes, I'm going to like it, I know.
May 4, 2016
Recomendo este livro a quem gosta de romance histórico e de Ken Follett. A genialidade deste escritor está bem patente neste livro em cada página lida.
Nos finais do século XVIII, na Escócia, existia um forma peculiar de escravidão, os proprietários das minas de carvão eram também “donos” dos trabalhadores e suas famílias.
As crianças assim que nasciam estavam condenadas a trabalhar durante 21 anos e um dia para recuperar a liberdade.
Mack McAsh vai lutar contra este poder instituído pagando caro por esta ousadia.
Nos finais do século XVIII, na Escócia, existia um forma peculiar de escravidão, os proprietários das minas de carvão eram também “donos” dos trabalhadores e suas famílias.
As crianças assim que nasciam estavam condenadas a trabalhar durante 21 anos e um dia para recuperar a liberdade.
Mack McAsh vai lutar contra este poder instituído pagando caro por esta ousadia.
November 22, 2022
4.5 rounded up
February 28, 2024
"Pensa: vivere dove vuoi, non dove te lo ordinano. Scegliere il lavoro, essere libero di andartene e di accettarne un altro pagato meglio, o meno pericoloso, o più pulito. Essere padrone di te stesso e non schiavo di qualcuno… non sarebbe magnifico?".
Un luogo chiamato libertà è uno spettacolare libro del 1995 di Ken Follett che parla di amore, coraggio, libertà e determinazione… tutti elementi splendidamente incastonati in un contesto storico davvero esistito: quello delle miniere di carbone inglesi e delle colonie americane della seconda metà del 1700, l'epoca in cui la vita di un minatore e di uno schiavo valevano meno di uno straccio.
Il romanzo, pur avendo in Mack MacAsh il protagonista assoluto, può benissimo esser visto come un racconto corale: infatti, mentre leggeremo le peripezie di Mack verso la sua voglia di libertà (poveraccio, ne passerà davvero di tutti i colori), seguiremo anche le sorti di Lizzie Hallim (donna libera ed emancipata, che non accetta la vita che il destino gli ha tracciato) e di tutta la famiglia Jamisson, con padre e figli uno più odioso dell'altro. E da questo si capisce benissimo che la tormentata storia d'amore tra Mack e Lizzie è solo il pretesto per affrontare l'argomento degli scontri tra conservatori e liberali inglesi e delle primissime ribellioni nelle colonie d'Oltreoceano.
La trama, con le tante storie secondarie che scorrono parallelamente alla vicende di Mack, è davvero ben costruita e si lascia leggere in maniera fluida; ogni volta che dovevo staccarmi dalla sua lettura facevo davvero molta fatica. Consigliato agli amanti dell'avventura (e qui, cari amici lettori, c'è né davvero tanta) ed a tutti coloro che vogliono capire cosa siano state le lotte di classe e di libertà.
[https://lastanzadiantonio.blogspot.co...]
Un luogo chiamato libertà è uno spettacolare libro del 1995 di Ken Follett che parla di amore, coraggio, libertà e determinazione… tutti elementi splendidamente incastonati in un contesto storico davvero esistito: quello delle miniere di carbone inglesi e delle colonie americane della seconda metà del 1700, l'epoca in cui la vita di un minatore e di uno schiavo valevano meno di uno straccio.
Il romanzo, pur avendo in Mack MacAsh il protagonista assoluto, può benissimo esser visto come un racconto corale: infatti, mentre leggeremo le peripezie di Mack verso la sua voglia di libertà (poveraccio, ne passerà davvero di tutti i colori), seguiremo anche le sorti di Lizzie Hallim (donna libera ed emancipata, che non accetta la vita che il destino gli ha tracciato) e di tutta la famiglia Jamisson, con padre e figli uno più odioso dell'altro. E da questo si capisce benissimo che la tormentata storia d'amore tra Mack e Lizzie è solo il pretesto per affrontare l'argomento degli scontri tra conservatori e liberali inglesi e delle primissime ribellioni nelle colonie d'Oltreoceano.
La trama, con le tante storie secondarie che scorrono parallelamente alla vicende di Mack, è davvero ben costruita e si lascia leggere in maniera fluida; ogni volta che dovevo staccarmi dalla sua lettura facevo davvero molta fatica. Consigliato agli amanti dell'avventura (e qui, cari amici lettori, c'è né davvero tanta) ed a tutti coloro che vogliono capire cosa siano state le lotte di classe e di libertà.
[https://lastanzadiantonio.blogspot.co...]
June 16, 2018
Not to be rude but this is the worse book I've read so far! The female characters are flat and limited to the masculine point of view of the author. Follett tried to make his female lead character strong and independent yet she came out basic and dependant on men. Sadly not even the plot is good. Honestly I rated it 1 just because I can't rate 0.5...
October 11, 2011
A Place Called Freedom follows the character Mack from a coal mine in Scotland to London where he struggles to earn decent pay for himself and other laborers. He ends up in the colony of Virginia still yearning for true freedom. This novel had great potential to be a story as gripping as Pillars of the Earth, but it feels rushed instead. I would have loved more detail about the surroundings and period details about dress, food, & everyday life. I especially thought the story fell short when Follett decided not to describe Mack's journeys in detail. We learn nothing of his trip from Scotland to London other than how long it took. The Atlantic crossing could have been very exciting and suspenseful, but instead is just brought to an end and we are told how many died. The characters, especially Mack, are interesting but not as developed as they could be in order to really feel that you "know" them and care about them. I couldn't decide if Lizzie was strong and independant or impetuous and selfish. I also never really understood why Jay's father hated him so much. Overall, I did like this book and enjoy reading about the time period covered, but I wish Follett had made it about twice as long.
December 6, 2011
I liked this book for a different reason then I like some other book sIve read.
