Hawaii, south pacific, the bridges at tokori, sayonara, adventures in paradise, the hawaiians, men of the fighting lady, caravans, centennial, etc. Michener books are rich in strong narratives, indepth research of facts and extremely welldetailed, seamless merging of that with his imagination. The authors visit to south africa with commentary on the country and its influences on his book. Micheners masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers. Mandela was released from prison on february 11, 1990, so his name isnt even mentioned in the story. James a michener biography james albert michener february 3, 1907 october 16, 1997 was an american author of more than 40 books, most of which were fictional, lengthy family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history. Tales of the south pacific by james michener, first edition. His first book, tales of the south pacific, derived from michener s service in the pacific in world war ii, won the 1947 pulitzer prize for fiction and was the basis for the rodgers and hammerstein broadway musical south pacific, which won the 1950 pulitzer prize for drama. This study guide consists of approximately 69 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the covenant. Michener s masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Jan 01, 1980 micheners take on south africa micheners true epics are always worth the time to read. The museum is known for its permanent collection of pennsylvania impressionist paintings.
Michener has 150 books on goodreads with 493596 ratings. Michener now shifts his fictionalizing, schoolmasterly talents to the contemporary world of book publishing, offering clear explanations of simple phenomena but grossly oversimplifying complex issues and people. James michener historical records and family trees myheritage. Michener writes largely from the point of view of the afrikaners, descendants of dutch settlers and french huguenot immigrants who traveled to south africa to practice freedom of worship in the calvinist tradition, and other european groups such as the germans, all of whom were absorbed by the afrikaansspeaking dutch reformed church. Tales of the south pacific by michener, james a and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Michener display room and the nakashima reading room, constructed in honor of his third wifes japanese heritage. Michener has 150 books on goodreads with 493309 ratings.
Whitepages people search is the most trusted directory. Few will escape the allure of the land and people michener describes. In his triumphant best seller, james michener unfolds a powerful and poignant drama of six young runaways adrift in a world they have created out of dreams, drugs, and dedication to. If you are going to south africa and are a reader, i cannot recommend this book enough. The covenant is a historical novel by american author james a. It tells of the journey of the pioneers and the settlement of a town. Bantu native black tribes, coloured the result of generations of racial mixture between persons of european descent and the indigenous occupants of south africa along with slaves brought in from angola, indonesia, india, madagascar. James michener 1866 illinois james michener in 1880 united states federal census james michener was born circa 1866, at birth place, illinois, to woodrow michener and catharine michener. Alaska takes the reader on a journey through one of the bleakest, richest, most foreboding, and highly inviting territories in our republic, if not the world. So begins millennium, or might have done, had james michener decided to seize the moment and write a history of the past 20 centuries in the form of a popular novel of, say, 1,400 pages. It tells the story of that land from the early settlements by the dutch, through the expansion of it by english. I have been a fan of james a michener for years and this book is well on a par with his other classics such as alaska and texas.
Mabel michener raised him as his son in bucks county, pennsylvania. Albert michener, born around 1907, won the pulitzer prize for his first fiction, tales of the south pacific. James a michener books biography and list of works author. In his triumphant best seller, james michener unfolds a powerful and poignant drama of six young runaways adrift in a world they have created out of dreams, drugs. Apr 02, 2015 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.
Unfollow james michener books to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. However, in doing so he showed the pain and joy of those people that settled our nation. Micheners numerous bestselling novels also included the source, centennial, texas, hawaii, and chesapeake. Id read many of his other books, but even then his story of south africa had stood out as particularly gripping. South africa is micheners theme this time and he gives it his usual episodic treatment. Our next destination will definitely include a michener book, if there is one written about it. As i mentioned earlier, the sweeping epic south african historical novel reaches from,000 bce to the 1970s.
See more ideas about books, author and james a michener. James michener, hardcover abebooks passion for books. Michener s masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and. 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. And one somehow ends this huge volume with little feel for historical continuity or for the physical setting a surprising lapse from michener. This book presents micheners analysis of his own writing and that of his peershis reflections, remembrances, and stories of his youthful encounters with the e. Micheners masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two. Michener, 1096 pages, book is very good plus, blue cloth with a light overall wear, read more. It tells the story of that land from the early settlements by the dutch, through the expansion of it by english immigrants and others, to the southafrica of the apartheid age, shortly before it was eliminated. But, despite a chapter devoted to apartheid horrors so. Jul 28, 2014 the covenant is the last michener book on my list, and i honestly dont plan to read any others. Michener was adopted and raised by another woman and does not know about his biological parents.
James michener covered a longer span of time in the covenant and perhaps even a larger geographic areaif one discounts the oceanbut nowhere will the devoted fan of his work find a more diverse. His many fans, however, may well relish the 464page book s lack of ambiguity and irony, or any disagreeable dissonances, as michener tells his tale through the points of view in turn. The bestselling book was adapted into the popular musical and film, south pacific. Besides that, the book arrived promptly and as always with james a. 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. View phone numbers, addresses, public records, background check reports and possible arrest records for james michener. The book was originally published in 1980, so thats as far as michener could take the thoroughly researched story. Micheners take on south africa and its history is an honest attempt to give some perspective on one of the more complex histories that this history teacher has encountered. As michener always does so well, he provides a history of an area along with a great story. Africa has banned the book, the nonwhite side of things never becomes humanly specific.
It is historical fiction rather than fact and i know that those who have studied hawaiis history do not agree with the author that the original settlers came from bora bora. Michener and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In any case, michener is using his familiar approach here. He passed out school from pennsylvania in the year 1925 and went on to attend the swarthmore college in pennsylvania.
Jul 09, 2002 since we were traveling to hawaii i chose this book to take along. The characters that michener creates are bigger than life. Many many years ago, when i still had the stamina to read books of a thousand and more pages, and way before id ever shed any thought to living in south africa one day, i read the covenant by james a. James albert michener was wellknown for familysagas based in specific geographic locales, incorporating mindblowing historical events and consequential human emotions and experiences. The novel is set in south africa, home to five distinct populations. If i were to describe it, imagine a book laid on the ground and someone were to accidentally kick it as they walked past. Nothing a semi quick application of tape cant fix but still annoying none the less. The style is still competent, and there is stuff on the boer war, and the modern premandela, apartheid state. Sampling of his books that have been made into movies and tv shows. The king of the bestsellers talks about friends and enemies, getting older, television and of course texas, his new novel of the lone star state. Andre brink is an afrikaner novelist whose books include rumers of rain and. Mar 23, 20 author of generational sagas with historical facts about a geographic area.
We even saw rock paintings on a friends farm in namibia and we felt connected, knowing the history. Micheners masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents. I know it has been a favorite for decades, but i have never gotten around to reading it. James a michener books list of books by james a michener. In his triumphant best seller, james michener unfolds a powerful and poignant drama of six young runaways adrift in a world they have created out of dreams, drugs, and dedication to pleasure. It was an essential part of a very enjoyable trip for me. Michener is an epic tale that whisks the reader from the earliest days in south africa and. Micheners masterly chronicle of south africa is an epic tale of. Africa has banned the book, the nonwhite side of things never becomes.
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