The attachment of a people to their homeland, 16 Jun 2008
The Source is definitely a highly entertaining and extremely interesting work, and I never lost interest. It presents the panorama of history of the Holy Land, particularly the Galilee, through the ages

I had to read it a second time to realize what a work of genius it is.



There is so much in this incredibly long book, that does depict the experiences and spirit of the Land of Israel, and the Jewish people, who originated in this remarkable land.

In 'The Voice of Gomer' a Hebrew mother is commanded by G-D to take steps that are difficult for her and her family, but are necessary to save the Israelite Nation.

He introduces throughout the story, various beautiful and strong-spirited Hebrew women, who have kept the flame burning, such as the enchanting Kerith, wife of Jabaal the builder, in 'Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird', the beautiful , compassionate and spirited Jael, daughter of Rabbi Asher in `The Law' , the lovely and gentle Elisheba in 'The Saintly Men of Safed' and the tough and idealistic Sabra,, Illana Hacohen in 'Rebbe Itzic and the Sabra'.

He does illustrate the depth of the attachment of the Jewish people to their homeland, which was never broken, as well as the cycle of persecution, and the attempts by so many different groups throughout history to annihilate the Jews.

All of this is being repeated in the latest struggle today, of the Jewish people to hold onto their rightful homeland and survive, against an evil people, supported by a world in which it is fashionable to hate Israel.
A world, which, is once more, creating a great injustice against the Jewish people.
The young Hellenist Jew, Menelaus, in 'The Gymnasium' who is so determined to cut of all connections with his Judaism, reminds me of the leftwing Jewish intellectuals who find it fashionable to side with the enemies of Israel, by embracing pro-Palestinian left-fascism.

In 'King of the Jews' we learn about King Herod, and observe the portrait of a tyrant and about the cruel persecution of his people, and in 'Yigal and his Three Generals' we see just how fierce is the will of the Jewish people to rule their own land.

Always there are the wonderful sites and sounds of the Land of Israel, and it's wonderful people, especially it's beautiful children:

" `What has happened to our beloved Sephardim?' A man in still another corner shouted, while in the center, a group of women from Morocco sang and beat on drums precisely like the ones which had been used at Makor four thousand years before. The music was wild and imperative and four little girls danced beautifully, throwing their arms in the air and captivating the men, including Cullinane, as Jewish girls had done for generations out of mind" and

" His three sons where married and his principal joy was in playing with his eleven grandchildren, sitting on the steps of the Venus temple as they ran back and forth across the forum."

G-D bless the children of Israel!


Michener speaks about the birth of Judaism and Christianity in the Land of Israel and their place in the world giving insight with gems such as:

" In these centuries when G-D, through the agency of preceptors...was forging a Christian church so that it might fulfil the longing of a hungry world, He was at the same time perfecting his first religion, Judaism, so that it might stand as a permanent norm against which to judge all others. Whenever in the future some new religion strayed too far from the basic precepts of Judaism, G-D could be assured that it was in error; so in the Galilee, His ancient cauldron of faith, He spent as much time upon the old Jews, as He did upon the new Christians."






The discussion between Count Volkmar and a Jewish Rabbi in 'The Fires of Ma Couer ' illustrate how wherever Jews are, they always remember that their only true homeland is Israel, and 'The Saintly Men of Safed' explores the flowering of the spiritual life of Judaism in the town of Safed in northern Israel in the 16th Century, as well as how Safed was a town where Jews came from around Europe, to escape persecution.
Therefore we read in this chapter about the humiliation suffered by Jews in Spain, Germany and Italy during this time.

In 'Twilight of an Empire' we see even in the 19th century how the Arabs conspired with a powerful Empire to deprive the Jews of land in their own homeland, and how a young Jewish traveller from Russia comes across Jews whose ancestors always stayed in Israel throughout the Diaspora.
There was always a significant continuous Jewish presence in that country which was never broken! This book shows the Jewish presence throughout the centuries in the Land of Israel, through the years, through the chapters, including the period between the Roman destruction of the First Temple in 70 CE and the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish State in Israel in 1948.
`The Law' recounts the vigorous Talmudic academies in Tiberius in the fourth century CE .

And then there is 'Rabbi Itzic and the Sabra' which draws on the sacrifices and ideals of the young Jews who fought and died to re-establish the State of Israel.

However, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Arabs living in Israel, those who are today referred to wrongly as 'Palestinians', are descendants of the Canaanites. And in fact all historical facts point to these people as being Arabs originating from Arabia.
So I don't know what he means by referring to the Arab archaeologist, Jemail Tabari, as a 'scion of Ur', and a 'descendant of Jabaal the Hoopoe'.
He never refers to these Arabs as 'Palestinian', simply because when this book was written in 1965, the label ' Palestinian' had not been invented to refer to these people.
Nobody used this term in 1965. It only became fashionable later!

Will keep you out of mischief..., 13 Oct 2007
A huge book covering the stories of many different characters. The book is episodic in nature with a story from each 'era' in the history of the area in which the archeological dig is taking place. A couple of the eras are close together, so you get an overlap of characters, but mostly they are separated by significant periods of time. In each episode, at least one character is, unknowingly, descended from the main hunter/gatherer character in the first episode - these characters always have an instinctive connection with the site. As a story-telling device it is a bit contrived but doesn't detract from the story in general.

The episodes are interspersed with the contemporary on-going story of the archeologists and others associated with the site in modern-day Israel. This means that you are pulled back and forth between historical times and today. I found this helped to break up what would otherwise have been quite a heavy read. The episodic nature also means that you get a beginning/middle/end story in a bite-size chunk which makes putting it down when you need to a lot easier.

I first read the book in the 1980's and was completely absorbed by it. I knew nothing about Jewish culture and only that 'history' which I had learnt during childhood from the Bible and, of course, the more recent events in the 20th Century. The book was an interesting introduction to Jewish culture and made me think about its origins. It was also interesting to see the parallel history of other cultures in the area, particularly Arabic, and very depressing to read of the events that occurred in 1948 when modern Israel was born. You are left feeling that the rift between Israel and the Arab states is a tragedy but almost inevitable given the religious/cultural differences and human nature on both sides. The book also describes, through the stories from each era, how this kind of conflict between different religions and cultures has been happening in the area since prehistoric times and that resolution has often been bloody and violent. Quite thought-provoking.

The book is a little dated now but still a fantastic read. I have read a few other books by Michener and this is by far my favourite.

