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Spain is an immemorial land like no other, one that James A. Michener, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and celebrated citizen of the world, came to love as his own. Iberia is Michener's enduring nonfiction tribute to his cherished second home. In the fresh and vivid prose that is his trademark, he not only reveals the celebrated history of bullfighters and warrior kings, painters and processions, cathedrals and olive orchards; he also shares the intimate, often hidden country he came to know.
The saga of a land from the time when the volcanic islands rose out of the sea to the decade in which they become the 50th state. Michener uses individuals' experiences to symbolize the struggle of the various races to establish themselves in the islands.
James A. Michener's 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. From the Java-born Van Doorn family tree springs two great branches: one nurtures lush vineyards, the other settles the interior to become the first Trekboers and Afrikaners.
Caribbean packs 700 dramatic years into a tale teeming with revolution and romance, authentic characters and thunderous destinies. Through absorbing, magnificent prose, Michener captures the essence of the islands in all of their awe-inspiring scope and wonder.
James A. Michener tackles the most ambitious subject of his career: space, the last great frontier. This astounding novel brings to life the dreams and daring of countless men and women - people like Stanley Mott, the engineer whose irrepressible drive for knowledge places him at the center of the American exploration effort, and Norman Grant, the war hero and US senator who takes his personal battle not only to a nation but to the heavens.
In this sweeping novel, James A. Michener chronicles eight tumultuous centuries as three Polish families live out their destinies. With an inspiring tradition of resistance to brutal invaders, from the barbarians to the Nazis, and a heritage of pride that burns through eras of romantic passion and courageous solidarity, their common story reaches a breathtaking culmination in the historic showdown between the ruthless Communists and rebellious farmers of the modern age.
Spain is an immemorial land like no other, one that James A. Michener, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and celebrated citizen of the world, came to love as his own. Iberia is Michener's enduring nonfiction tribute to his cherished second home. In the fresh and vivid prose that is his trademark, he not only reveals the celebrated history of bullfighters and warrior kings, painters and processions, cathedrals and olive orchards; he also shares the intimate, often hidden country he came to know.
The saga of a land from the time when the volcanic islands rose out of the sea to the decade in which they become the 50th state. Michener uses individuals' experiences to symbolize the struggle of the various races to establish themselves in the islands.
James A. Michener's 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. From the Java-born Van Doorn family tree springs two great branches: one nurtures lush vineyards, the other settles the interior to become the first Trekboers and Afrikaners.
Caribbean packs 700 dramatic years into a tale teeming with revolution and romance, authentic characters and thunderous destinies. Through absorbing, magnificent prose, Michener captures the essence of the islands in all of their awe-inspiring scope and wonder.
James A. Michener tackles the most ambitious subject of his career: space, the last great frontier. This astounding novel brings to life the dreams and daring of countless men and women - people like Stanley Mott, the engineer whose irrepressible drive for knowledge places him at the center of the American exploration effort, and Norman Grant, the war hero and US senator who takes his personal battle not only to a nation but to the heavens.
In this sweeping novel, James A. Michener chronicles eight tumultuous centuries as three Polish families live out their destinies. With an inspiring tradition of resistance to brutal invaders, from the barbarians to the Nazis, and a heritage of pride that burns through eras of romantic passion and courageous solidarity, their common story reaches a breathtaking culmination in the historic showdown between the ruthless Communists and rebellious farmers of the modern age.
First published in 1963, James A. Michener's gripping chronicle of the social and political landscape of Afghanistan is more relevant now than ever. Combining fact with riveting adventure and intrigue, Michener follows a military man tasked, in the years after World War II, with a dangerous assignment: finding and returning a young American woman living in Afghanistan to her distraught family after she suddenly and mysteriously disappears.
The central scene of Michener's historical novel is that section of Maryland's Eastern shore, hardly more than 10 miles square. To this point come the founders of families that will dominate the story.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author James A. Michener, whose novels hurtle from the far reaches of history to the dark corners of the world, paints an intoxicating portrait of a land whose past and present are as turbulent, fascinating, and colorful as any other on Earth. When an American journalist travels to report on the upcoming duel between two great matadors, he is ultimately swept up in the dramatic story of his own Mexican ancestry.
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.
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.
Texas: a land of sprawling diversity and unparalleled richness; a dazzling chapter in the history of our nation; a place like no other on Earth. Through the remarkable lives of four families, this epic saga spans four centuries and two continents and charts the dramatic formation of several great dynasties from the age of the conquistadors to the present day. A richly compelling novel of a proud people eager to meet the challenge of the land, Texas is James Michener's most magnificent achievement.
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. 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 Spanish Inquisition, all the way to the founding of present-day Israel and the Middle East conflict.
