His tales of the south pacific won the pulitzer prize in 1947. Paul iii and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Michener random house, 1988 868 pages jacket design and illustration by wendell minor from the dust jacket. Michener served on the advisory council to nasa and the. Michener guides us across alaskas fierce terrain, from the longforgotten past to the bustling technological present, as his characters struggle for survival. 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.
February 3, 1907 october 16, 1997 was an american author of more than 40 books, the majority of which were fictional, lengthy family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history. Rather, alaska is an epic in the original sense a story that is told over the course of epochs, involving generations of characters and genealogies. Characters in alaska have their counterparts in hawaii. I started with the source followed through the years by covenant, caribbean, alaska etc.
At first, i found his style to be sparse, which is odd, considering the book is like pages. 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, chesa. Like other michener titles, alaska spans a considerable amount of time, traced through the gradual interlinking of several families. Michener guides us through alaska s fierce terrain. He taught for many years and was an editor for macmillan publishing company. To the north lies alaska, the vast untamed land that master storyteller james michener now. In this sweeping epic of the northernmost american frontier, james a. 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. Michener, the pulitzer prizewinning master of the historical saga, returns to his beloved spain with this magical novel of seville at easter time, a season of splendid pageantry, thrilling bullfights, deep pietyand the possibility of m. As the volcanic hawaiian islands sprout from the ocean floor, the lan. Books including first edition alaska by james michener. The story begins with the forming of the continent of north america and takes the reader through modern times. Whatever its flaws, its michener, and the 750,000 first printing leaves no doubt about anything but the cast of the miniseries.
Michener 1988 posted on 20108 by thelittleman alaska did not produce supermen, but in its formative periods it was served by men of character and determination, and it is a fortunate land which knows such public servants. Millions of readers were deeply moved, as well as enlightened, by james a. This collection includes a first edition of james micheners novel alaska, published by random house in 1988, the danishlanguage history book benedikte, danmarks rytterprinsesse by sven sabroe copenhagen. Now almost thirty years later, his subject is our fortyninth, which. The novel by james michener my favorite author was a bit of a disappointment. The characters that michener creates are bigger than life.
The high points in the story of alaska since the american acquisition are brought vividly to life through more than 100 characters, real and fictional. Michener weaves together the exciting high points of alaskas story. As the volcanic hawaiian islands sprout from the ocean floor, the land remains untouched for centuriesuntil, little more than a thousand years ago, polynesian. A spellbinding portrait of a human community fighting to establish its place in the world, alaska traces a bold and majestic saga of the enduring spirit of a land and its people. Michener guides us through alaskas fierce terrain and history, from the longforgotten past to the bustling present. 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. The eskimo woman, nukleet, who encourages her husband to sail his kayak to alaska, is. Written in the typical michener style, the book begins with the geological formation of the alaskan land mass. Alaska did not produce supermen, but in its formative periods it was served by men of character and determination, and it is a fortunate land which knows such public servants. The whiz kids and the 1950 pennant by roberts, robin. Praise for alaska few will escape the allure of the land and people michener describes. Michener, 1907 1997 james albert michener was born on february 3, 1907 in doylestown, pa.
Along with the reading, michener provides a table of contents, a list of acknowledgements, and a fact and fiction section. Micheners first great historical novel hawaii, which honored the entry of our fiftieth state into the union in 1959. Michener creates epics about countries and states and their human and wildlife inhabitants, and makes speculations. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read alaska. The exciting high points of alaskas story, from its brutal prehistory. Drawing on his travels, historical research, and experiences in politics, michener cites numerous criteria for determining the countrys strength. Michener has conceived and written an epic novel about the land we now know as alaska. Discussion in nonfiction books started by libre, aug 21, 2007. I have never visited alaska but i believe i have seen it through his eyes. Boston herald michener is still, sentence for sentence, writing s fastest epub attention grabber. Michener guides us through alaskas fierce terrain and history, from the long forgotten past to the bustling present. In a stirring essay on americas past and future, octogenarian novelist michener the world is my home, 1992, etc.
But once i got used to it, well, im totally enthralled by the book. Michener was born in 1907 and raised by a quaker woman in pennsylvania. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Michener weaves together the exciting high points of alaska s story. Michener guides us through alaska s fierce terrain and history, from the longforgotten past to the bustling present. Michener was born in new york in 1907 and grew up in doylestown, pennsylvania, which he left at fourteen to bum his way crosscountry.
Ive read several of james a michener s books and found them all engrossing. He not only describes the location but the personalities that lived through the ages in the location of each book. Michener this study guide consists of approximately pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of alaska. Michener had numerous bestsellers and works selected for book of the month. Signed by michener on a special bookplate on the first blank page commenorating the north american inaguaral cruise of crown princess. From the nearforgotten past, to the highly technological present, from selfdefense to selfdetermination, here are the men and women who tried to tame the land, seize its bounty, and lay claim to the elusive spirit that holds native and visitor spellbound.
Withal, however, alaska clops forward at a satisfying pace, the breathtaking landscape is a constant presence, and if the prose doesnt sing, it seldom gets in the way. James michener is very descriptive in all of his books. Michener describes how animal and plant life occurred in the area and how the three basic groups of natives arrived. Michener, and i must continue to emphasize how fascinating a writer i. Alaska, by james michener is not just a long story. February 3, 1907 october 16, 1997 was an american author. 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, ches. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Using his characteristic writing style of starting at the very beginning in this case, with native people living on the coastland we now know of as eastern russia and then developing the story generation after generation through his rich and interesting characters, michener tells the. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading alaska. Boston herald michener is still, sentence for sentence, writings fastest attention grabber. The years that followed, with their great variety of odd jobs and experience, were an important part of his early education. Conditions were harsh but the people survived, as did the animals. Hawaii is a marvellous story of the history of the development of the islands.
1521 1319 1081 1027 918 187 681 1652 1606 1090 1361 48 1246 1213 1559 676 1129 1107 443 1527 1515 213 1065 1059 1560 1218 1114 1197 1218 971 1010 241 154 614 324