In the second half of the nineteenth century, Europeans and Americans discovered the world of Japanese woodblock prints and thus began an enduring love affair. One result has been the publication over the last century of literally hundreds of books and thousands of articles about the prints known as "ukiyoe," with a particular emphasis on such giants of the genre as Hokusai and Hiroshige. How then, in this crowded field, does one manage to create a must-have publication for readers who may already have well-stocked libraries on Japanese art?

One answer is to be found in "Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts." Issued by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in conjunction with an exhibition, "Hokusai and Hiroshige" is typical of a new wave of "ukiyoe" books that combine excellent design (of layout and typography) with clear and interesting text. Every page displaying a print has a near equal amount of space devoted to text, and the book benefits as well from introductory essays by three established experts. The text in particular appeals to me, providing not only insights about the compositional nature of each print but also detail on the locales depicted by these two great landscape artists and appropriate historical information. There is room for improvement in "Hokusai and Hiroshige"--I would have preferred more standard romanizations for some Japanese words and the inclusion of an index covering well more than just print titles--but overall this is an excellent and valuable volume.

I have not "finished" this book, nor do I intend to for a long time. I take it out to admire, print by print, sometimes reading the informative text, sometimes not. This is not a comic book to rush through. Linger, enjoy.

This volume was the companion for the exhibits at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. It covers all the lerge number of works shown there, each with descriptions of what is depicted and some in the points of interest that highlight each artist's rendering of the scene. There are sections on the lives of each artist and the fairly primitive tools used to create these intricate multi-colored (and thus multi-pressed) prints. The full collection of sets, such as the Hokusai views of Mount Fuji, are very well done and would in themselves make this book worthwhile. The sum total of both these woodblock masters is awe inspiring and sumptuous.

Equally entertaining to Michener devotees and casual readers alike. Although often accredited as America's "master story teller", not much is known about this orphan from humble beginnings. Michener weaves a captivating story of his youth followed by his WWII years in the U.S. Navy, which of course brought us "Tales of the South Pacific". He then relates real down to earth experiences as a would-be writer seemingly trapped as editor. Through it all his humbleness is refreshing. His appreciation and respect for the arts and culture is most noteworthy and no doubt will have many readers running to the nearest record store well stocked in opera and classical music. He relates as only he can the various stimuli involved in the undertaking of his later massive works, many accomplished well past the age of 60. If nothing else, upon finishing this remarkable auto-biography, the reader will have an immense respect for the writer and a stirring curiosity to explore his many works and indeed, the several fine pieces of literature that influenced him.

James Michener's memoirs are interesting. They're the usual mixed bag of America's greatest "non-novelist" -- or whatever term best describes this writer. I consider him a master of narrative (slightly different from story-telling.) Michener himself admits that he totally lacks "the dramatic flair," which is what you need to create compelling characters and storylines. Yet he protests that his characters are not cardboard. Be that as it may: some thirty huge novels and not one memorable character in the lot. I think he's more of a narrator, a guy who writes fictionalized history books.

Now, leaving all that aside, this book is a gold-mine for anyone who is seriously considering a career as a writer. Michener worked as a N.Y. editor during the first half of his life, and wrote tons of books during the second half. He's seen it all, and knows it all, and he's here to tell you the most important thing you will ever hear about writing: "There's no reliable money in this business." Even though Michener himself was a huge exception, making millions and giving it all away, he's seen enough of writing and writers to know the facts.

Read this book and learn. Michener made himself independently wealthy BEFORE he decided to begin writing. He apparently did it out of his "South Pacific" royalties (a huge piece of good luck) and a brief career as a lecturer. But he NEVER expected to be earning good money as a writer. He didn't write for the money. He wrote books that he thought other people would like to read. Period. That's it.

There is a lot of nitty-gritty in this book: the physical business of writing, pasting pages together, endless revising. If you're considering this career, you must get this book. I think it outclasses everything else on the market, if only because it's flat honest and deadly accurate.

One thing to ask yourself. Michener talks at one point about his writing students. How many of them want to WRITE, he wonders. How many actually want to sit down at a desk eight hours a day and write? It's a lonely day, after all. And, then again, how many of the students want to HAVE WRITTEN, to suddenly be a published author, wallowing in fame and status?