James A. Michener, the master of historical fiction, revisits the scenes of his first great work, Tales of the South Pacific: the Pulitzer Prize winner that brought him international acclaim. In this sequel collection, Michener once again evokes the magic of the extraordinary isles in the Pacific - from Fiji and Guadalcanal to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea - through stories that burst with adventure, charm, and local color.
David Harper is an orphan, seemingly doomed to loneliness and poverty. As an adolescent con artist and petty thief, David spends his days grifting at an amusement park, the place where he first learns about women and the mysteries of love. Soon he discovers that his longing to embrace the world is stronger than the harsh realities that constrain him. Featuring autobiographical touches from Michener's own life story, The Fires of Spring is more than a novel: it's a rich slice of American life, brimming with wisdom, longing, and compassion.
As the new, young director of the Palms, Andy Zorn suffers no shortage of loving support and wise advice from his "elders", a group of five passionate, outspoken residents who refuse to accept the passive roles that both society and family have handed them. Yet past scandal has driven Zorn to despondency - until he meets an extraordinary young woman in the rehab wing who has been forced to rebuild her life in the face of crippling injuries.
Here is Edward Rutherfurd's classic novel of London, a glorious pageant spanning 2,000 years. He brings this vibrant city's long and noble history alive through the ever-shifting fortunes, fates, and intrigues of half-a-dozen families, from the age of Julius Caesar to the 20th century. Generation after generation, these families embody the passion, struggle, wealth, and verve of the greatest city in the world.
All of James A. Michener's storytelling and reportorial skills are brought to the fore in this stunning and heartbreaking examination of the events that led to the 1970 shootings at Kent State, which shook the country to the roots and had a profound impact on the anti-war movement.
In this triumphant best seller, renowned novelist James A. Michener unfolds a powerful and poignant drama of disenchanted youth during the Vietnam era. Against exotic backdrops, including Spain, Morocco, and Mozambique, he weaves together the heady dreams, shocking tribulations, and heartwarming bonds of six young runaways cast adrift in the world - as well as the hedonistic pursuit of drugs and pleasure that collapses all around them. With the sure touch of a master, Michener pulls us into the private world of these unforgettable characters, exposing their innermost desires with remarkable candor and infinite compassion.
What disappointed you about The Drifters?
The robotic narrator somehow managed to suck all the life and romance out of this Michener masterpiece. If there is any literary justice in this world, somebody at Audible will junk this recording and record it all again with a new narrator.
How could the performance have been better?
Any other narrator would have done a better job. This guy is terrible. At times I'm not sure whether the narrator is a human or a computer. And he reads too slow. I tried speeding up the playback, but that just made his robotic intonations sound worse.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointment that after waiting so long for Michener to be available, the performance could be so bad.
Any additional comments?
Please, please, please junk this recording and produce a new recording with a new narrator.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
What did you like best about The Drifters? What did you like least?
Interesting but not Michener's best.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Narrator slow, toneless, like a robot. Didn't make it interesting.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Great story. As per most Michener books a great historical novel of tragic era of losses to war, drugs and sadness.
The reader is very poor. Got better as the story matured. I almost gave up on the beginning due to choppy word pronunciation almost as bad as computer reading. Liked the book. Never want to hear that reader again.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
What disappointed you about The Drifters?
The story line and characters.
What was most disappointing about James A. Michener’s story?
Uninteresting
Have you listened to any of Larry McKeever’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have no problem whatsoever with Larry's performance. He is NOT the problem
What character would you cut from The Drifters?
All of them
Any additional comments?
If this had been my first Michener book, it would have been my last.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I loved the story as well as the narration. I believe most people will find the story excellent and enjoyable to follow.
I originally read this book when I was 16 years old and dreamed of traveling as they did. I never got to do much traveling and now at age 59 it's too late and too expensive so I do my traveling in my, and Mr Michener makes it so easy to do with his words
So happy these are now on audible
I will listen to all of them!! Hoorays
I recently listened to this book which impressed me over 40 years ago when I first read it. It's surprising how much Michener got right in his predictions about the future of our society. Also surprising, was how I responded to the more politically incorrect word use found in sections of the book. Culture does shape us.
I love this book and story and have read it myself a couple of times. But it hurts me to hear this stiff, stilted and altogether uninteresting rendition of it by this narrator. Please hire someone else to deliver this wonder story.
This was a look at an eclectic group of travelers experiencing Europe and Africa in the early 70's. Half of the group were privileged trust fund young adults, with back stories that reflected the angst of the generation, including two who were running away from the Vietnam war draft. These characters were determined to not live like their parents as they rebelled by embracing the free love and drug culture. The central narrator was an established older gentleman who connected with each person through past and current roles in their lives. Several spiraled into emotional and physical peril, while others learned what they needed to thrive.