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A Place Called Freedom Hardcover – August 28, 1995

by Ken Follett (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 31,694 ratings
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A PLACE CALLED FREEDOM begins in the infernal coal mines of the Jamisson family, in the Scottish highlands, where twenty-one-year-old Mack McAsh spends most of his waking hours.  Bound to his employer for life, Mack burns with an insatiable desire to escape.  

He finds an unlikely ally in Lizzie Hallim, the beautiful, willful young aristocratic woman who yearns for independence in a male-dominated society.

Mack's hunger for freedom brings him into conflict again and again with the harsh rulers of eighteenth-century Britain.  Accused of riot--a capital crime--Mack becomes one of the thousands of convicts who are shipped to the American colonies, to work as slaves for seven long years.

With its vivid, fascinating portrayal of the colorful streets of London and the endless landscapes of the New World, plus an unforgettable cast of heroes and villains, lovers, and rebels, hypocrites, hell-raisers, and whores, A PLACE CALLED FREEDOM is a magnificent epic of love, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    407 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Crown
  4. Publication date
    August 28, 1995
  5. Dimensions
    6.75 x 2 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0517701766
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0517701768
  8. See all details
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  1. “The law makes no decisions. It has no will of its own. It’s like a weapon, or a tool: it works for those who pick it up and use it.”
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  4. He had been known to say that crime was caused by poverty. That was like saying adultery was caused by marriage.
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  5. The most profitable part of the Jamisson shipping business was transporting convicted criminals to America.
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The key to Follett's absorbing new historical novel (after A Dangerous Fortune) lies in words that "made a slave of every Scottish miner's son" in the 1700s: "I pledge this child to work in [the laird's] mines, boy and man, for as long as he is able, or until he die." When young Malachi (Mack) McAsh challenges this practice, citing its illegality, he begins a pattern of rebelling against authority while pursuing justice. Mack's dangerous quest for freedom makes him a fugitive in High Glen, where he is brutally punished by Sir George Jamisson in retaliation for his intention to quit the mines. After escaping to London, Mack confronts injustice again when he tries to break the monopoly of "undertakers," who furnish crews to unload coal from ships; arrested and tried, he is transported to Virginia as an indentured servant. All this time, his fate is intertwined with that of Lizzie Hallim, daughter of the impoverished laird of High Glen, who is as spirited, independent-minded and daring as is Mack himself. (Readers may not quite believe her sexual aggressiveness, but Follett knows how to strike chords with feminists.) But Lizzie is gentry, so she must marry Jay, the younger Jamisson son. Follett adroitly escalates the suspense by mixing intrigue and danger, tinged with ironic complications. He also provides authoritative background detail, including specifics about the brutal working conditions of mine workers and coal heavers and the routine of an American tobacco plantation. History is served by references to real-life English liberal John Wilkes, who challenged the established view that the virtual enslavement of "common" men by aristocrats was God's will, and events in Virginia as the Colonies move toward rebellion. If the dialogue sometimes seems lifted from a bodice-ripper, and if far-fetched coincidences keep flinging Lizzie and Mack together, these flaws are redeemed by Follett's vigorous narrative drive and keen eye for character. BOMC and QPB main selections; Reader's Digest Condensed Book selection; simultaneous Random House audio and large-print editions; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Follett's latest (following A Dangerous Fortune, Delacorte, 1993) begins in the coal-mining region of 18th-century Scotland. The author convincingly evokes the grim, hard life of the miners, one of whom defies the brutal authority of the owner and is forced to flee. Mack ends up in London, but more defiance causes him to be deported to the American Colonies. Characters, whom he seems to find no matter where he goes, are Jay Jamisson, the weak-willed and bitter younger son of Sir George Jamisson, owner of the Scottish mines, and Lizzie, Jay's spunky, soft-hearted wife, who soon realizes what a horrid man she has married. The characters are stereotypes and coincidental meetings abound, but the historical picture of suffering and of injustice done to the poor is well drawn. Also, the writing has a certain verve and energy that keeps the reader interested. Recommended for most collections.
--Patricia Altner, Information Seekers, Bowie, Md.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown; First Edition (August 28, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 407 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0517701766
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0517701768
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.95 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 2 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 31,694 ratings