I ask myself the same question when I teach English at Chiang Mai University: how many students actually want to LEARN English, and how many just want a high grade.

Michener can be dull, and he can be irritating, but this is the best book I know of for would-be writers.

Highest possible recommendation!

It's nice to learn about new places, and John Michener effectively describes Afghanistan through the eyes of Mark Miller. It was nice for me, a high school student, to explore the culture of the Afghans. Some details,though, were utterly disgusting, like the torture of woman. I can't handle the horror of toruturing people. This definitely doesn't convince me to travel to Afghanistan any time soon. The plot itself was interesting, however. It was like a detective story: a women marries a foreign man, moves to his homeland, and disappears, and it's the American embassy's job to find out where she is. The main character, Miller, spends his time searching through Afghan cities and deserts for this woman, but he gets very sidetracked along the way. He discovers ancient monuments in the lonely desert, and learns more about the people who he is working with.

Despite the interesting information about Afghanistan Michener wrote about, I thought his pace was extremely slow. Most of the first 200 pages focused on other things besides the missing woman. Miller had too many events occurring on the side. It is an easy read, but the reader must have an ample amount of patience, because it takes time for the information to sink in. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under high school age, because younger people have little or no patience for such an in-depth book. If you are ready to sit down for awhile and find out if Miller ever finds this woman, read Caravans, by John Michener.

Michener, James A., Caravans (Ballantine Books, United States, 1963). 438. 1 map. 1 Note to Reader. 0-449-21380-3.

Caravans is the story of an American woman, Ellen Jaspar, lost in Afghanistan after marrying an Afghan engineer. The novel is told through the cooperation of American officials and Afghani leaders to find the missing woman at the pressure of a U.S. Senator. Michener touches upon various aspects of Afghanistan, including women's rights, religious fanaticism, foreign perceptions, and the character of the Afghani people.

James A. Michener found his inspiration for the novel in his personal experiences and travels through Afghanistan. He in fact met many European women who struggled for freedom from the confines of their marriage and Afghanistan. Michener is extremely well-traveled in the region, and furthermore has much diplomatic expertise lending to credible portrayals of Afghani leaders and people in the novel. Hence, his portrayal of the many facets of Afghani culture and politics are credible and well-researched.

The motive of Michener in writing this novel seems unclear at times, as it's adventure-style narrative can obscure the reader's vision of it as more than just a story. Yet, there is some hint of the author's desire to enlighten the world on the deeper character of Afghanistan. Michener strives to shed light on such a perplexing people and culture, that more often than not are judged solely by the negative qualities that appear on the surface (i.e. fanatical mullahs and repressed women). And, by incorporating both Afghani and foreign perceptions of Afghani people and culture continuously throughout the novel, Michener achieves this goal.

Although the novel was written in the 1950's, and Afghanistan did make many advances in human rights in the decades following its composition, the subject matter is sadly more pertinent today than ever. In a time when terrorism lends the outside world to focus only on the evils of Afghanistan, this novel could be extremely useful in explaining the development and perspectives behind such evils. When Americans look at Afghanistan, what comes to mind is terrorism, religious fanatics, and atrocious women's rights abuses. This solely negative view of Afghani culture causes people to view the entire nation and people of Afghanistan to be judged in this light. Michener helps to end this attitude and truly depict the majority of the Afghani population rather than let the minority represent them.

Overall, this book is not only very helpful on giving a reader an insightful look into Afghani culture and mindsets, but is also both politically relevant and useful. Now, more than ever, a true understanding of Afghanistan is need in order to stop the violence and pave the way towards cooperation and mutual acceptance between Afghanistan and the rest of the world. Yet, the reader must be mindful to not just focus on the story-level aspects of the novel and its trite subject matter, but rather delve deeper into Michener's depiction of the character and desires of the Afghani population.

Shirin Raza (002788950)

Don't be fooled by the "Harlequin Romance"-looking cover art. Caravans is a ripping good adventure/travelogue/history lesson, with some romance thrown in for good measure.

