Saint Leibowitz
Encyclopedia
Saint Leibowitz is a character in the science fiction
novel
s A Canticle for Leibowitz
and Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman
written by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
.
, which Miller referred to as “The Flame Deluge.” Leibowitz was a technician who drafted a blueprint for a transistorized control system. This blueprint was later discovered and replicated by a monk named Brother Francis centuries later.
He was considered to be a hero to the monks who resided at the abbey. A carved statue of Leibowitz was kept at the monastery which was named after him in honor of his contributions to society. The monks referred to him as Beatus
('Blessed') Leibowitz prior to the canticle ceremony, but he was officially called 'Saint Leibowitz' afterward (Brians 2007, 3).
Saint Isaac Edward Leibowitz was certainly a pioneer for archivist
s. He was revered and respected by many, especially the monks at the abbey. Even centuries after his death his example influenced other monks to continue the work of preserving written documents for the sake of future generations. Had it not been for Saint Leibowitz’s foresight, the future generations could have been deprived of their heritage.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s A Canticle for Leibowitz
A Canticle for Leibowitz
A Canticle for Leibowitz is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by American writer Walter M. Miller, Jr., first published in 1960. Set in a Roman Catholic monastery in the desert of the southwestern United States after a devastating nuclear war, the story spans thousands of years as...
and Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman
Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman
Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman is a science fiction novel written by Walter M. Miller, Jr.. It is a follow-up to Miller's 1959 book A Canticle for Leibowitz...
written by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Walter Michael Miller, Jr. was an American science fiction author. Today he is primarily known for A Canticle for Leibowitz, the only novel he published in his lifetime. Prior to its publication he was a prolific writer of short stories.- Biography :Miller was born in New Smyrna Beach, Florida...
.
Background
The character's full name was Isaac Edward Leibowitz and he was married to a woman named Emily. He lived during a time of nuclear war in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which Miller referred to as “The Flame Deluge.” Leibowitz was a technician who drafted a blueprint for a transistorized control system. This blueprint was later discovered and replicated by a monk named Brother Francis centuries later.
He was considered to be a hero to the monks who resided at the abbey. A carved statue of Leibowitz was kept at the monastery which was named after him in honor of his contributions to society. The monks referred to him as Beatus
('Blessed') Leibowitz prior to the canticle ceremony, but he was officially called 'Saint Leibowitz' afterward (Brians 2007, 3).
Story Plot
After the disappearance and assumed death of his wife Emily, he took a vow and became a priest. After many years in the priesthood and a lot of moving around he received permission to establish a religious community that was dedicated to preserving history for the generations to come. The community consisted of people who smuggled books that were hidden for preservation and memorizers that would rewrite the books in case the smugglers were caught and the books were destroyed. Leibowitz felt it was very important to preserve documents so that children of the future would be able to educate themselves about their heritage. The world was going through a time of simplification in retaliation for the nuclear holocaust. During this time all knowledge, especially the written word, was deemed evil. He was considered to be a martyr for the cause of preserving history because he was caught and strangled by the mob while smuggling books. The mob destroyed a great deal of the documents and books that were hidden in kegs and when all was said and done after the war only a few books and documents remained. Centuries later the monks still kept the items preserved in hopes that the future generations would want to know their heritage.Saint Isaac Edward Leibowitz was certainly a pioneer for archivist
Archivist
An archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
s. He was revered and respected by many, especially the monks at the abbey. Even centuries after his death his example influenced other monks to continue the work of preserving written documents for the sake of future generations. Had it not been for Saint Leibowitz’s foresight, the future generations could have been deprived of their heritage.
Usage in other publications
- In James A Michener's book SPACE, the last words said by Colonel Randy Claggett (Commander of Apollo 18) just before the Lunar Module LUNA (which he was piloting) crashed on the moon was: "Blessed Saint Leibowitz, Keep 'em dreamin' down there".