This was the last christmas gift I ever gave my father for christmas 1995, I was very sick in 1996 and didnt get gifts for any one, he died before the next christmas, I had not been thinking of it or able to read it until recently, I found the book that I gave him , I never asked him what he thought about it, that is one of the best things about reading a book is being able to talk with some body about it.
I liked the story I dont think I as much unless it fit into my life the way it did. Some times books, like music are that way, when I think of what Ive read and what was happening in my own life at the time, affects how much I like a book, I have a couple of books like that.
because when I think of this book I think of my father, more then I think of Mac and Elizabeth. it will always be special to me more for that.
I did like the story though, now have will try to make a point of it to read a book before I give it to them.
Mac is a coal miner making meger wages, leaves the mines finds love, and a place that he is free.
This was the last christmas gift I ever gave my father for christmas 1995, I was very sick in 1996 and didnt get gifts for any one, he died before the next christmas, I had not been thinking of it or able to read it until recently, I found the book that I gave him , I never asked him what he thought about it, that is one of the best things about reading a book is being able to talk with some body about it.
I liked the story I dont think I as much unless it fit into my life the way it did. Some times books, like music are that way, when I think of what Ive read and what was happening in my own life at the time, affects how much I like a book, I have a couple of books like that.
because when I think of this book I think of my father, more then I think of Mac and Elizabeth. it will always be special to me more for that.
I did like the story though, now have will try to make a point of it to read a book before I give it to them.
Mac is a coal miner making meger wages, leaves the mines finds love, and a place that he is free.
January 21, 2020
O carte extrem de draguta ,mi-a placut mult ,merita mai mult de 4 stele dar totusi nu a stralucit pentru ai da 5...prima mea carte citita de Follett si ma declar indragostita de scriitura lui..personajele foarte frumos creionate doar ca parca personajele negative le voiam mai rele ,chiar daca faceau lucruri rele parca nu mi au transmis rautatea lor...in schimb povestea superba ,extrem de vie ..este la un moment dat in carte o perioada care se petrece in mina ..pur si simplu am devorat partea aceea ,parca simteam ca eram acolo ,cu personajele...si in finalul micii mele recenzii urmeaza un spoiler despre finalul cartii asa ca cine nu vrea sa stie ce se intampla in final sa nu mai citeasca)))).....voiam finalul altfel...este happy end si sincer nu ma asteptam ...in final toate treburile s-au aranjat asa ca inchidem coperta cartii fericiti ca totul s-a terminat cu bine...nimic dramatic...voiam putin dramatism pentru a simti mai bine perioada aceea grea a anilor 1800 ...deci o carte frumoasa care merita citita !
February 7, 2017
Ken Follett has created another great book, filled with strong characters and an engaging plot. We travel to Scotland and learn how cruel the coal workers and their families were treated. Follett introduces his strong, independent characters, especially the main female! Freedom is briefly attained in London, England. An ocean crossing on the Rosebud brings the characters to Virginia. The search for freedom is the main theme.
"I'll go anywhere that's not Scotland - anywhere a man can be free......to be your own man, and nobody's slave."
4 stars for this page turner.
"I'll go anywhere that's not Scotland - anywhere a man can be free......to be your own man, and nobody's slave."
4 stars for this page turner.
May 7, 2016
Respirar fundo depois desta leitura!
Estória e personagens fabulosos, uma escrita sempre excelente (a que o autor já nos habituou). Mais um livro a não perder.
Estória e personagens fabulosos, uma escrita sempre excelente (a que o autor já nos habituou). Mais um livro a não perder.
August 22, 2022
4,5 sterren- Nederlandse hardcover
August 14, 2023
4.5
Un libro entretenido, si este me gustó y no es su mejor libro, no me quiero imaginar cómo estará los pilares de la tierra.
Un libro entretenido, si este me gustó y no es su mejor libro, no me quiero imaginar cómo estará los pilares de la tierra.
March 2, 2023
A wonderful and exciting read!!
July 24, 2013
Mack McAsh is a young man born into slavery in eightieth century Scotland and refuses to accept a life of servitude and hardship working down a Scottish coal mine. This is the bases for a fantastic fast paced story that moves from the Scottish coal mines to the back streets of eightieth century London, before moving on to the state of Virginia just prior to the American revolution. There is also a rich array of characters that Follett really brings to life. The story is underlined by the beginnings of social unrest in Scotland and London. Also, Americans are beginning to voice their discontent with living under colonial rule. Follett’s attention to detail when it comes to historical fact is as always excellent and woven into the story in such a way as to increase its depth and texture. I do enjoy reading Ken Follett books but in my view this is one of his best and I couldn’t put it down. A really entertaining read.
November 27, 2018
I picked this book up on a whim... I loved The Pillars of the Earth and so hoped I’d love this one too! I didn’t love it. In fact, I feel like I’m being really generous with three stars.
A Place Called Freedom is a fantastic and intriguing idea! The idea, however, is followed up with a very predictable story, elementary writing (came off more as half assed) and bad dialog. I never really “felt” the characters (rolled my eyes a few times) nor did I “see” any of the places traveled to.
The story also just ends. Pretty abruptly. Like, really? There is still conflict left unresolved and questions to be answered.
If you are looking for a good historical fiction by Follett, stick to The Pillars of the Earth.
A Place Called Freedom is a fantastic and intriguing idea! The idea, however, is followed up with a very predictable story, elementary writing (came off more as half assed) and bad dialog. I never really “felt” the characters (rolled my eyes a few times) nor did I “see” any of the places traveled to.
The story also just ends. Pretty abruptly. Like, really? There is still conflict left unresolved and questions to be answered.
If you are looking for a good historical fiction by Follett, stick to The Pillars of the Earth.
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