About the author

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Ken Follett

Ken Follett

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Ken Follett was only twenty-seven when he wrote the award-winning EYE OF THE NEEDLE, which became an international bestseller. His celebrated PILLARS OF THE EARTH was voted into the top 100 of Britain's best-loved books in the BBC's the Big Read and the sequel, WORLD WITHOUT END, was published to critical acclaim. He lives with his family in London and Hertfordshire.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
31,694 global ratings
Created a deeper respect for my own freedom.
5 Stars
Created a deeper respect for my own freedom.
Feeling strong emotions while reading this story, I literally stood up and applauded upon completion. Great Book!
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Top reviews from the United States

M D Tuch
5.0 out of 5 stars a fun and enjoyable adventure
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2020
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Ken Follett seems to have dialed in plots, characters and locale to come up with an epic tale of 18th century Scottish, English and finally, the American struggles of slaves and indentured servants. The book grabs your attention right away. Mack McAsh (everyone loves an underdog) is determined to escape the inhumane drudgery and servitude of the coal mines. Lizzie Hallim (everyone loves a spirited, beautiful young woman that says what’s on her mind and is a crack shot). Jay Jamisson (everyone loves a rich young man who gets the stiff from his fat, rich, overbearing father). With these and an assortment of very rich as well as very poor supporting characters, Follett has produced another historical gem.
The book doesn’t go in the direction the reader is initially led. There are some surprises along the way, a shock or two, and a satisfying, if not entirely accurate, conclusion.
Follett excels at adventure, and his writing zooms the reader through action scenes. Even when the pace bogs down a bit with historical details, you are quickly thrust into a new direction with more action. I am sure there will be some grumbling about the sex scenes, which were more explicit than I had expected. However, I wasn’t put off by them.
By and by, Follett’s offering is a fun and enjoyable adventure. With the exception of a few items, what’s not to like?
Spoilers ahead
Mack seemed to have little remorse that his fellow strikers that were arrested with him in London were hanged. This is not consistent with his character. Also, I doubt that the protagonists would have had much luck digging a grave deep in the Appalachian forest of the 18th century with only a “spade from their kit”. They would had been lucky to dig deep enough through the tangled root systems to get a body underground at all, much less expending the effort needed to bury a person that was so cruel to them. Lastly, it is highly doubtful that Peg would have fell for an Indian brave, taking into account her English proclivities and the early Native American’s role for women in the tribe. Most likely all the survivors in this tale will fall prey to a violent death in the near future, but that is beyond the scope of the story.
19 people found this helpful
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PA Marco
4.0 out of 5 stars Follett Delivers Again
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2024
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Ken Follett’s skill for delivering historically accurate fiction is unparalleled. In A Place Called Freedom he enters into the world of colonial America (and England) with cool aplomb and keeps you enthralled with his delivery of details. I can’t give it five stars though because from a storytelling point of view, it is very good but not great. Certainly not like his previous efforts especially those involving the building of cathedrals. However, I wouldn’t let that be a detriment to picking this one up and going for a journey across the seas.
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Michael I. Reichmann
5.0 out of 5 stars A Follett Masterpiece. Historic, fast paced page turner and one of his best yet.
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
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I love the pace, the style, the suspense and the characters.
Another of Follett’s great works. Truly a gifted storyteller.
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Nyx
3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of tropes; why not address actual slavery?
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2017
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A Place Called Freedom by Ken Follett is a fast-paced story spanning 18th century Scotland, London, and Virginia. We follow Mack McAsh and Lizzie Hallim, both strong-willed, independent people from differing socioeconomic classes. Mack has been born to the harsh life of coal mining; young men often yolked to a mine and landlord for life in something akin to slavery (*more on that later.) Lizzie, on the other hand, is a would-be heiress who must marry rich in order to save her heavily mortgaged family estate of High Glen.

Mack is a working class hero; he has a strong sense of justice, even at the expense of his own safety and well-being. Mack yearns from freedom for those of his class, and wishes to break the strict socioeconomic classes in favor of equality. Mack is likable because of his sense of always doing what is right–to a fault, which kind of got annoying at some points (like when he would suddenly show up in a scene to rescue Lizzie. Bit of a tired trope.) As themes go, I did like the examination of class politics.

Lizzie gave me way more mixed feelings. Perhaps I am more critical of a female character written by a male more than I would be if a woman had written her. Follett’s Lizzie fit the trope of the high-strung, strong-willed, independent, spoiled high society girl who constantly challenges those around her. At times, Lizzie acted very out of character for a woman of the 18th century (telling off her lorded father in law,) while at other times she acted very much a woman of her time. For example, Lizzie is quick to challenge men and social conventions (not riding side-saddle) within her own class system, however, while she offers superficial help to those in need (helping Mack or throwing a party for the slaves), she never seems to fully examine the big picture plight of slavery. Lizzie later comes to be the mistress of a large plantation in Virginia, and although she wishes to feed her slaves better and treat them gently, her outspoken nature seems to fall short. She never fully challenges the institution, even if just by internal thought. I know a woman at this time couldn’t do much to change society at large, but there wasn’t even any dialogue or thought process of–this is wrong, I cannot be a mistress of a slave-owning plantation.

