Centennial

A Novel

By: James A. Michener

Narrated by: Larry McKeever

Length: 50 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Written to commemorate the Bicentennial in 1976, James A. Michener's magnificent saga of the West is an enthralling celebration of the frontier. Brimming with the glory of America's past, the story of Colorado - the Centennial State - is manifested through its people: Lame Beaver, the Arapaho chieftain and warrior, and his Comanche and Pawnee enemies; Levi Zendt, fleeing with his child bride from the Amish country; and the cowboy, Jim Lloyd, who falls in love with a wealthy and cultured Englishwoman, Charlotte Seccombe. In Centennial, trappers, traders, homesteaders, gold seekers, ranchers, and hunters are brought together in the dramatic conflicts that shape the destiny of the legendary West - and the entire country.

©2014 James A. Michener (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A hell of a book.... While he fascinates and engrosses, Michener also educates." ( Los Angeles Times)

"An absorbing work.... Michener is a superb storyteller." ( BusinessWeek)

"An engrossing book...imaginative and intricate...teeming with people and giving a marvelous sense of the land." ( The Plain Dealer)

fantastic story, poor narrator

Colorado is my home. So, how could I not read Centennial? The story is riveting, historically accurate. You learn to love the characters. Just wish Audible had picked a better reader.

fantastic classic.

timeless novel in true Michener form. Coming from Wyoming I know how accurately this was researhed. only Michener could weave this story so well.

Great book, crappy narration

Dude sounds like a robot, seriously, I wondered throughout the book whether it was just pumped out using a computer.

Sad when it's over, learned alot plus entertained!

Read other reviews, so worried about the reader, as soon as I heard him, I knew I liked him and would be okay. He reads at a pace that I can understand and enjoy.

Glad I read the reviews, so when the first 2 chapters were background, ok with it, actually entertained by it although do not agree with any of the evolution business. Geology info great. Very, very sad but true information about white people's destruction of the Indians, buffalo, beavers, ground hogs, Mexicans, environment. Information about white men killing things for FUN, not for food or protection, so true. Horrible. After listening to about half the chapter on the treatment of Indians, had to fast forward to next chapter, because I knew it was going to only get worse and worse and sadden and shame me too much. I was right as next chapters alluded to the conclusion of the Indian chapter - betrayal and murder by whites.

Listened to all of everything else. This is a great bargain at approximately 50 hours.
Great story. I might listen to again in a year or two. Sad when it was over, but it was also
pretty brutal listening to, because I knew the brutality people and animals subjected to
in the history of USA, Colorado to be true.

I am nearing the end of my life, and I very much like these stories about the great cycle of life. Encouraging.

I recommend this book and the narrator.

Great Book

I loved this book from start to finish, especially the historical content. Great narrator.

Narrator needs a system update

I am baffled on how a human being can sound so much like a computer. The narration is so distractive. in 1995, i had a program on my Packard Bell that would read anything you type. This narrator sounds exactly like my Packard Bell

Epic Storytelling - 50 hours flies by

What did you love best about Centennial?

The sweeping scope of the story was breathtaking. Some of the stories are better than others - if you aren't getting the feelz from a certain part, you can plow on and an entirely different story will arrive soon. It's also clever how the stories interact with each other. The characters are very well developed and the stories are engrossing.

Which character – as performed by Larry McKeever – was your favorite?

Some of the comments criticize the narrator. I would say this story is "classically" narrated. No fancy voices but just straightforward, clear storytelling. It can be a little confusing when there are overlapping conversations going on but that is a very small part of this book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I definitely got sucked in at times but the length of the story makes it basically impossible to listen in one-sitting.

Any additional comments?

The beginning of this book is slow and I found the framing device that it introduces to be confusing at first. However, the rest of the book is worth it.

Long but good

I saw the miniseries when I was a kid and fell in love with the story. The book is way more involved then I imagined it being. The author goes back to the formation of the region, the dinosaurs, the first settlers, etc.. I was pulled into each story and learned some things I never knew. If you can handle long books, this one is a must.

Detailed account

Lots of details that cause the reader to think critically, which I appreciate. Different in a good way.

Great Story

He combines science, history, and a great story of humanity, warts and all to give a view of National History.