The Source

A Novel

De: James A. Michener

Narrado por: Larry McKeever

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.

©2013 James A. Michener; 2015 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Fascinating...stunning...[a] wonderful rampage through history...Biblical history, as seen through the eyes of a professor who is puzzled, appalled, delighted, enriched and impoverished by the spectacle of a land where all men are archeologists." ( The New York Times)

"A sweeping [novel] filled with excitement - pagan ritual, the clash of armies, ancient and modern: the evolving drama of man's faith." ( The Philadelphia Inquirer)

"Magnificent...a superlative piece of writing both in scope and technique...one of the great books of this generation." ( San Francisco Call Bulletin)

Terrible Narration ruins a wonderful book.

What made the experience of listening to The Source the most enjoyable?

I read Michner's books years ago and absolutely loved them. The narration for this story is terrible and I don't know if I can stand to finish the book. I won't buy anything using this narrator ever again. What a shame.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Don't know, can't stand to listen to this narrator any more.

What didn’t you like about Larry McKeever’s performance?

Monotone.

Any additional comments?

For heaven's sake, get some updated narration. these are wonderful stories but Larry Keever reads like a robot.

Great Story ruined by the narration

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. Although the story is great - I could not finish it (I listened to about a third of it) because the narration was so bad. My GPS has more inflection in it's voice.

What other book might you compare The Source to and why?

All the other books by Michener based on the scope of the story and the style.

Would you be willing to try another one of Larry McKeever’s performances?

NEVER

Any additional comments?

Read Michener's books - do not listen to McKeever read anything.

The Entire History of Israel

Would you try another book from James A. Michener and/or Larry McKeever?

Yes, but not right away.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Source?

The perseverance of the Jews over thousands of years and the significant changes that occurs over that period of time.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

His voice is very steady in tone which can feel like he is droning on after a while.

Could you see The Source being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes

Any additional comments?

The Source tells the story of Israel by going back and forth between a modern day archeological dig in northern Galilee and shorter biographies of individuals who lived in specific times and places throughout history. The book covers very much material, and at the 35th hour mark I was beginning to wonder if I could finish. It moves a little slow, but the stories are interesting.

This book is a CHORE to listen to.

If the book wasn't so well written, I'd have given up and never finished. It should be illegal for Larry McKeever to ever narrate a book again. He was so awful that I removed every other Michener book that he narrated from my wish list. The recording quality was awful, too. Once, I hear d phone ring (or maybe an old Casio wristwatch alarm?)m and there were dogs barking another time. Many times, he could be heard to turn pages or make other noises. Not to mention that there were some editing flaws when it was taken from CD to Audible Book (at one point, it announces what CD you're starting). Michener is a genius in writing, and he PULLS you into the story. By the end of the book, I admit I'd gotten over McKeever's horrible narration because the book is so well written... but I won't knowingly be putting myself through that misery again. Ever. I wish I had more time to sit and read. I'd read some of Michener's stuff. It's a shame. A talented narrator could've made this an Audible masterpiece!

An all time favorite

Michener’s only fault is his wordiness. They’re long. All of them. But they are mesmerizing. He creates detailed worlds based on real people and events. I’ve read The Source in book form twice and now have a third time through this audio. In a few years I certainly will again. But the audio here is flawed. The narrator lacks any character distinction at all and is monotone throughout. There are major recording issues with occasional background noises and even a “Disc 40...” where it was obviously not edited out properly in the file conversion. If you can get over the monotone, the story alone is worth all the time invested.

Epic

Yes I know it's a long book. I read it in paperback some 40 years ago and loved it. I loved listening to it even more all these years later. A magnificent tale of a village and it's people over the passage of time. The characters were engrossing people you might want to know. The writing flowed seamlessly from one period of time into the next. I was not familiar with this narrator but he has a great voice and a good sense of the rhythm of the book. This book gives you a great insight to the people and the times in which they lived....worth every hour of listening.

Outstanding

If you are interested in the Middle East what a great place to start. If you like a great story then this is also a good one. As usual, Mr. Michener just gets it right. The characters, events, time, all keep you listening.

Narrator isn't that bad

Absolutely loved this book and will probably listen to it again. I expect a more detached "national geographic" and/or PBS documentary style narration for historical fiction material--which also has the added effect of making certain horrible scenes of "human" behavior easier to digest.

Good information-but use 1.25 speed!

This was our book club selection. I was about to have words with the gal who suggested it as I struggled through the first 1/4 of the book. Then I discovered the 1.25 speed option on my new phone. Brilliant! It was then tolerable. Michener won't use one word if he can get away with using 10. There was some excellent information. For that, I'm glad I suffered the drawn out parts. Learned some interesting thing about religion. Just crank it up to 1.25 speed and you will be fine.

sueb one

Complicated but worth the time to keep track of the many characters. These characters eventually come together causing the story to be far richer in the end.