Thoroughly absorbing, 30 Dec 2006
Really a series of stories using artefacts found on an archaeological dig as a theme and progressing to recent times. They are sentimental without being sloppy and possess an epic quality not found in more recent historical fiction. Though I found the earlier stories more interesting than the later ones I am pleased to have revisited the book in 2006, having first read it in the late 1960's. Michener's depiction of Stone Age life would probably be different if he were writing today - but this is hardly surprising.

fantastic reading, 21 Apr 2006
anyone interested in archeology ,history or just a darn good read ,this book is a must read .It tells the story of a make believe Tell or settlement in Israel ,from the beginning of time to the present day ,starting with the archeologists in the present, starting a dig , and finding artefacts as they go from one level to the next deeper levels ,they discover more relics through the ages and you are then taken back to that particular age in history of the tell and the people who settle there

I could not put it down, 20 Nov 2005
James A Mitchener - The Sourse, an absolutely exhillerating book, although a large volumn, I found it difficult to put it down, and many chores due to be done had to be put asisde.

Starting at an archeological dig in Israel, the artifax found brought back stories from the days of cave dwellers right through the turmoils of the land through bibical times, the crusades, the world wards up to modern Israel.

Very well written and highly recommended.

The attachment of a people to their homeland, 16 Jun 2008
The Source is definitely a highly entertaining and extremely interesting work, and I never lost interest. It presents the panorama of history of the Holy Land, particularly the Galilee, through the ages

I had to read it a second time to realize what a work of genius it is.



There is so much in this incredibly long book, that does depict the experiences and spirit of the Land of Israel, and the Jewish people, who originated in this remarkable land.

In 'The Voice of Gomer' a Hebrew mother is commanded by G-D to take steps that are difficult for her and her family, but are necessary to save the Israelite Nation.

He introduces throughout the story, various beautiful and strong-spirited Hebrew women, who have kept the flame burning, such as the enchanting Kerith, wife of Jabaal the builder, in 'Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird', the beautiful , compassionate and spirited Jael, daughter of Rabbi Asher in `The Law' , the lovely and gentle Elisheba in 'The Saintly Men of Safed' and the tough and idealistic Sabra,, Illana Hacohen in 'Rebbe Itzic and the Sabra'.

He does illustrate the depth of the attachment of the Jewish people to their homeland, which was never broken, as well as the cycle of persecution, and the attempts by so many different groups throughout history to annihilate the Jews.

All of this is being repeated in the latest struggle today, of the Jewish people to hold onto their rightful homeland and survive, against an evil people, supported by a world in which it is fashionable to hate Israel.
A world, which, is once more, creating a great injustice against the Jewish people.
The young Hellenist Jew, Menelaus, in 'The Gymnasium' who is so determined to cut of all connections with his Judaism, reminds me of the leftwing Jewish intellectuals who find it fashionable to side with the enemies of Israel, by embracing pro-Palestinian left-fascism.

In 'King of the Jews' we learn about King Herod, and observe the portrait of a tyrant and about the cruel persecution of his people, and in 'Yigal and his Three Generals' we see just how fierce is the will of the Jewish people to rule their own land.

Always there are the wonderful sites and sounds of the Land of Israel, and it's wonderful people, especially it's beautiful children:

" `What has happened to our beloved Sephardim?' A man in still another corner shouted, while in the center, a group of women from Morocco sang and beat on drums precisely like the ones which had been used at Makor four thousand years before. The music was wild and imperative and four little girls danced beautifully, throwing their arms in the air and captivating the men, including Cullinane, as Jewish girls had done for generations out of mind" and

" His three sons where married and his principal joy was in playing with his eleven grandchildren, sitting on the steps of the Venus temple as they ran back and forth across the forum."

G-D bless the children of Israel!


Michener speaks about the birth of Judaism and Christianity in the Land of Israel and their place in the world giving insight with gems such as:

" In these centuries when G-D, through the agency of preceptors...was forging a Christian church so that it might fulfil the longing of a hungry world, He was at the same time perfecting his first religion, Judaism, so that it might stand as a permanent norm against which to judge all others. Whenever in the future some new religion strayed too far from the basic precepts of Judaism, G-D could be assured that it was in error; so in the Galilee, His ancient cauldron of faith, He spent as much time upon the old Jews, as He did upon the new Christians."






The discussion between Count Volkmar and a Jewish Rabbi in 'The Fires of Ma Couer ' illustrate how wherever Jews are, they always remember that their only true homeland is Israel, and 'The Saintly Men of Safed' explores the flowering of the spiritual life of Judaism in the town of Safed in northern Israel in the 16th Century, as well as how Safed was a town where Jews came from around Europe, to escape persecution.
Therefore we read in this chapter about the humiliation suffered by Jews in Spain, Germany and Italy during this time.

In 'Twilight of an Empire' we see even in the 19th century how the Arabs conspired with a powerful Empire to deprive the Jews of land in their own homeland, and how a young Jewish traveller from Russia comes across Jews whose ancestors always stayed in Israel throughout the Diaspora.
There was always a significant continuous Jewish presence in that country which was never broken! This book shows the Jewish presence throughout the centuries in the Land of Israel, through the years, through the chapters, including the period between the Roman destruction of the First Temple in 70 CE and the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish State in Israel in 1948.
`The Law' recounts the vigorous Talmudic academies in Tiberius in the fourth century CE .

And then there is 'Rabbi Itzic and the Sabra' which draws on the sacrifices and ideals of the young Jews who fought and died to re-establish the State of Israel.

However, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Arabs living in Israel, those who are today referred to wrongly as 'Palestinians', are descendants of the Canaanites. And in fact all historical facts point to these people as being Arabs originating from Arabia.
So I don't know what he means by referring to the Arab archaeologist, Jemail Tabari, as a 'scion of Ur', and a 'descendant of Jabaal the Hoopoe'.
He never refers to these Arabs as 'Palestinian', simply because when this book was written in 1965, the label ' Palestinian' had not been invented to refer to these people.
Nobody used this term in 1965. It only became fashionable later!

Will keep you out of mischief..., 13 Oct 2007
A huge book covering the stories of many different characters. The book is episodic in nature with a story from each 'era' in the history of the area in which the archeological dig is taking place. A couple of the eras are close together, so you get an overlap of characters, but mostly they are separated by significant periods of time. In each episode, at least one character is, unknowingly, descended from the main hunter/gatherer character in the first episode - these characters always have an instinctive connection with the site. As a story-telling device it is a bit contrived but doesn't detract from the story in general.

The episodes are interspersed with the contemporary on-going story of the archeologists and others associated with the site in modern-day Israel. This means that you are pulled back and forth between historical times and today. I found this helped to break up what would otherwise have been quite a heavy read. The episodic nature also means that you get a beginning/middle/end story in a bite-size chunk which makes putting it down when you need to a lot easier.

I first read the book in the 1980's and was completely absorbed by it. I knew nothing about Jewish culture and only that 'history' which I had learnt during childhood from the Bible and, of course, the more recent events in the 20th Century. The book was an interesting introduction to Jewish culture and made me think about its origins. It was also interesting to see the parallel history of other cultures in the area, particularly Arabic, and very depressing to read of the events that occurred in 1948 when modern Israel was born. You are left feeling that the rift between Israel and the Arab states is a tragedy but almost inevitable given the religious/cultural differences and human nature on both sides. The book also describes, through the stories from each era, how this kind of conflict between different religions and cultures has been happening in the area since prehistoric times and that resolution has often been bloody and violent. Quite thought-provoking.

