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From: mag@whuxlm.UUCP (Gray Michael A)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Re: Any Michener Fans Out There?
Message-ID: <754@whuxlm.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 28-Apr-85 21:43:08 EDT
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Posted: Sun Apr 28 21:43:08 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Apr-85 04:33:29 EDT
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> For some reason, I seem to enjoy books by James A. Michener, even though 
> reading one of his books is a major investment of time.   After completing
> one of his novels, I usually take a few months to a year off before attempting
> to read another.  Of the books I've completed so far, this is my personal
> ranking (years are dates published):
> 
>                   1.  Chesapeake (1979)
>                   2.  Hawaii (1956?)
>                   3.  Centennial (1974)
>                   4.  Space (1982)
>                   5.  The Covenant (1980)
> 
> 
For less time and more pleasure, try "Sayonara" and "Tales of the
South Pacific".  Both are about 200 pages and are my favorite
Michener books.  Starting with Hawaii, he got sort of stuck in
the span-2000-years-type-saga, most lately with Poland, which I
gave up on after 300 pages. It's deadly, he's getting boring in his
old age.  As far as the massive sagas go, I liked "Hawaii" best
and "The Source" second, but they have no literary value compared
to his short works written after WW II.  "Tales . . ." was his
first book and won the Pulitzer Prize.

Mike Gray