Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Texas  By  cover art

Texas

By: James A. Michener
Narrated by: Larry McKeever
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $31.50

Buy for $31.50

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial reviews

"James Michener is something rare and valuable: an honorable craftsman doing honorable work.... He manages to make history vivid and palatable to the reader." ( The Boston Globe)

Publisher's summary

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.

©1985 James A. Michener (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Vast, sprawling, and eclectic in population and geography, the state has just the sort of larger-than-life history that lends itself to Mr. Michener's taste for multigenerational epics." ( The New York Times)
"A sweeping panorama.... [Michener] grapples earnestly with the Texas character in a way that Texas' own writers often don't." ( The Washington Post Book World)

What listeners say about Texas

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    475
  • 4 Stars
    145
  • 3 Stars
    71
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    35
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    358
  • 4 Stars
    137
  • 3 Stars
    75
  • 2 Stars
    30
  • 1 Stars
    54
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    435
  • 4 Stars
    121
  • 3 Stars
    50
  • 2 Stars
    22
  • 1 Stars
    19

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Story...but then there was the narration

I am not a native Texan, but as they say here, "I got here as soon as I could". Michener's story is great and well worth reading. I first read "Texas" about six months after I moved to Texas. I worked with several native Texans and this book helped me understand the culture into which I had moved. I was very pleased to see that Michener's works finally came to audible, and I eagerly got this book and looked forward to listening/reading it again. It has been 20 years since I had last read the book, and once again, I was captured by the incredible story. He does a tremendous job of capturing the heart and soul of Texas and Texans, and I can't help being proud to be a part of this culture with all it's ups and downs. I highly recommend this book to anyone new to Texas or thinking of moving to Texas.
The narration on the other hand was AWFUL. It was like listening to a robot pedantically over pronouncing each word. How anyone could pick this guy to read is beyond my understanding with so many excellent readers out there. After 20 hours or so he either got a little better,and loosened up a little bit, or my mind became numb to his style, and I made it all the way through his narration, except for the credits at the end. Enough is enough.
After saying this about the narrator, don't miss out on a great story just because of the reader. This can be listened to, you just won't likely pick another story read by this guy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

49 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

The Struggle Continues

Larry Mckeever voice puts you to sleep. I could not complete this book. I feel that the book it self may be a good book. However, you have to get pass the dullness & lack luster of the narrator's tone of reading. Moving on.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • tk
  • 08-20-16

Great Story. Terrible Narration (in my opinion)

What disappointed you about Texas?

I love Michener. Read this book several years ago and loved it. Decided to purchase and download for my morning walks and drive to/from work. Couldn’t complete it. Audible would be well served to have these re-narrated and offered. The orator, in my opinion, is simply horrible.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Larry McKeever?

Scott Brick or Stephan Rudniki have done exceptional performances on other books.

Any additional comments?

Please consider re-recording these Michener books. The current reading is such a dis-service to an exceptional author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Awful Narration

What did you like best about Texas? What did you like least?

I have always admired Michener's works, having read several, and was excited to see them now out in audio book form. It was a serious letdown to hear it narrated so dryly, without character, inflection, feeling or accent. The diction was so perfect and over-pronounced, it was really overdone. Such an injustice to a great work. This will surely cause me to listen to an audio sample in the future prior to buying any book. I almost left this after the first 30 minutes, but endured the 52 hours.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

the audio is terrible...i request a refund

the audio sounds horrible. it sounds like it was computer generated. Please refund

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Robotic, odd cadence and pronunciations

I am still trying to determine if this is read by a robot. Voice, cadence, odd sing song on the end of words...truly the most annoying Audible performance, I have ever experienced. I am a veteran Audible listener. I have never written a negative review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

True Texas

I am a Texan. This book is very accurate. The narrator's voice kept me interested.
Great book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Narration ruins book

Being a native Texan, after finishing Hawaii I decided to read, listen to, Texas. Believe me, I didn't get far. I am returning it to Audible because the narrator cannot pronounce TEXAS. How crazy is that?
I just could not stand to hear Texas misprounced over and over and over again.
PLEASE have this re-done by someone who can pronounce TEXAS! It isn't hard.
Unhappy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Narration leaves something to be desired

While the story was interesting, the narration was extremely lacking. Will be sure not to get this narrator again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

worth the long read

It is as epic and thorough as I had always heard it was. Well worth the time and made the commute to and from work melt away.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful