It was a very good book and was made into a mini-series in the eighties, I think. Ironically, while I was reading that, I never dreamed that one of my children would move into the Denver area.
I have read every single word he wrote, and believe me that’s commitment, loved them all. His final novel was a personal recounting of his life in fiction, save it for the last.
I grew up in Centennial country — Northeastern Colorado. We had a restaurant called Potato Brumbaugh’s, and many locals were extras in the mini series.
But it gave the history on how Hawaii was created, volcanoes, underground 1st, then popped above ground. How the 1st people settled there. Etc. Learned alot, and haven’t forgotten the effect it had on me.
My Mom, my brother & I all read Centennial at about the same time. We then enjoyed the mini series. We really enjoyed talking about the story and the characters.
I loved Hawaii. The vivid descriptions of leprosy remind me of the natural aging process, I feel like gradually parts are just painlessly dropping off.
I have read Michener since I was in the 6th grade. The Drifters was the very first one of his books I read. There’s not a one I don’t love. Edward Rutherford writes along the same lines and I love his books as well.
I love Centennial!!! That was my introduction to Michener. I read it after seeing on cable the epic miniseries which I loved. Such great characters and it has made me really want to see Colorado.
Loved Centennial. Read all of his tomes. I started with The Drifters. Loved Clay Basket, reading about the dad who made apple dumplings in the fire coals. Learning about geese and crabs. No one writes in such detail like The Mich
Everything Mitchener! You get history, geography, geology, philosophy, a terrific progressive story line and wonderful compulsive reading. What more could you desire?
I loved it. After any years I am still moved almost to teRs remembering the story of the Japanese farmer who borrowed obey from an earlier settler. Anyone else remember that?
He came here – Buffalo, WY while he was doing research on his Centennial book. I wasn’t here but people who met him really enjoyed him and were impressed with how much research he did himself. I’ve enjoyed his books Chesapeake and The Covenant.
I have read many books by James Michener. He is probably my favorite author. Just started to read Alaska because my husband and I are planning a trip there next year.
I read Centennial 40 years ago when moving from Michigan to California. I felt like one of the pioneers driving my Uhaul-wagon across the country. May be time for a reread.
I also love all the above and especially “Chesapeake”. But my all time favorite by James Michener is “The Drifters” – A 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. It is a little less timely than reading it in the 70/80’s. But still poignant. I highly recommend
Towards the end, such as “Caribbean”, you could distinguish the alternate writers that helped him do research . After that I lost interest in his story telling. But he produced some excellent work.
It is wonderful. I’ve read it many times and recently re-watched the miniseries.
I haven’t read the book yet, but I love the mini series
I am currently listening to Hawaii. It is also wonderful!
Just added it to my list.
Texas by James Michener is also awesome. I also like The Source.
Yes to all.
I loved Centennial.
One of his best! Also love Hawaii and The Source!
I loved CENTENNIAL and named one of our sons Levi as a middle name after Levi Zendt. Actually I like all Michener stories.
The Source is my favorite Michener book.
LOVED it.
One of my favorites!
His attention to detail is wonderful.
It was a very good book and was made into a mini-series in the eighties, I think. Ironically, while I was reading that, I never dreamed that one of my children would move into the Denver area.
Loved it….even though Michner is very Loooooong winded.
The mini series from 1978 is very good
I read a lot of Michener in the 1970s-80s. All engrossing stories. Centennial was great, and the miniseries was really interesting.
I have read every single word he wrote, and believe me that’s commitment, loved them all. His final novel was a personal recounting of his life in fiction, save it for the last.
I’ve read it several times.
I love James Michener. My favorite was Hawaii.
Loved it, loved the mini series
His book, Tales of the South Pacific, was the source material for the musical South Pacific.
I grew up in Centennial country — Northeastern Colorado. We had a restaurant called Potato Brumbaugh’s, and many locals were extras in the mini series.
i read that book so long ago…great read.
Always been a favorite of mine! Then when the mini series came out I put the actors faces with the book characters. Book really came to life then!
Read it many years ago–great read!
Love all Michener books, especially, Hawaii!
I tried to read it. It took so long to get started.
But it gave the history on how Hawaii was created, volcanoes, underground 1st, then popped above ground. How the 1st people settled there. Etc. Learned alot, and haven’t forgotten the effect it had on me.
It’s on my shelf
I love all of his books. My favorite is Hawaii.
Mine too!
I’m partway through Hawaii by Michener and it is excellent.
It is still my favorite read it in the 90’s
Rereading The Source right now
Love Michener!
Me too.
I too loved it. The TV mini series was well done too.
My Mom, my brother & I all read Centennial at about the same time. We then enjoyed the mini series. We really enjoyed talking about the story and the characters.
Working through Chesapeake.
I preferred Chesapeake because of the setting and the Quakers involved (since I’m a Quaker).
I grew up in the area.
Try The Source
Really loved Michener too.
Have you read Hawaii? It is a long read but a really wonderful story.
The Source is easily the best book I have ever read. Texas too. Both GREAT reads!!
Read Hawaii by Michener. And Chesapeake. Wonderful history. I loved how Hawaii starts with the formation of the islands.
I loved Hawaii. The vivid descriptions of leprosy remind me of the natural aging process, I feel like gradually parts are just painlessly dropping off.
Reading “Poland” right now.
One of the most beautifully written chapters in literature has to be the first chapter of Hawaii!
I agree, and the rest of the book is fabulous too
Love Michener !
read that one twice. i loved it! the mini series is totally excellent!
Always been a fan of Michener
Huge fan of Michener.
I’ve read Hawaii and Centennial- I want to read Chesapeake next!
Chesapeake was great! Gave me a whole new perspective on history of the area.
Loved all his books
I have read Michener since I was in the 6th grade. The Drifters was the very first one of his books I read. There’s not a one I don’t love. Edward Rutherford writes along the same lines and I love his books as well.
If anyone following has not read Texas it is a MUST!
I loved that book!
You would like his other books, too….Iberia, Hawaii, The Caribbean, The Source….I love his books…
I have read Chesapeake, and Hawaii, and the Source as well.
almost all of Michener is like that
I miss James Michener and Leon Uris.
Both great, old school storytelling!
Loved Centennial.
I love Centennial!!! That was my introduction to Michener. I read it after seeing on cable the epic miniseries which I loved. Such great characters and it has made me really want to see Colorado.
That’s very good!
Love that book! Read it on the travel time during a 17 day trip thru Europe. Great memories of both!
Every time some says something about Colorado I always say “I always wanted to see Colorado,” I can’t help it
Loved it. Michener is severely underrated in my opinion.
Liked the Source and Hawai by Michner
that is an awesome book, he is a great writer
Texas is good too.
Read Hawaii, it’s the best, but so is Chesapeake!
I loved Hawaii! Another big book but worth it! Michener is my favorite!
Is one of mine, too!
I enjoyed many of his books. I think he’s the reason I love historical fiction.
Loved Centennial. Read all of his tomes. I started with The Drifters.
Loved Clay Basket, reading about the dad who made apple dumplings in the fire coals. Learning about geese and crabs. No one writes in such detail like The Mich
Love Michener!
Mine too!
Everything Mitchener! You get history, geography, geology, philosophy, a terrific progressive story line and wonderful compulsive reading. What more could you desire?
(The Novel….)
Love that book!
Probably my favorite author!
I love Michener! I just finished @Poland
Took me longer than Lord of the Rings to finally finish that book.
Chesapeake
Chesapeake is my favorite Michener book!
A great book! I love his writing ~
Did you see the mini series?
Loved it.
Michener my favorite author
I loved it. After any years I am still moved almost to teRs remembering the story of the Japanese farmer who borrowed obey from an earlier settler. Anyone else remember that?
Loved it and the mini series was wonderful!
Hawaii is an other one!
If you like Michener, try Edward Rutherfurd.
I enjoyed London, Paris, and New York but Russka was my favorite
@Chrissy Have you read The Princes of Ireland? I have not yet read Russka . My booklist is sooooooooo long.
I love Michener!
I adore James Michener!!!
When I read Michener I’m always amazed at the amount of research that has to go into each book.
I liked it too. Hawaii is still my favorite of his books.
Yes. Hawaii is the best.
Chesapeake is by far the best.
Chesapeake! I forgot about that one. Excellent.
My least favorite was Chesapeake. My favorite was the one about Israel although I’ve forgotten the title
the Source
Love all his books!
Good book. You should also read Hawaii
I totally agree
Definitely one of my very favorite books. Read it twice and watched the miniseries 3 times.
Yes, historical fiction at its finest! I also recommend James Clavell if you want books about Asia.
Which is best…..Tai Pan or Shogun?
@Mary read shogun first. There was also a made for tv series. Tai pan 2nd and i thought there was a 3rd one too.
@Shirley oh I have read them all ( more than once) Which do you think is best !?
He came here – Buffalo, WY while he was doing research on his Centennial book. I wasn’t here but people who met him really enjoyed him and were impressed with how much research he did himself. I’ve enjoyed his books Chesapeake and The Covenant.
Michener… simply the best!
He was, is and evershall be my favorite!
Wow! That’s a blast from my past…thanks for reminding me how great that book was!
Read that a long time ago. Loved the book!
All Michener books are awesome!
Great book. Try all of his other ones as well.
How I loved that book, and the miniseries! My dad and I were just talking about it!
Chesapeake by Michener was one of my favorites.
A Bell for Adono by Hersey is very beautiful as well
Watch out for the Turlocks!
Centennial and Chesapeake are his two best
We just moved back to Colorado so I bought this book. Read it many years ago.
Read The Tell. its even better.
Hawaii is amazing
Read Michener’s THE SOURCE..I think I have reread it 5 times already
Most of his books are amazing. So well researched and so well written.
one of my favs. and my fav michener book.
Yes, it was a good story!
Centennial was my favorite, too.
Hawaiiis very good as well
I could only ever get through one of his books and that was , Hawaii
I liked most of his books, especially Alaska and Poland.
Loved Poland!!!!!
Read Poland twice. Great book!
I have read many books by James Michener. He is probably my favorite author. Just started to read Alaska because my husband and I are planning a trip there next year.
Great Read, I’ll never think of “Denber” the same again
The Source!!!!
I read Centennial 40 years ago when moving from Michigan to California. I felt like one of the pioneers driving my Uhaul-wagon across the country. May be time for a reread.
My favorite book by him is Hawaii
Absolutely LOVED Chesapeake. The James A. Michener Art Museum is in Doylestown PA. If you are in the area it’s worth a visit.
I would love to do that!!! Pennsylvania is a ways for us!
I also love all the above and especially “Chesapeake”. But my all time favorite by James Michener is “The Drifters” – A 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. It is a little less timely than reading it in the 70/80’s. But still poignant. I highly recommend
The Drifters is one of my top 10 books.
Mine too, @Nancy !
It is one of my favorites by him, also try Chesapeake
The book undoubtedly brought thousands to Colorado!
Love love Michener. Centennial was great as was Chesapeake. Also read Hawaii. Has anyone read Mexico by him?
I read Covenant and thought it was brilliant. He’s definitely an author I want to read more of.
I have and it was wonderful!
Loved that book. Read it back in the 70’s and it still stays with me.
Loved that whole series!
Me too. Loved it
I have read all of his works and own a hardbound copy of each!
Which others did you like the most
@Sandra Hawaii was the first one and still a favorite. Chesapeake and Alaska are my second and third favs, respectively.
I keep wondering if The Drifters is as fun is as relevant today as it was back when it came out. What do you think.
I think its worth a re-read. Reading the synopsis has made me think it’s newly relavent!
@Randi I agree
Just a wonderful captivating storyteller
Yes Michener has a very fine body of work well worth reading all of the .
Towards the end, such as “Caribbean”, you could distinguish the alternate writers that helped him do research . After that I lost interest in his story telling. But he produced some excellent work.
I love Michener’s books! Very good reads!
One of Michener’s finest!!!
Loved his books. That one was fantastic
Huge read
I read that eons ago! When did it come out.
1974
My favorite Mitchener book was the Source.
my dad enjoyed and real James Michener
Read it years ago and loved it. He wrote a short book on Afghanistan in the 50s that sets the scene for the last 68 years.
Interesting. I will have to look for that one. His research is phenomenal.
@Shirley me, too!!!
The Source and Tales of the South Pacific and the Drifters
He does rock!
Very absorbing book.
If you like Michener’s books, you might like James Clavell. Shogun, especially!
Another excellent series!
@Lisa Yes, The Asian Saga! I’ve read them all. I like Tai-Pan best, I think.
Lou Ann Waterson I always remember Midori (is that name right?) threatening to commit seppuku. I loved them all!
I think Centennial is my favorite book by Michener