Notre Dame--A Short History of the Meaning of Cathedrals by Ken Follett was written after the author watched the burning of the iconic cathedral last April. He spent years researching cathedral construction for his bestselling book Pillars of the Earth so he was well-positioned to write this engrossing book (all profits go to the rebuilding fund). Cathedrals are the oldest buildings still used for their original purpose. Building a cathedral was a communal enterprise inspiring a multitude of the faithful. Notre Dame’s history is a key part of this impressive legacy; it’s really interesting to learn about how it was built. (Non-Fiction)