The book is a little dated now but still a fantastic read. I have read a few other books by Michener and this is by far my favourite.

Thoroughly absorbing, 30 Dec 2006
Really a series of stories using artefacts found on an archaeological dig as a theme and progressing to recent times. They are sentimental without being sloppy and possess an epic quality not found in more recent historical fiction. Though I found the earlier stories more interesting than the later ones I am pleased to have revisited the book in 2006, having first read it in the late 1960's. Michener's depiction of Stone Age life would probably be different if he were writing today - but this is hardly surprising.

fantastic reading, 21 Apr 2006
anyone interested in archeology ,history or just a darn good read ,this book is a must read .It tells the story of a make believe Tell or settlement in Israel ,from the beginning of time to the present day ,starting with the archeologists in the present, starting a dig , and finding artefacts as they go from one level to the next deeper levels ,they discover more relics through the ages and you are then taken back to that particular age in history of the tell and the people who settle there

I could not put it down, 20 Nov 2005
James A Mitchener - The Sourse, an absolutely exhillerating book, although a large volumn, I found it difficult to put it down, and many chores due to be done had to be put asisde.

Starting at an archeological dig in Israel, the artifax found brought back stories from the days of cave dwellers right through the turmoils of the land through bibical times, the crusades, the world wards up to modern Israel.

Very well written and highly recommended.

Iberia, 15 Aug 2008
This is one of the most fascinating and enjoyable books on Spain I have read.Until two years ago I had never been to Spain - excited by the promise of a magical land but apprehensive of the ruin caused by so many Europeans(mainly British)who populate the costas and not apparently (as commonly believed) to the true benefit of the Spaniards.

I have however bought many, many books on Spain to try and discover the soul of the country.This is by far the best, My recent visits(to the Picos de Europa and the province of Salamanca) convince me that thankfully "real"(or imagined!) Spain(ie not the proliferation of North European sunshine extensions) exists still.

Michener brings the country to life in a fascinating way and his mix of descriptions of people he meets and the detail of the places he visits is compelling.This is without doubt an essential read before or during your visit to this magical country.Even though the book is written 4 decades ago you cannot help but feel that you are with Michener as we travel Spain.

Only regrets are the absence of places such as Ciudad Rodrigo,Uruena and Segovia in his book which are all deserving of a visit-.... and I am sure that there are many more which I hope to discover in the coming years.If only I could take Michener with me to capture the real experience!

Buy this and enjoy it!



Michener's best non-fiction, 02 May 1999
"Iberia" is a travel log which Michener compiled over years of trips to Spain. His love and respect for this "castle of old dreams and new realities" are evident in his poetic and informative language. We are also treated to people who, though nonfictional, are characterized as larger-than-life members of a fantastic story. Not having even been to Spain, and despite the book's age (30+) years, I feel I have been there many times and could take anyone on a tour of the nation. Fabulous.

it wonderfully describes the contradictions of Spain, 14 Dec 1998
TWIMC I carried a paperback edition of this book with me in Ecuador and Peru and found it fundamental in understanding the Spanish mind. When I visit Spain it will be with me also but, I won't begin my vist in Malaga!

Superb insights into Spain; long, but worth every minute, 18 Oct 1998
An excellent narrative about Spain and the Spanish people. I've lived in Spain for 4 years and find the insights spot on. Although written over 30 years ago in the heart of the Franco era, it is still a wonderful primer on the country.

A brilliant and detailed description of spain, 18 Jun 1998
This book is long but entertaining. The visualization of the land is accurate. I would recommend it only to people who enjoy long and detailed descriptions. The contrasts of the land and people are astonishing

The attachment of a people to their homeland, 16 Jun 2008
The Source is definitely a highly entertaining and extremely interesting work, and I never lost interest. It presents the panorama of history of the Holy Land, particularly the Galilee, through the ages

I had to read it a second time to realize what a work of genius it is.



There is so much in this incredibly long book, that does depict the experiences and spirit of the Land of Israel, and the Jewish people, who originated in this remarkable land.

In 'The Voice of Gomer' a Hebrew mother is commanded by G-D to take steps that are difficult for her and her family, but are necessary to save the Israelite Nation.

He introduces throughout the story, various beautiful and strong-spirited Hebrew women, who have kept the flame burning, such as the enchanting Kerith, wife of Jabaal the builder, in 'Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird', the beautiful , compassionate and spirited Jael, daughter of Rabbi Asher in `The Law' , the lovely and gentle Elisheba in 'The Saintly Men of Safed' and the tough and idealistic Sabra,, Illana Hacohen in 'Rebbe Itzic and the Sabra'.

He does illustrate the depth of the attachment of the Jewish people to their homeland, which was never broken, as well as the cycle of persecution, and the attempts by so many different groups throughout history to annihilate the Jews.

All of this is being repeated in the latest struggle today, of the Jewish people to hold onto their rightful homeland and survive, against an evil people, supported by a world in which it is fashionable to hate Israel.
A world, which, is once more, creating a great injustice against the Jewish people.
The young Hellenist Jew, Menelaus, in 'The Gymnasium' who is so determined to cut of all connections with his Judaism, reminds me of the leftwing Jewish intellectuals who find it fashionable to side with the enemies of Israel, by embracing pro-Palestinian left-fascism.

In 'King of the Jews' we learn about King Herod, and observe the portrait of a tyrant and about the cruel persecution of his people, and in 'Yigal and his Three Generals' we see just how fierce is the will of the Jewish people to rule their own land.

Always there are the wonderful sites and sounds of the Land of Israel, and it's wonderful people, especially it's beautiful children:

" `What has happened to our beloved Sephardim?' A man in still another corner shouted, while in the center, a group of women from Morocco sang and beat on drums precisely like the ones which had been used at Makor four thousand years before. The music was wild and imperative and four little girls danced beautifully, throwing their arms in the air and captivating the men, including Cullinane, as Jewish girls had done for generations out of mind" and

" His three sons where married and his principal joy was in playing with his eleven grandchildren, sitting on the steps of the Venus temple as they ran back and forth across the forum."

G-D bless the children of Israel!


Michener speaks about the birth of Judaism and Christianity in the Land of Israel and their place in the world giving insight with gems such as:

" In these centuries when G-D, through the agency of preceptors...was forging a Christian church so that it might fulfil the longing of a hungry world, He was at the same time perfecting his first religion, Judaism, so that it might stand as a permanent norm against which to judge all others. Whenever in the future some new religion strayed too far from the basic precepts of Judaism, G-D could be assured that it was in error; so in the Galilee, His ancient cauldron of faith, He spent as much time upon the old Jews, as He did upon the new Christians."