The story is simple: An American girl who married an Afghani man is missing in Afghanistan. Her family is frantic, and a military man stationed in Afghanistan in 1946 is assigned to find out what happened to her. The story veers into some unexpected territory, and Michener delivers a TON of Historical perspective on the people and places of Afghanistan without ever making you feel like you're back in History class. (This is a VERY illuminating book to read after September 11th...)

The characters are interesting, and the book just zooms along: I finished it in no time flat. My only complaint is the map in the beginning of the book: It's printed so dark that it's totally useless.

To use an old cliche, this book gives the reader a sense of "being there" during the Second World War in the Pacific theater.

This is not a chronicle of the war itself. It is not a military history, although it is full of military anecdotes. It's a series of loosely connected stories of the prolonged island-hopping campaign across the Pacific, related through the personal experiences of a variety of characters. Michener's emphasis is on the individuality, humor, valor, and idiosyncrasies of the men and women who populated the bases and combat units of the Pacific campaign.

As anyone who has seen the musical "South Pacific" (based on a part of this book) knows, it includes the island natives and expatriates who happened to live in the places where the war was taking place. In reading these stories, you may come to understand why many of the armed forces veterans of the Pacific war were drawn to go back to the islands in later years.

If I were limited to one sentence, I'd say that this book is about everyday Americans doing unusual jobs in exotic places. I like it well enough that I've read it multiple times and consider it a favorite. It's a lot easier reading than many of Michener's later epics, and in my opinion it's as good as anything he's ever written and better than most.

Because this is Michener's first published book, because it is different from his subsequent works, and because many people are more familiar with the Rogers and Hammerstein musical than with the book, I will reveal my biases up front. I do not care for epic historicals, and so have never enjoyed Michener's writing before reading Tales of the South Pacific. The musical was Rogers and Hammerstein's second or third collaborative effort, and to me was a poor follow up to Oklahoma.

That said, reading this book gave me the feeling I have when my father and I rummage through his collection of black and white war photos, postcards, and 78 RPM disks from his days as a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy in and around the South Pacific. Each artifact stimulates a story, many of which are linked to another, and another. Sometimes the stories are about the war theater in Europe or Africa or home in the states. Most often, they are simply about friendships, loss and the discoveries of an eighteen year old doing a man's work in the first few months away from his parents' farm.

Like my father's stories, Michener's Tales of the South Pacific could be set anywhere, but they are about being somewhere other than where one comes from. They are about finding belonging in new surroundings and accepting that great people are rarely 100 percent great. Michener's heroes are the very human people who were decent to one another, believed in the value of their nation's cause and the people around them, demonstrated leadership, but didn't take the trappings of the navy or rank very seriously. His nemeses were not just the Japanese, but American biggots, mean SOBs and phonies. Like Hersey's, Bell for Adano, the stories were practically current events when they were published, and Michener's perspective on sex and the races were shocking material for many Americans who had been fed years of propaganda about their boys (and girls) overseas and who only after 1945 could truly emerge from the depression of 1930s to enter a new, modern and more aggressively democratic age. Tales of the South Pacific foreshadowed the new world to come while honoring the great people who helped to make it possible. At the end of the book, the reader is glad to be among the survivors, standing in the graveyard among heroes, but worried that the supply of greatness might someday be used up.

I first read this book when I was young, not long after I saw the movie "South Pacific". I didn't particularly like it because the characters were the same ones as in the movie but they didn't "fit" in the same way. After many, manyy years, I read it just the other night and loved it! It had been long enough since I saw the film that the characters could stand on their own. Mitchener wrote this soon after the war when his memories were still fresh and he displays a great deal of affection for the "typical" sailor caught thousands of miles from home. For many, they would never get home. To this American tale, he adds a lot of tropical spice: Bloody Mary, the Frenchman's Daughter, Emil De Becque himself. Mitchener shows the American fighting man as hero, coward, nice guy, louse, sacrificial, selfish, and mostly a combination of all of these traits. Although I have read many of Mitchener's books, this is still his best: young, filled with Mitchener's memories from his recently-concluded naval service during World War II. Deservedly one of the classics that came from World War II.

