Absolute Truths [Mass Market Paperback]

Susan Howatch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 1995

"A SKILLFUL BLEND OF CHARACTER, PHILOSOPHY AND
NARRATIVE. . .Formidable personalities embroil themselves in ruthless power struggles that would make a corporate raider blush."
--The Washington Post Book World
It is 1965, and Charles Ashworth has attained the plum position of bishop of Starbridge, an honor that keeps him in a heady whirl of activity that would exhaust the most seasoned corporate executive. With the invaluable support of his minions and his attractive, unsinkable wife, Ashworth stands against the amorality and decadence of the age--"Anti-Sex Ashworth." He slays his opponents by being a tough, efficient, confident churchman, the torments of his past long since dead and buried.
And then the unexpected, the unthinkable, strikes.
Suddenly Ashworth finds himself staring into the chasm of all the lies hes been telling himself for years: about his marriage, his children, even his views on the Church. And as he suspects his old nemesis and dean, Neville Aysgarth, of drinking too much, of financial chicanery, of--God forbid--having an affair, Ashworth discovers to his horror that he is tempted to commit the very acts that he has so publicly
denounced. . . .
"ENTHRALLING. . .Rich, dense, almost indecently entertaining."
--San Jose Mercury News
"POWERFUL. . .MIRACULOUS."
--Booklist (starred review)
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This sixth and final volume in Howatch's series of novels concerning the church of England revolves around the spiritual and moral upheavals of the 1960s.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This final novel in a double trilogy about the Church of England in the 1930s and the 1960s is a splendid conclusion to the series (begun with Glittering Images, LJ 6/1/87) and a powerful combination of psychological insight, theological depth, and storytelling ability. Howatch simultaneously provides her reader with both marvelous entertainment and genuine insight into the human condition. The narrator for this volume is Charles Ashworth, now Bishop of Starbridge, who staunchly, even self-righteously, defends traditional values. This continues until crisis-and his wife's journal-reveal to him the "shadow" side of his own life and its effect on his two sons; his dean, Stephen Aysgarth; other clergy; several women; and himself. The end is phoenix-like, as characters rise from their own ashes, yet never unrealistic. Highly recommended for all libraries.
Carolyn M. Craft, Longwood Coll., Farmville, Va.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Fawcett (April 11, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449224171
• ISBN-13: 978-0449224175
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,415,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd give it six stars if I could!, January 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Absolute Truths (G K Hall Large Print Book Series) (Hardcover)

Everyone looking for depth, entertainment and a real spirituality boost should read this book. Everyone looking for an intellectual challenge should read this book. I just have to say it - everyone should read this book! Absolute Truths is actually the sixth book in a series, but like the other five stands fine on its own. It deals with the Church of England and in particular a few specific members of the church, in the 1960's. It deals with what is going on in society, what is going on with "regular" people and what is going on inside the Church of England and with its members. It focuses on one particular Bishop, Charles Ashworth, and shows him faults and all as a regular human being as he deals with the ups and downs in his personal, professional and spiritual life. There are terrific discussions of religious, spiritual, artistic and socio-economic ideals. This book will stretch your mind into thinking things you never thought would enter your grey matter. It's highly recommended by most of the people I know that have read it. And it's also recommended that you read the other books in this series. This book will change your life.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely satisfying, December 7, 2001

By 

Sharon Maas ([e-mail]) (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Absolute Truths (Mass Market Paperback)

Although this is the last book in the Starbridge series it is actually set in time before its immediate prequel, Mystical Paths. Howatch obviously had good reasons for doing this; no other book could have rounded up the series so perfectly, and certainly it was a delight to return to Chares Ashworh as narrator, who began the whole series. This time Charles is at the evening of his life. He has been the Bishop of Salisbury for some years.. Some of those nearest and dearest to him have passed away and he has to come to terms not only with the sense of loss, doubt and lack of direction, but also with his wayward Dean, Neville Ayesgarth, who still insists on going off on a tangent in affairs of the Cathedral. As in Scandalous Risks, scandal seems only around the corner and Charles has to develop very strong spiritual muscles in order to bring matters to an outcome worthy of a Christian.
I must not forget to mention that in this novel Starbridge Cathedral itself - in the other books merely a background stat - becomes a major character, and a star player during the Grande Finale The climax of this book is not only deeply moving, it is also absolutely perfect. As is the entire series.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Satisfying Conclusion To 6 Book Series, January 22, 2001

By 

carol irvin "carol irvin" (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Absolute Truths (Mass Market Paperback)

When we started out in Book #1, the narrator, Charles Ashworth, was still fairly young. In this novel, he is again the narrator but he is elderly and the bishop of Starbridge. Being this age, he can wind up everyone's story. There is his whole generation of people and their families in the Anglican Church plus his childrens' generation of people. Of all the books, I'd say this one you better read as #6 and not out of order. There are simply too many stories which are wrapped up here that won't have the same impact on you if you haven't read books 1-5. This novel has its share of worldly problems with: gay priests (2), the ghost of Jardine appearing in the cathederal, an exorcism of the cathedral, a possible embezzlement by Dean Aysgarth from cathedral funds, a suicide, death of a spouse and finding another spouse. It also has combined therapeutic-spiritual sessions again with Jon Darrow as spiritual director for both Ashworth and Aysgarth. Once I started any of the 6 books, I couldn't stop reading till the end and this one was no exception.