The discussion between Count Volkmar and a Jewish Rabbi in 'The Fires of Ma Couer ' illustrate how wherever Jews are, they always remember that their only true homeland is Israel, and 'The Saintly Men of Safed' explores the flowering of the spiritual life of Judaism in the town of Safed in northern Israel in the 16th Century, as well as how Safed was a town where Jews came from around Europe, to escape persecution.
Therefore we read in this chapter about the humiliation suffered by Jews in Spain, Germany and Italy during this time.

In 'Twilight of an Empire' we see even in the 19th century how the Arabs conspired with a powerful Empire to deprive the Jews of land in their own homeland, and how a young Jewish traveller from Russia comes across Jews whose ancestors always stayed in Israel throughout the Diaspora.
There was always a significant continuous Jewish presence in that country which was never broken! This book shows the Jewish presence throughout the centuries in the Land of Israel, through the years, through the chapters, including the period between the Roman destruction of the First Temple in 70 CE and the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish State in Israel in 1948.
`The Law' recounts the vigorous Talmudic academies in Tiberius in the fourth century CE .

And then there is 'Rabbi Itzic and the Sabra' which draws on the sacrifices and ideals of the young Jews who fought and died to re-establish the State of Israel.

However, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Arabs living in Israel, those who are today referred to wrongly as 'Palestinians', are descendants of the Canaanites. And in fact all historical facts point to these people as being Arabs originating from Arabia.
So I don't know what he means by referring to the Arab archaeologist, Jemail Tabari, as a 'scion of Ur', and a 'descendant of Jabaal the Hoopoe'.
He never refers to these Arabs as 'Palestinian', simply because when this book was written in 1965, the label ' Palestinian' had not been invented to refer to these people.
Nobody used this term in 1965. It only became fashionable later!

Will keep you out of mischief..., 13 Oct 2007
A huge book covering the stories of many different characters. The book is episodic in nature with a story from each 'era' in the history of the area in which the archeological dig is taking place. A couple of the eras are close together, so you get an overlap of characters, but mostly they are separated by significant periods of time. In each episode, at least one character is, unknowingly, descended from the main hunter/gatherer character in the first episode - these characters always have an instinctive connection with the site. As a story-telling device it is a bit contrived but doesn't detract from the story in general.

The episodes are interspersed with the contemporary on-going story of the archeologists and others associated with the site in modern-day Israel. This means that you are pulled back and forth between historical times and today. I found this helped to break up what would otherwise have been quite a heavy read. The episodic nature also means that you get a beginning/middle/end story in a bite-size chunk which makes putting it down when you need to a lot easier.

I first read the book in the 1980's and was completely absorbed by it. I knew nothing about Jewish culture and only that 'history' which I had learnt during childhood from the Bible and, of course, the more recent events in the 20th Century. The book was an interesting introduction to Jewish culture and made me think about its origins. It was also interesting to see the parallel history of other cultures in the area, particularly Arabic, and very depressing to read of the events that occurred in 1948 when modern Israel was born. You are left feeling that the rift between Israel and the Arab states is a tragedy but almost inevitable given the religious/cultural differences and human nature on both sides. The book also describes, through the stories from each era, how this kind of conflict between different religions and cultures has been happening in the area since prehistoric times and that resolution has often been bloody and violent. Quite thought-provoking.

The book is a little dated now but still a fantastic read. I have read a few other books by Michener and this is by far my favourite.

Thoroughly absorbing, 30 Dec 2006
Really a series of stories using artefacts found on an archaeological dig as a theme and progressing to recent times. They are sentimental without being sloppy and possess an epic quality not found in more recent historical fiction. Though I found the earlier stories more interesting than the later ones I am pleased to have revisited the book in 2006, having first read it in the late 1960's. Michener's depiction of Stone Age life would probably be different if he were writing today - but this is hardly surprising.

fantastic reading, 21 Apr 2006
anyone interested in archeology ,history or just a darn good read ,this book is a must read .It tells the story of a make believe Tell or settlement in Israel ,from the beginning of time to the present day ,starting with the archeologists in the present, starting a dig , and finding artefacts as they go from one level to the next deeper levels ,they discover more relics through the ages and you are then taken back to that particular age in history of the tell and the people who settle there

I could not put it down, 20 Nov 2005
James A Mitchener - The Sourse, an absolutely exhillerating book, although a large volumn, I found it difficult to put it down, and many chores due to be done had to be put asisde.

Starting at an archeological dig in Israel, the artifax found brought back stories from the days of cave dwellers right through the turmoils of the land through bibical times, the crusades, the world wards up to modern Israel.

Very well written and highly recommended.

Iberia, 15 Aug 2008
This is one of the most fascinating and enjoyable books on Spain I have read.Until two years ago I had never been to Spain - excited by the promise of a magical land but apprehensive of the ruin caused by so many Europeans(mainly British)who populate the costas and not apparently (as commonly believed) to the true benefit of the Spaniards.

I have however bought many, many books on Spain to try and discover the soul of the country.This is by far the best, My recent visits(to the Picos de Europa and the province of Salamanca) convince me that thankfully "real"(or imagined!) Spain(ie not the proliferation of North European sunshine extensions) exists still.

Michener brings the country to life in a fascinating way and his mix of descriptions of people he meets and the detail of the places he visits is compelling.This is without doubt an essential read before or during your visit to this magical country.Even though the book is written 4 decades ago you cannot help but feel that you are with Michener as we travel Spain.

Only regrets are the absence of places such as Ciudad Rodrigo,Uruena and Segovia in his book which are all deserving of a visit-.... and I am sure that there are many more which I hope to discover in the coming years.If only I could take Michener with me to capture the real experience!

Buy this and enjoy it!



Michener's best non-fiction, 02 May 1999
"Iberia" is a travel log which Michener compiled over years of trips to Spain. His love and respect for this "castle of old dreams and new realities" are evident in his poetic and informative language. We are also treated to people who, though nonfictional, are characterized as larger-than-life members of a fantastic story. Not having even been to Spain, and despite the book's age (30+) years, I feel I have been there many times and could take anyone on a tour of the nation. Fabulous.

it wonderfully describes the contradictions of Spain, 14 Dec 1998
TWIMC I carried a paperback edition of this book with me in Ecuador and Peru and found it fundamental in understanding the Spanish mind. When I visit Spain it will be with me also but, I won't begin my vist in Malaga!

Superb insights into Spain; long, but worth every minute, 18 Oct 1998
An excellent narrative about Spain and the Spanish people. I've lived in Spain for 4 years and find the insights spot on. Although written over 30 years ago in the heart of the Franco era, it is still a wonderful primer on the country.

A brilliant and detailed description of spain, 18 Jun 1998
This book is long but entertaining. The visualization of the land is accurate. I would recommend it only to people who enjoy long and detailed descriptions. The contrasts of the land and people are astonishing

Captures the Irresistible Essence of Hawaii, 26 May 2004
Aloha! If you have never been to Hawaii, James Michener's Hawaii will entice you into going. If you have been to Hawaii, this book will show you what you missed while you were there.