Mr Michener is justly famous for the amount of research he put into his many fine books. And 'Space' is no exception. He gives us an excellent microcosm of the political, scientific and social happenings in America during a forty year period. It seems that America itself is a character in this novel. And that we are to be rightly reminded that America's space program was and is an important part of society and what shaped it from the late fifties to the early eighties. The characters are drawn with fine, masterly detail but because of Michener's prose style, we often feel detached from the emotions and trials of the characters. There is only one major flaw with this novel: While rich with relevant, never intrusive technical detail, the fictional Apollo 18 mission is clinically portrayed. A Lunar mission should be richly emotional and exciting, but Michener gives it to us like a 'textbook' retelling. While reading it, I almost wished the style would switch to a more conventional thriller genre. But would that have been out of place with the rest? Perhaps. All scholars of the American space program should read this book. And when will the overlong, yet spectacular Television mini-series made from this book finally become available on DVD and VHS? A word of advice to the producers: Cut it down from 12 hours to about 8 by removing a lot of the soap-opera stuff that wasn't in the book.

Space is an excellent work of historical/science fiction. It is precisely this odd blend of genres which make it a wonderful book. James Michener, as always, had studied this topic extensively before writing the novel, and its accurate representation of facts and situations is notable. The novel deals with the space age, its history, purpose, and future, and climaxes with a fictional account of Apollo 18. The actual Apollo moon missions ended with Apollo 17, but Michener delivers a dramatic plot, interesting characters, and wonderful description to make the story addictive. This is definitely a book which should be read by anyone who wishes to learn the details of America's space program, and also by anyone who is looking for hardcore science fiction

This was the first Michener book I read, and I loved it. His books fascinate me with their blending (or is it blurring?) of fact and fiction, and do an excellent job of paralleling their historical subject to the people. While I have to agree with the reviewer that the non-standard creation of a fictional state (Freemont) was a bit bizarre, it doesn't detract from the book in any way, and frees Michener from having to totally parallel certain historical characters (or omit them to make room for his own). Having decided early to be an aerospace engineer, I truly enjoyed this book, even though it may have at times presented a romanticized view of the field. The only trick was having to remind myself of the difference between fact and fiction in this book.

Overall this was an interesting and informative book. From an historical perspective Michener covers all of the bases in good style. While he makes history interesting, his perspective appears slanted and euro-centric. His language, when speaking for the native population, is awkward and unrealistic. "Me go hut..., we not join them..." His take on Jamaica and the Rastas is unrealistic. He has little to say about Jamaica in the '70's, a seminal period in that island's history and a key to understanding the Caribbean.
I last read Michener a long time ago. His writing has not aged well.

Caribbean is a typical Michener book. He is the best when it comes to tell a story of a place, not of a person. Recently there has been some followers of this kind of books, like Edward Rutherfurd, who is a good author, but not like Michener.

Caribbean is a very long book, telling almost a millenium of history of one of the most enchanting places on Earth. Michener is able, through sixteen short stories, to narrate what happened on the various islands and main parts of the continent (like northern Colombia and eastern Mexico) since the time of the pre-colombian indians, passing through spanish domination, the attacks of english and french pirates and buccaneers, the abuse of the black people turned into slaves, till comunism in the form of Castro in Cuba. More, he is able to relate all what was happening in the Caribbean related to what was happening in the foremost countries in Europe, and the rising participation of the United States in the international scenario.

One thing I think it's really important when an author wishes to blend various real facts with his immagination efforts is to inform his readers what is fact and what is fiction, and in Caribbean Michener has a list of actual facts of each chapter and a bibliography of each subject for readers who want to learn further. This kind of attention to the reader is something we don't see too often, and everyone who likes a well written book should mourn Michener's passing away, as well as be glad he was so prolific and intense while writing.

This book is as colorful as the place of its name.

Grade 8.8/10

If ever I wondered why the Caribbean keeps drawing me back, it's read in the pages of "Caribbean". This fiction based on fact novel allowed me to understand and appreciate the history of the Caribbean. From the beginnings in Mexico and through the history of the Arawak and Carib nations. After I finished, I again traveled to St.Somewhere with a different propective on the islands and its people. My first Michener book, but not my last. A true lesson in Caribbean history.

