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Who Is Ken Follett?

British author Ken Follett has sold more than 160 million copies of his thrillers worldwide over a career that has spanned these past 50 years.

Known for keeping his readers on the edge of their seats through historical novels, Follett’s most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth, has been translated into over 30 languages alone.

The Pillars of the Earth centers on the building of a cathedral during the Middle Ages in the fictional city of Kingsbridge. 

Eleven years ago this month, nearly 20 years after The Pillars of the Earth was published, Follett released a sequel, World Without End. This novel is the second of three in the Kingsbridge series and holds a special connection to the Basque Country.

In the novel, structural problems with the cathedral were inspired by events at the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque province of Araba and seat of the Basque Autonomous Government.

According to the Center for Basque Studies, Follett conducted research trips to Vitoria-Gasteiz for the novel and presented the Spanish translation of the book in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Never having read a Ken Follett novel myself, the only way I know about any of this is because a few years ago when visiting Vitoria-Gasteiz, I stumbled upon a statue of the author.

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Photo: Txaro Franco

Why Is There a Statue of Him in the Basque Country?

It may surprise people to know there is a statue of him in the Basque Country. I sure was confused!

In 2008, the Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos Vasco-Navarro awarded Follett the Olaguibel Prize for promoting architecture through his novels. A statue of Follett by award-winning Basque sculptor Casto Solano was unveiled in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria in January 2008 to coincide with the award.

Perhaps unintentionally, Follett has become a sort of ambassador for Vitoria-Gasteiz in the English speaking world. He has introduced his fans to a cathedral they may otherwise have never had heard of, and by extension he has introduced English-speaking audiences to the Basque Country as well.

If you’re curious to get caught up on Ken Follett’s claim to Basque fame, you can find World Without End here.

If reading’s not really your thing, maybe you’d like to watch the TV miniseries instead? Originally aired in 2012 and produced by Ridley Scott, the show stars Cynthia Nixon and Miranda Richardson. You can find it here.

What other popular books do you know about with Basque themes or inspiration? Let us know in the comments.

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