Hawaii requires that kind of explanation. I remember visiting the orchid garden in Honolulu once. I thought I had seen everything and really enjoyed it after 30 minutes. Then a volunteer gardener introduced himself and asked me if I would like a tour. I naturally agreed, and in the next 2 and a half hours, I saw the garden for the first time. That is what Michener will do for you in this terrific novel about Hawaii.

Like all Michener novels, this one starts back millions of years ago with how the islands were formed and populated. You will get a great geology and history lesson in the process. Normally, you would probably not be interested in either one in a novel, but they are both very valuable to you as a tourist in the islands by adding to your knowledge.

The people in the story are full of passion for religion, acquiring material possessions, power and sex. Although the last is not explicitly described, lust plays a big role in the story. That seems as it should in a tropical paradise where warm weather and scanty clothing combine.

When you visit modern day Hawaii, you will see reminders of the founding families of modern Hawaii all around you. Hawaii will give you a sense of the histories behind the current power and business structure.

The book itself is written in a way that feels like you are sitting at a luau with someone telling you the story through a combination of traditional means (like the hula) and good campfire story-telling. It's almost like a trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center on the northern shore of Oahu.

Seldom do I wish that long novels (and this one is really long) would keep on going, but that was my wish with Hawaii. Even if the fiction were not based loosely on fact, it would have been an exciting and engrossing novel. The fact that the reality is a lot like the novel makes it all the more appealing.

Hawaii will hook you on Hawaii. That's good. We all need more of the magic of the islands in our lives. Leave your misconceptions behind about Hawaii being too far away. It can be right inside of you. Enjoy!

The Island of Dreams, 27 Oct 2002
This vast, sprawling book is an incredible trip through the history of not just the Hawaiian islands but also provides insightful looks at both the history and mind set of each of the various peoples that over time have come to the islands, found them beautiful, and stayed, each adding another layer of richness to the already incredibly fecund soil that makes up Hawaii.

This is not the type of history you remember from your school days, dull and filled with irrelevant dates. It is instead a vibrant group of stories about some very engaging people, from Malama and Teroro of the early Polynesian settlers, to Abner and Jerusha Hale of the harsh, bitter school of Calvinist religion, to Char Nyuk Tsin and her sons and their sons, a great extended family with tentacles that reach across every business and social circle the islands have. Some of these characters are entirely fictitious, some are amalgams of known historical characters, a few are directly modeled on the individuals you can find in the history books, but regardless of their source or historical accuracy, you will find yourself totally engaged by them, fighting their battles, feeling their sorrow, enraged by their foolishness and arrogance, crying with their happiness. And along the way you will find that you have learned a lot about these islands and their history, and will end the book wanting to know more (what has happened there since this book was published in 1959?).

Many people seem to find the opening section on the geological history of the islands somewhat dull, but, in showing how the islands took shape via wave after wave of titanic and destructive eruptions, it provides a perfect counter-point to the later sections dealing with each wave of people as they arrive at the islands. And for those whose impression of this book was formed by seeing the Max von Sydow/Julie Andrews/Richard Harris movie, which was based on only one section of this book, "From the Farm of Bitterness", you will find that the movie is a very pale reflection of what this book has to offer.

If this book has a fault, it is in the constant optimistic outlook that Michener presents, both in terms of history and of people. But is it so bad to look on the bright side of things for a change? I ended this book with tears of joy, and I think you will too.

READ this book!, 25 Aug 2002
On moving into a new apartment a few years ago, I found this book left on a shelf as a welcome present. A note told me it was a "good read" though I was left untempted until I became ill a few months later. I read the whole book in less than two days and many times consequently.

It starts rather slowly with the description of Hawaii emerging as a volcanic entity. I actually enjoyed the first chapter more after I got to the middle of the book and read Chapter 1 again to refresh myself of the history that this island was built on.

The tale starts with the lives of those first pacific islanders and the worship of gods, idols and the volcanoes. The stories of this time are as fascinating and inextricably linked to the future stories of immigrants and struggle for identity that are found in the latter parts of the books.

I remember when I was a kid, seeing a film version of the missionary part of the story starring Julie Andrews and Richard Harris. However, being "Hollywood" it missed the even more fascinating second half of the book and the stories of the Chinese and the Japanese. It was a great dis-service to the book itself.

Michener, through excellent, visual and spellbinding characterisation, allows the reader to feel an intimate knowledge of the history of these beautiful islands.

It surveys the actions of the missionaries, hawaians, chinese and japanese through stories of economy-building, world war two, the position of the Japanese Americans, the awful stigma of leprosy, the fate of the original Hawaian Islanders and the mixing of all these peoples, albeit grudgingly on the part of some. The stories of the Americans , Japanese and the Chinese are fascinating in themselves even before they end up in Hawaii.

I am left with the belief that these people are real and that this is the real story of Hawaii. I am left furthermore with the feeling on having read the book that I know something about Hawaii that those who haven't read the book will never know.....

READ this book, it is fantastic.

The attachment of a people to their homeland, 16 Jun 2008
The Source is definitely a highly entertaining and extremely interesting work, and I never lost interest. It presents the panorama of history of the Holy Land, particularly the Galilee, through the ages

I had to read it a second time to realize what a work of genius it is.



There is so much in this incredibly long book, that does depict the experiences and spirit of the Land of Israel, and the Jewish people, who originated in this remarkable land.

In 'The Voice of Gomer' a Hebrew mother is commanded by G-D to take steps that are difficult for her and her family, but are necessary to save the Israelite Nation.

He introduces throughout the story, various beautiful and strong-spirited Hebrew women, who have kept the flame burning, such as the enchanting Kerith, wife of Jabaal the builder, in 'Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird', the beautiful , compassionate and spirited Jael, daughter of Rabbi Asher in `The Law' , the lovely and gentle Elisheba in 'The Saintly Men of Safed' and the tough and idealistic Sabra,, Illana Hacohen in 'Rebbe Itzic and the Sabra'.

He does illustrate the depth of the attachment of the Jewish people to their homeland, which was never broken, as well as the cycle of persecution, and the attempts by so many different groups throughout history to annihilate the Jews.

All of this is being repeated in the latest struggle today, of the Jewish people to hold onto their rightful homeland and survive, against an evil people, supported by a world in which it is fashionable to hate Israel.
A world, which, is once more, creating a great injustice against the Jewish people.
The young Hellenist Jew, Menelaus, in 'The Gymnasium' who is so determined to cut of all connections with his Judaism, reminds me of the leftwing Jewish intellectuals who find it fashionable to side with the enemies of Israel, by embracing pro-Palestinian left-fascism.

In 'King of the Jews' we learn about King Herod, and observe the portrait of a tyrant and about the cruel persecution of his people, and in 'Yigal and his Three Generals' we see just how fierce is the will of the Jewish people to rule their own land.

Always there are the wonderful sites and sounds of the Land of Israel, and it's wonderful people, especially it's beautiful children:

" `What has happened to our beloved Sephardim?' A man in still another corner shouted, while in the center, a group of women from Morocco sang and beat on drums precisely like the ones which had been used at Makor four thousand years before. The music was wild and imperative and four little girls danced beautifully, throwing their arms in the air and captivating the men, including Cullinane, as Jewish girls had done for generations out of mind" and

" His three sons where married and his principal joy was in playing with his eleven grandchildren, sitting on the steps of the Venus temple as they ran back and forth across the forum."

G-D bless the children of Israel!


Michener speaks about the birth of Judaism and Christianity in the Land of Israel and their place in the world giving insight with gems such as:

" In these centuries when G-D, through the agency of preceptors...was forging a Christian church so that it might fulfil the longing of a hungry world, He was at the same time perfecting his first religion, Judaism, so that it might stand as a permanent norm against which to judge all others. Whenever in the future some new religion strayed too far from the basic precepts of Judaism, G-D could be assured that it was in error; so in the Galilee, His ancient cauldron of faith, He spent as much time upon the old Jews, as He did upon the new Christians."






The discussion between Count Volkmar and a Jewish Rabbi in 'The Fires of Ma Couer ' illustrate how wherever Jews are, they always remember that their only true homeland is Israel, and 'The Saintly Men of Safed' explores the flowering of the spiritual life of Judaism in the town of Safed in northern Israel in the 16th Century, as well as how Safed was a town where Jews came from around Europe, to escape persecution.
Therefore we read in this chapter about the humiliation suffered by Jews in Spain, Germany and Italy during this time.

In 'Twilight of an Empire' we see even in the 19th century how the Arabs conspired with a powerful Empire to deprive the Jews of land in their own homeland, and how a young Jewish traveller from Russia comes across Jews whose ancestors always stayed in Israel throughout the Diaspora.
There was always a significant continuous Jewish presence in that country which was never broken! This book shows the Jewish presence throughout the centuries in the Land of Israel, through the years, through the chapters, including the period between the Roman destruction of the First Temple in 70 CE and the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish State in Israel in 1948.
`The Law' recounts the vigorous Talmudic academies in Tiberius in the fourth century CE .

And then there is 'Rabbi Itzic and the Sabra' which draws on the sacrifices and ideals of the young Jews who fought and died to re-establish the State of Israel.

However, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Arabs living in Israel, those who are today referred to wrongly as 'Palestinians', are descendants of the Canaanites. And in fact all historical facts point to these people as being Arabs originating from Arabia.
So I don't know what he means by referring to the Arab archaeologist, Jemail Tabari, as a 'scion of Ur', and a 'descendant of Jabaal the Hoopoe'.
He never refers to these Arabs as 'Palestinian', simply because when this book was written in 1965, the label ' Palestinian' had not been invented to refer to these people.
Nobody used this term in 1965. It only became fashionable later!

Will keep you out of mischief..., 13 Oct 2007
A huge book covering the stories of many different characters. The book is episodic in nature with a story from each 'era' in the history of the area in which the archeological dig is taking place. A couple of the eras are close together, so you get an overlap of characters, but mostly they are separated by significant periods of time. In each episode, at least one character is, unknowingly, descended from the main hunter/gatherer character in the first episode - these characters always have an instinctive connection with the site. As a story-telling device it is a bit contrived but doesn't detract from the story in general.

The episodes are interspersed with the contemporary on-going story of the archeologists and others associated with the site in modern-day Israel. This means that you are pulled back and forth between historical times and today. I found this helped to break up what would otherwise have been quite a heavy read. The episodic nature also means that you get a beginning/middle/end story in a bite-size chunk which makes putting it down when you need to a lot easier.

I first read the book in the 1980's and was completely absorbed by it. I knew nothing about Jewish culture and only that 'history' which I had learnt during childhood from the Bible and, of course, the more recent events in the 20th Century. The book was an interesting introduction to Jewish culture and made me think about its origins. It was also interesting to see the parallel history of other cultures in the area, particularly Arabic, and very depressing to read of the events that occurred in 1948 when modern Israel was born. You are left feeling that the rift between Israel and the Arab states is a tragedy but almost inevitable given the religious/cultural differences and human nature on both sides. The book also describes, through the stories from each era, how this kind of conflict between different religions and cultures has been happening in the area since prehistoric times and that resolution has often been bloody and violent. Quite thought-provoking.

The book is a little dated now but still a fantastic read. I have read a few other books by Michener and this is by far my favourite.

Thoroughly absorbing, 30 Dec 2006
Really a series of stories using artefacts found on an archaeological dig as a theme and progressing to recent times. They are sentimental without being sloppy and possess an epic quality not found in more recent historical fiction. Though I found the earlier stories more interesting than the later ones I am pleased to have revisited the book in 2006, having first read it in the late 1960's. Michener's depiction of Stone Age life would probably be different if he were writing today - but this is hardly surprising.

fantastic reading, 21 Apr 2006
anyone interested in archeology ,history or just a darn good read ,this book is a must read .It tells the story of a make believe Tell or settlement in Israel ,from the beginning of time to the present day ,starting with the archeologists in the present, starting a dig , and finding artefacts as they go from one level to the next deeper levels ,they discover more relics through the ages and you are then taken back to that particular age in history of the tell and the people who settle there

I could not put it down, 20 Nov 2005
James A Mitchener - The Sourse, an absolutely exhillerating book, although a large volumn, I found it difficult to put it down, and many chores due to be done had to be put asisde.

Starting at an archeological dig in Israel, the artifax found brought back stories from the days of cave dwellers right through the turmoils of the land through bibical times, the crusades, the world wards up to modern Israel.

Very well written and highly recommended.

Iberia, 15 Aug 2008
This is one of the most fascinating and enjoyable books on Spain I have read.Until two years ago I had never been to Spain - excited by the promise of a magical land but apprehensive of the ruin caused by so many Europeans(mainly British)who populate the costas and not apparently (as commonly believed) to the true benefit of the Spaniards.

I have however bought many, many books on Spain to try and discover the soul of the country.This is by far the best, My recent visits(to the Picos de Europa and the province of Salamanca) convince me that thankfully "real"(or imagined!) Spain(ie not the proliferation of North European sunshine extensions) exists still.

Michener brings the country to life in a fascinating way and his mix of descriptions of people he meets and the detail of the places he visits is compelling.This is without doubt an essential read before or during your visit to this magical country.Even though the book is written 4 decades ago you cannot help but feel that you are with Michener as we travel Spain.

Only regrets are the absence of places such as Ciudad Rodrigo,Uruena and Segovia in his book which are all deserving of a visit-.... and I am sure that there are many more which I hope to discover in the coming years.If only I could take Michener with me to capture the real experience!

Buy this and enjoy it!



