Most Popular Books by James A. Michener

"Michener makes history come alive, a compelling testament to the precept that character is destiny". - Publishers Weekly

“Rings with authentic detail and clearly descriptive sights and smells . . . The Drifters is to the generation gap what The Source was to Israel.”—Publishers Weekly In this triumphant bestseller, 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. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener's Hawaii. Praise for The Drifters “A blockbuster of a book . . . full of surprise, drama, and fascination.”—Philadelphia Bulletin “[The Drifters] conveys a sense of a new time, a new generation.”—Chicago Sun-Times “Michener has slid open a window on the world of the dropout and has spared no effort to make the reader aware of this new world.”—The Salt Lake Tribune

In this eye-opening nonfiction account, world-renowned author James A. Michener details the reckless gamble U.S. voters make every four years: trusting the electoral college. In 1968, Michener served as a presidential elector in Pennsylvania. What he witnessed that fall disturbed him so much that he felt compelled to expose the very real potential in this system for a grave injustice with history-altering consequences. Incorporating the wide-ranging insight and universal compassion of Michener’s bestselling novels, Presidential Lottery is essential reading for every American concerned about the ever-growing rift between the people and the political process. Praise for Presidential Lottery “Clear, concise, and sensible . . . a thoughtful book on how Americans choose their President.”—The New York Times “An urgent appeal.”—Kirkus Reviews

In his signature style of grand storytelling, James A. Michener transports us back thousands of years to the Holy Land. Through the discoveries of modern archaeologists excavating the site of Tell Makor, Michener vividly re-creates life in an ancient city and traces the profound history of the Jewish people—from the persecution of the early Hebrews, the rise of Christianity, and the Crusades to the founding of Israel and the modern conflict in the Middle East. An epic tale of love, strength, and faith, The Source is a richly written saga that encompasses the history of Western civilization and the great religious and cultural ideas that have shaped our world. Praise for The Source “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 From the Trade Paperback edition.

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. The Nxumalos, inhabitants of a peaceful village unchanged for centuries, unite warrior tribes into the powerful Zulu nation. And the wealthy Saltwoods are missionaries and settlers who join the masses to influence the wars and politics that ravage a nation. Rivalries and passions spill across the land of The Covenant, a story of courage and heroism, love and loyalty, and cruelty and betrayal, as generations fight to forge a new world. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener's Hawaii. Praise for The Covenant “A prodigious endeavor . . . Nowhere else could an American reader unfamiliar with South Africa get so full an understanding of its problems in so engaging a form.”—The New York Times Book Review

Presents fictionalized accounts of the history of Alaska and Hawaii from prehistoric times to the twentieth century.

"A grand epic." THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER Master storyteller James A. Michener sweeps us off to the Caribbean,with a magnificent novel that captures the eternal allure of that glittering string of islands and their tumultuous history. Beginning in 1310 and continuing through Columbus's arrival and the bloody slave revolt of Haiti to the rise of Castro, CARIBBEAN carries us through 700 dramatic years in a tale teeming with revolution and romance, slavery and superstition, heartfelt characters and thunderous destinies. A Dual Main Slection of the Book-of-the-Month Club

At four o'clock in the morning on a Sunday in November 1956, the city of Budapest was awakened by the shattering sound of Russian tanks tearing the city apart. The Hungarian revolution -- five brief, glorious days of freedom that had yielded a glimpse at a different kind of future -- was over. But there was a bridge at Andau, on the Austrian border, and if a Hungarian could reach that bridge, he was nearly free. It was about the most inconsequential bridge in Europe, but by an accident of history it became, for a few flaming weeks, one of the most important bridges in the world, for across its unsteady planks fled the soul of a nation.... Here is James A. Michener at his most gripping, with a historic account of a people in desperate revolt, a true story as searing and unforgettable as any of his bestselling works of fiction. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Extraordinary conversations with the writer and celebrity who elevated talk to art and gossip to literature

The challenges and rewards faced by older adults and their families is the subject at the heart of this provocative new novel. Set in a Florida retirement center called the Palms, the book follows a group of unforgettable residents over the course of a year as their humorous, triumphant narratives unfold.

The bestselling author of Alaska, Caribbean, Texas and Hawaii explores the world of the writer in his latest endeavor--a fascinating story of a writer, editor, critic, and reader locked in a desperate scenario of life, death, love, and truth. Nine weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.

Mark Miller, a member of the American Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, is called upon to locate the missing wife of an Afghan engineer

In an absorbing historical novel, five men who brave the frozen Canadian wilderness during the Klondike gold rush of 1897, risking everything to fulfill their dreams. A highly readable drama filled with the blend of fact and fiction that is Michener's trademark.((Random House--Fiction-Historical) From the Hardcover edition.

The fascinating stories of adventurous men who sailed the South Seas Some craved power, some craved peace, others merely surrendered to fate. Sam Comstock -- A sailor crazed by the South Sea Islands and driven to lead the ruthless mutiny. He envisioned himself a magnificent ruler -- but his dream became a nightmare. Will Mariner -- A golden-haired youth whose ship was captured by hostile natives. He was the sole survivor and his charm turned his captor into slaves. Captain Bligh -- Was he the infamous captain of the Bounty, the monster legend had made him? Here is the true story of Captain Bligh. Rascals In Paradise They searched for adventure in the most dazzling places on earth. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

A brilliant tale of love and war, SAYONARA tells the story of Major Lloyd Gruver, son of an army general stationed in Japan, dating a general's daughter, and happy with his life. He didn't understand the soldiers who fell in love with Japanese girls. Then he met Hana-ogi. After that nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but her.... Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

"Astounding...Fast-moving, Intriguing...James Michener is back in huge, familiar form with MEXICO." LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS Here is the story of an American journalist who travels to Mexico to report on the upcoming duel between two great matadors, but who is ultimately swept up in the dramatic story of his Mexican ancestors. From the brutality and brilliance of the ancients, to the iron fist of the invading Spaniards, to the modern-day Mexicans battling through dust and bloodshed to build a nation upon the ashes of revolution, James Michener weaves it all into an epic human story that ranks with the best of his beloved, bestselling novels. A MAIN SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB "From the Paperback edition."