February 3, 1907 october 16, 1997 was an american author. His first novel was the fires of spring, which was published in 1949. Some characters, places and events are historical, others are fictional. The bestselling book was adapted into the popular musical and film, south pacific. In general, the michener novels set in wartime are more engaging than those set in peacetime because the author, a war veteran, is particularly adept at crafting conflict.
I was surprised to read the impressive list of james a micheners other titles having read the source i was left wondering how can one man write with such authority and passion about more than a single subject i assumed that this book alone must surely represent a lifes work it is so detailed an extremely dense 900 pages and. James albert michener is best known for his sweeping multigeneration historical fiction sagas, usually focusing on and titled after a particular geographical region. The story begins with an archaeological dig in the 1960s that takes place at the mythical site of makor, near jerusalem. She gave him her name and he remained part of her household in his childhood and adolescent years. Michener became a published author in 1948 with the short story collection tales of the south pacific. To the biblebelieving christian, it also must be ranked among the most insidious pieces of popular fiction of the twentieth century. It presents a stunning vision and scope, with a fine exploration of jewish culture and history. James michener list of movies and tv shows tv guide. His first novel, tales of the south pacific, which inspired the rodgers and hammerstein musical south pacific, won the 1948 pulitzer prize. The source would go on to become the topselling novel of 1965 and could be said to represent the pinnacle of micheners career. I have a particular soft spot for tales of the south pacific 1947, the. Michener was one of the worlds most popular writers, the author of more than forty books of fiction and nonfiction, including the pulitzer prizewinning tales of the south pacific, the bestselling novels the source, hawaii, alaska, chesapeake, centennial, texas, caribbean, and caravans, and the memoir the world is my home. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
An epic tale of love, strength, and faith, the source is a richly written saga that encompasses the history of western civilization and the great religious and cultural ideas that have shaped our world. It is a survey of the history of the jewish people and the land of israel from premonotheistic days to the birth of the modern state of israel. James a michener books biography and list of works. Michener, james albert 19071997 james albert michener was born on february 3, 1907, in new york. Michener had numerous bestsellers and works selected for book of the month. Michener was a renowned american author who collated more than 40 novels. Anyone looking at his witty eyes and bandy legs experienced a sense of merriment. Michener served on the advisory council to nasa and the international broadcast board, which oversees the voice of america. Every generation has its middlebrow celebrity authors. Three years later, when all that he had attempted had prospered, when his old wife had found strange peace and. Michener served on the advisory council to nasa and the. Majority of these books were purely fictional family dramas casing lives of various generations, based on specific topological localities. The source by james michener, first edition abebooks.
He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were lengthy, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history. Michener, who survived a dickensian childhood to win the pulitzer prize with his very first book, published when he was about 40, and then became one of americas favorite storytellers. The source is generally considered the most ambitious novel ever written by veteran writer james michener. He is reported to have been born on february 3, 1907. Micheners masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents who carve an empire out of a vast wilderness. When that episode first aired in 2001, i had a near meltdown of excitement the kind of giddiness you only experience when you get a really obscure reference. Nothing cracks a turtle like leon uris, says cletus, the slackjawed yokel, in a memorable simpsons episode.
Not much is known of james albert micheners early life and his childhood except for the fact that he was raised by an adoptive mother, mabel michener as a quaker in doylestown, bucks county, pennsylvania. The story begins with an archaeological dig in the 1960s that takes place at the mythical site of. Micheners numerous bestselling novels also included the source, centennial, texas, hawaii, and chesapeake. Michener, whose globetrotting hawaii, afghanistan, etc. One result of those visits was the novel matecumbe, named after two of the islands that comprise the town of islamorada, locate. Micheners novels roots began while the author was on a trip to israel, and the book. As a foundling, he was given to the care of a woman named mabel michener in doylestown, pennsylvania. Michener, who survived a dickensian childhood to win the pulitzer prize with his very first book, published when he was about 40, and then became one of americas favorite storytellers with grandscale novels like hawaii, the source and texas, died in his home in austin, texas yesterday. Michener, as he is popularly known as, is a well known novelist, philanthropist and story writer from pennsylvania, united states. Micheners books in order of when they were first released.
Michener is a voyage through history, focused on israel and the middle east. This essay examines the structure of james micheners novel the source 1965 along with its incorporation of elements of various archaeological sites into the focal element of tell makor, the. In the grand storytelling style that is his signature, james michener sweeps us back through time to the very beginnings of the jewish faith, thousands of years ago. He is wellknown for the amount of research that went into his work in addition to the length of his novels 900 pages was a short novel for him. Through the predecessors of four modern men and women, we experience the entire colorful history of the jews, including the life of the early hebrews and their persecutions, the impact of christianity, the crusades, and the. James michener full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Michener 19071997 was an american author of historical fiction and nonfiction. The dig unearths a series of levels each representing the settlement of makor the source in hebrew at various times of its history. February 3, 1907 october 16, 1997 was an american author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which were family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating historical facts into the stories. Micheners numerous bestselling novels also included the. Trinity is in my top 5 favorite books of all time and ive read every word leon uris has ever published.
From the javaborn van doorn family tree springs two great branches. Micheners masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents, who carve an empire out of a vast wilderness. Join sign up keep track of your favorite shows and movies, across all your devices. James a michener biography and list of works james a michener books. Albert michener, born around 1907, won the pulitzer prize for his first fiction, tales of the south pacific. The book then is not divided into chapters but into strata spanning the dawn of monotheism 10,000 years bce up to the establishment of the state of israel in 1948 ce. Does anyone still read leon uris or james michener.
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