Michener's best non-fiction, 02 May 1999
"Iberia" is a travel log which Michener compiled over years of trips to Spain. His love and respect for this "castle of old dreams and new realities" are evident in his poetic and informative language. We are also treated to people who, though nonfictional, are characterized as larger-than-life members of a fantastic story. Not having even been to Spain, and despite the book's age (30+) years, I feel I have been there many times and could take anyone on a tour of the nation. Fabulous.

it wonderfully describes the contradictions of Spain, 14 Dec 1998
TWIMC I carried a paperback edition of this book with me in Ecuador and Peru and found it fundamental in understanding the Spanish mind. When I visit Spain it will be with me also but, I won't begin my vist in Malaga!

Superb insights into Spain; long, but worth every minute, 18 Oct 1998
An excellent narrative about Spain and the Spanish people. I've lived in Spain for 4 years and find the insights spot on. Although written over 30 years ago in the heart of the Franco era, it is still a wonderful primer on the country.

A brilliant and detailed description of spain, 18 Jun 1998
This book is long but entertaining. The visualization of the land is accurate. I would recommend it only to people who enjoy long and detailed descriptions. The contrasts of the land and people are astonishing

Captures the Irresistible Essence of Hawaii, 26 May 2004
Aloha! If you have never been to Hawaii, James Michener's Hawaii will entice you into going. If you have been to Hawaii, this book will show you what you missed while you were there.

Hawaii requires that kind of explanation. I remember visiting the orchid garden in Honolulu once. I thought I had seen everything and really enjoyed it after 30 minutes. Then a volunteer gardener introduced himself and asked me if I would like a tour. I naturally agreed, and in the next 2 and a half hours, I saw the garden for the first time. That is what Michener will do for you in this terrific novel about Hawaii.

Like all Michener novels, this one starts back millions of years ago with how the islands were formed and populated. You will get a great geology and history lesson in the process. Normally, you would probably not be interested in either one in a novel, but they are both very valuable to you as a tourist in the islands by adding to your knowledge.

The people in the story are full of passion for religion, acquiring material possessions, power and sex. Although the last is not explicitly described, lust plays a big role in the story. That seems as it should in a tropical paradise where warm weather and scanty clothing combine.

When you visit modern day Hawaii, you will see reminders of the founding families of modern Hawaii all around you. Hawaii will give you a sense of the histories behind the current power and business structure.

The book itself is written in a way that feels like you are sitting at a luau with someone telling you the story through a combination of traditional means (like the hula) and good campfire story-telling. It's almost like a trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center on the northern shore of Oahu.

Seldom do I wish that long novels (and this one is really long) would keep on going, but that was my wish with Hawaii. Even if the fiction were not based loosely on fact, it would have been an exciting and engrossing novel. The fact that the reality is a lot like the novel makes it all the more appealing.

Hawaii will hook you on Hawaii. That's good. We all need more of the magic of the islands in our lives. Leave your misconceptions behind about Hawaii being too far away. It can be right inside of you. Enjoy!

The Island of Dreams, 27 Oct 2002
This vast, sprawling book is an incredible trip through the history of not just the Hawaiian islands but also provides insightful looks at both the history and mind set of each of the various peoples that over time have come to the islands, found them beautiful, and stayed, each adding another layer of richness to the already incredibly fecund soil that makes up Hawaii.

This is not the type of history you remember from your school days, dull and filled with irrelevant dates. It is instead a vibrant group of stories about some very engaging people, from Malama and Teroro of the early Polynesian settlers, to Abner and Jerusha Hale of the harsh, bitter school of Calvinist religion, to Char Nyuk Tsin and her sons and their sons, a great extended family with tentacles that reach across every business and social circle the islands have. Some of these characters are entirely fictitious, some are amalgams of known historical characters, a few are directly modeled on the individuals you can find in the history books, but regardless of their source or historical accuracy, you will find yourself totally engaged by them, fighting their battles, feeling their sorrow, enraged by their foolishness and arrogance, crying with their happiness. And along the way you will find that you have learned a lot about these islands and their history, and will end the book wanting to know more (what has happened there since this book was published in 1959?).

Many people seem to find the opening section on the geological history of the islands somewhat dull, but, in showing how the islands took shape via wave after wave of titanic and destructive eruptions, it provides a perfect counter-point to the later sections dealing with each wave of people as they arrive at the islands. And for those whose impression of this book was formed by seeing the Max von Sydow/Julie Andrews/Richard Harris movie, which was based on only one section of this book, "From the Farm of Bitterness", you will find that the movie is a very pale reflection of what this book has to offer.

If this book has a fault, it is in the constant optimistic outlook that Michener presents, both in terms of history and of people. But is it so bad to look on the bright side of things for a change? I ended this book with tears of joy, and I think you will too.

READ this book!, 25 Aug 2002
On moving into a new apartment a few years ago, I found this book left on a shelf as a welcome present. A note told me it was a "good read" though I was left untempted until I became ill a few months later. I read the whole book in less than two days and many times consequently.

It starts rather slowly with the description of Hawaii emerging as a volcanic entity. I actually enjoyed the first chapter more after I got to the middle of the book and read Chapter 1 again to refresh myself of the history that this island was built on.

The tale starts with the lives of those first pacific islanders and the worship of gods, idols and the volcanoes. The stories of this time are as fascinating and inextricably linked to the future stories of immigrants and struggle for identity that are found in the latter parts of the books.

I remember when I was a kid, seeing a film version of the missionary part of the story starring Julie Andrews and Richard Harris. However, being "Hollywood" it missed the even more fascinating second half of the book and the stories of the Chinese and the Japanese. It was a great dis-service to the book itself.

Michener, through excellent, visual and spellbinding characterisation, allows the reader to feel an intimate knowledge of the history of these beautiful islands.

It surveys the actions of the missionaries, hawaians, chinese and japanese through stories of economy-building, world war two, the position of the Japanese Americans, the awful stigma of leprosy, the fate of the original Hawaian Islanders and the mixing of all these peoples, albeit grudgingly on the part of some. The stories of the Americans , Japanese and the Chinese are fascinating in themselves even before they end up in Hawaii.

I am left with the belief that these people are real and that this is the real story of Hawaii. I am left furthermore with the feeling on having read the book that I know something about Hawaii that those who haven't read the book will never know.....

READ this book, it is fantastic.

My favorite epic novel!, 23 Jun 2008
James Michener has done it again. Although I am a fan of his books in general, this one is the best yet. Don't let the details in the start of the book deter you. It will be well worth the effort to continue into the heart of the story. Set in the American West, it tells the tale of one spot on the Colorado map, following the area from early beginnings to the 1970's. The description of the families' struggles through the "Wild West" segment is particularly fun. Although this work is categorized as fiction, a history buff can identify the essences of each time period to be accurate. Obviously, Mr. Michener is a grand researcher of historical fact. If you want a great summer book, read this one.