I was surprised that I wasn't able to finish "The Novel" . After hearing about Michener as one of America's more talented writers I leaped at the chance to purchase "The Novel" when I happened upon it while thrift shopping. After reading the jacket and skimming a few pages I thought for sure this would be a great read. "The Novel" is actually a series of short stories whose theme centers on the writing and publication of a novel. The story is told from the perspectives of the writer, editor, critic, and reader. As an aspiring writer I was immediately intrigued by the theme. As a reader I was slowly disappointed in the book's inability to maintain my interest. The writing was fine but the story moved along a bit too slow for me. With over 450 pages a quicker pace is needed. While I can't recommend "The Novel", I will give Michener another opportunity to live up to his reputation.

James Michener once again uses his craft to tell a story that he knows best: the story of a Novel. An interesting note about this book is that it is divided into four parts, and each part is narrarated by a different person, each a different part of the writing process. First, the Writer tells of his life in Dutch Pennsylavania and the trials of writing his final novel. Next, his Editor tells of her past and how she came to be one of the best in her business and her battle to keep her writer from being dropped. Third, a Critic, who teaches a a near-by college, tells of his own struggle to be a writer and his envy of the Writer's fame. Finally, the Reader becomes involved with the other three to solve a mystery that affects them all. As always, Michener both entertains and educates. This is a must-read for anyone who is a writer, wants to be a writer, or just likes to read.

This book that reviews itsself. It is a completely new direction for the author. James Michener has changed his writing style for this book bij writing about changing it in a way that explains why and how he has done this. The book is put together in a unique way, bij selecting the views about writing from the standing points of an author, a publisher, a critic and a reader. It's a great book to read and an even better book if you've enjoyed his previous works.

Since I have read two of Michener's other works- The Source and Poland- and found them fascinating and riveting and found Michener to be a fine writer , , I had expected something similar with Mexico.
And he certainly shows his talent for fine historical narrative in parts of the book.
Taking us through a journey into the history of Toledo, in Mexico, through the decline of a great nation of builders, through their discovery the drug, pulque found in the Maguey plant, the rebellion by a brave Altomec Queen against the diabolic human sacrifice rites to a strange and terrible deity, the story of conquistadors and robust émigrés in Mexico from the defeated Confederacy after the American Civil War, and the reign of terror of the blood thirsty revolutionary leader General Gurza, all add to a rich tapestry.

Alas, this part of the book is far too short, and Michener spends most of the novel with an endless saga about a bullfighting tournament.
I find absolutely nothing inspiring about this unfair and cruel sport, and do not find anything in bullfighting which reminds me ' of the principles by which life should be led' as remarked by one of the characters.

The characterization in these chapters, was glossed over, and only the bullfighting tournament itself was detailed, leading to huge gaps in the book which where not interesting to read, and only read to get to the shorter more interesting ride into history. A pity because there was rich material with which to work.

Although , to be fair he does artfully put it together again , in the last chapter.

As a 1st time Michener reader, I loved Mexico. Michener weaves a story that is at once a tour-de-force of bullfighting, a sweeping panarama of Mexican history, an apologetic of the Mexican psyche for (typically) arrogant North Americans, and an exploration of the purpose of life for a middle aged Mexican-American journalist. It is a credit to Michener's art that he can pull off all that in a seemless and gripping read.

This was my very first Michener book. From other reviews I gather it contained less history than his other novels. After reading it I couldn't care less. I have now read this book three times and enjoy it just as much every time. I love bullfight stories and have read all of Hemingway's works on the subject. I found this more enjoyable than them all. It was more of a story, while very knowledgeably written, than a text book. I also work with many Mexicans and greatly enjoy there culture, food, and festivities. I greatly enjoyed every part of this book. The history from all three nations was very well done and interesting, as was the goings on in the present at the Festival of Ixmiq. I could never have believed a person could tie all of these stories into one well-knit novel, but Michener handles expertly.

I am sure in a year or two I will be reading it again.