And here is where I come to the issue of slavery, in relation to what this whole book is about. The title itself, A Place Called Freedom, and the overarching theme was a bit problematic for me. While I found the story engaging and fast-paced, I continually struggled with the fact that this book is about 18th century white people yearning for freedom, while it does not deep dive into the issues of slavery, or really have any African slaves as prominent characters. Let me first say that I understand the historical context here. Even colonists wishing independence from the British would say they no longer wanted to be “slaves” to the Empire, while at the same time some in fact actually owned slaves. During the 18th century (and before), indentured servitude was a system in which a person would either be shipped to the Americas for being a convict and would have to serve for X amount of years before gaining freedom, or the person entered into X amount of years of indentured servitude in exchange for passage to America. During this time, white people of the lowest socioeconomic class were viewed harshly and certainly very much beneath the higher classes–that is true. However, these people were still white and therefore viewed by most as humans, whereas African slaves were not. There is mention in this book from some of the higher class characters that the coal miner Scots (i.e. low socioeconomic class) don’t feel and think the same way they do. I’m sure this notion was true then, but I still believe Africans would have been viewed as even less. Here is where I struggle: Mack, as man of low socioeconomic status, exposes his landlord for basically enslaving them to work the mines. What propels Mack forward is his quest for justice and freedom. He ends up in Virginia as a “slave,” but really as an indentured servant. He and the other servants mix in the fields with the African slaves. Mack does give pause to slavery, and Follett even allows Mack to think that he is equal to them. What I’m trying to say is that even though indentured servants were treated harshly and lived brutal lives, they had the possibility and eventual hope of earning their freedom. Slaves, on the other hand, never had that hope of eventual freedom (unless they took matters into their own hands and ran away.)

Does a story about 18th century indentured servitude negate the horrors of slavery–no, but if you’re going to write a story about an unrelenting desire for freedom, why not address the actual institution in which there was no true freedom?

All that being said, I did find the story engaging and I wanted to keep reading (despite my misgivings and discomfort of the themes and characters.) Some of the characters fell too much into the historical romance tropes; especially Lizzie…maybe Ken Follett just isn’t that great with writing female characters? This is the first book I’ve read by him. I could have done without the tropes, as well as some of the tired descriptions (ie.”she cried her heart out.”)
30 people found this helpful
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Teslacoil
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Ken Follett
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
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A very easy and enjoyable read. A Ken Follett classic that all readers will enjoy. I highly recommend this book!
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Stan Boyer
4.0 out of 5 stars fast paced story
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2024
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I like the story and I read it in a few days. It was kind of predictable, but enjoyable. I recommend this book because Ken Follett terrific writer.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars At 76 years old
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
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I just finished. It was great! I don’t remember what it was about. If you’re 76 years old and think back on the book that you just read and it still feels good, that’s good enough.
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Yvette
4.0 out of 5 stars What's your freedom worth
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2024
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This was a gripping novel from start to finish. Very thought provoking making you wonder what lengths one should go for what they truly believe in.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Norman Jeynes
5.0 out of 5 stars Another page turner from Follet
Reviewed in Canada on February 24, 2024
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Once again a very good read no fill in pages well researched for historical accuracy.
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Michael br
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great read from Follett
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 28, 2024
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Excelent easy read. Not overly complex, but compelling. The story has a believable, natural flow which though moving from Scotland through London to America holds the readers interest througout.
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R24
5.0 out of 5 stars Edizione copertina flessibile
Reviewed in Italy on January 22, 2024
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Ottima edizione con copertina flessibile. Altezza del carattere perfetta
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R24
5.0 out of 5 stars Edizione copertina flessibile
Reviewed in Italy on January 22, 2024
Ottima edizione con copertina flessibile. Altezza del carattere perfetta
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Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy entretenido
Reviewed in Mexico on June 2, 2021
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Ameno y entretenido
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Antonio
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book - KF succeeded in keeping up at another level
Reviewed in Brazil on May 26, 2021
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Combining fiction with historical events KF continues to raise the bar in writing novels. This time he explores slavery and the high cost to obtain freedom.
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