Epic -- Here -- Means Epic, 03 Nov 2005
This is an epic story requiring staying power as it long and involved. It covers the history and eventual birth of the town of Centennial and the vast area around that part of Colorado over two hundred years seen through the stories of the Indians, trappers, pioneers, cowboys, farmers, and everyone else who came to and through that state. You get swept along by the pace up to about the Depression and from there tails off a little to the present(1970's). You must read on to the end where explanations are revealed about the past.
I have read this book twice and saw the TV series in the late seventies and I have now just received a 12(all regions)DVD set of the videos (e-bay) and have just started watching thae whole series (about 20hrs) again.

Masterpiece, 03 Aug 2005
Michener's majestic and sweeping history of the American West is brought to life in this epic tale of people and places thrown together by breathtaking endeavor. In Centennial Michener manages spectacularly to weave episodes of modern fictional history from the tumultuous geological events that shaped the area of Colorado millions of years previous. By telling the entire history of the American West, from the geological upheavals that formed the New Rockies, from the dinosaurs and early mammals, from the early native American inhabitants, from the fur trappers and traders, from the cowboys and from the insidious Indian wars, right through to modern man's violent manipulation of the land, Centennial is as much an evocative triumph of a novel as it is an education. The characters will become part of your life as you read about them and their adventures. You will also feel a sad sense of loss at their passing. As you read through Centennial you will gather the pace of nostalgia and the fiction will stay with as if it were fact. As for me, I read this book three times as a teenager and am now reading it again with the same fresh anticipation more than twenty years later. A true blockbuster, a story with soul, from a master storyteller and an amazing book that you shouldn't miss.

Centennial by far a great read, 12 Aug 2004
Its a brilliant book. But answering a question raised by a reviewer last year, the TV series is available on video in the states.

best book i ever read, 29 Nov 2003
loved this book am reading it again. but i would love to see the t v series shown years ago.anyone know if it on video. anyone considering reading this book do so you wont be dissapointed.

The attachment of a people to their homeland, 16 Jun 2008
The Source is definitely a highly entertaining and extremely interesting work, and I never lost interest. It presents the panorama of history of the Holy Land, particularly the Galilee, through the ages

I had to read it a second time to realize what a work of genius it is.



There is so much in this incredibly long book, that does depict the experiences and spirit of the Land of Israel, and the Jewish people, who originated in this remarkable land.

In 'The Voice of Gomer' a Hebrew mother is commanded by G-D to take steps that are difficult for her and her family, but are necessary to save the Israelite Nation.

He introduces throughout the story, various beautiful and strong-spirited Hebrew women, who have kept the flame burning, such as the enchanting Kerith, wife of Jabaal the builder, in 'Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird', the beautiful , compassionate and spirited Jael, daughter of Rabbi Asher in `The Law' , the lovely and gentle Elisheba in 'The Saintly Men of Safed' and the tough and idealistic Sabra,, Illana Hacohen in 'Rebbe Itzic and the Sabra'.

He does illustrate the depth of the attachment of the Jewish people to their homeland, which was never broken, as well as the cycle of persecution, and the attempts by so many different groups throughout history to annihilate the Jews.

All of this is being repeated in the latest struggle today, of the Jewish people to hold onto their rightful homeland and survive, against an evil people, supported by a world in which it is fashionable to hate Israel.
A world, which, is once more, creating a great injustice against the Jewish people.
The young Hellenist Jew, Menelaus, in 'The Gymnasium' who is so determined to cut of all connections with his Judaism, reminds me of the leftwing Jewish intellectuals who find it fashionable to side with the enemies of Israel, by embracing pro-Palestinian left-fascism.

In 'King of the Jews' we learn about King Herod, and observe the portrait of a tyrant and about the cruel persecution of his people, and in 'Yigal and his Three Generals' we see just how fierce is the will of the Jewish people to rule their own land.

Always there are the wonderful sites and sounds of the Land of Israel, and it's wonderful people, especially it's beautiful children:

" `What has happened to our beloved Sephardim?' A man in still another corner shouted, while in the center, a group of women from Morocco sang and beat on drums precisely like the ones which had been used at Makor four thousand years before. The music was wild and imperative and four little girls danced beautifully, throwing their arms in the air and captivating the men, including Cullinane, as Jewish girls had done for generations out of mind" and

" His three sons where married and his principal joy was in playing with his eleven grandchildren, sitting on the steps of the Venus temple as they ran back and forth across the forum."

G-D bless the children of Israel!


Michener speaks about the birth of Judaism and Christianity in the Land of Israel and their place in the world giving insight with gems such as:

" In these centuries when G-D, through the agency of preceptors...was forging a Christian church so that it might fulfil the longing of a hungry world, He was at the same time perfecting his first religion, Judaism, so that it might stand as a permanent norm against which to judge all others. Whenever in the future some new religion strayed too far from the basic precepts of Judaism, G-D could be assured that it was in error; so in the Galilee, His ancient cauldron of faith, He spent as much time upon the old Jews, as He did upon the new Christians."






The discussion between Count Volkmar and a Jewish Rabbi in 'The Fires of Ma Couer ' illustrate how wherever Jews are, they always remember that their only true homeland is Israel, and 'The Saintly Men of Safed' explores the flowering of the spiritual life of Judaism in the town of Safed in northern Israel in the 16th Century, as well as how Safed was a town where Jews came from around Europe, to escape persecution.
Therefore we read in this chapter about the humiliation suffered by Jews in Spain, Germany and Italy during this time.

In 'Twilight of an Empire' we see even in the 19th century how the Arabs conspired with a powerful Empire to deprive the Jews of land in their own homeland, and how a young Jewish traveller from Russia comes across Jews whose ancestors always stayed in Israel throughout the Diaspora.
There was always a significant continuous Jewish presence in that country which was never broken! This book shows the Jewish presence throughout the centuries in the Land of Israel, through the years, through the chapters, including the period between the Roman destruction of the First Temple in 70 CE and the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish State in Israel in 1948.
`The Law' recounts the vigorous Talmudic academies in Tiberius in the fourth century CE .

And then there is 'Rabbi Itzic and the Sabra' which draws on the sacrifices and ideals of the young Jews who fought and died to re-establish the State of Israel.

However, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Arabs living in Israel, those who are today referred to wrongly as 'Palestinians', are descendants of the Canaanites. And in fact all historical facts point to these people as being Arabs originating from Arabia.
So I don't know what he means by referring to the Arab archaeologist, Jemail Tabari, as a 'scion of Ur', and a 'descendant of Jabaal the Hoopoe'.
He never refers to these Arabs as 'Palestinian', simply because when this book was written in 1965, the label ' Palestinian' had not been invented to refer to these people.
Nobody used this term in 1965. It only became fashionable later!

Will keep you out of mischief..., 13 Oct 2007
A huge book covering the stories of many different characters. The book is episodic in nature with a story from each 'era' in the history of the area in which the archeological dig is taking place. A couple of the eras are close together, so you get an overlap of characters, but mostly they are separated by significant periods of time. In each episode, at least one character is, unknowingly, descended from the main hunter/gatherer character in the first episode - these characters always have an instinctive connection with the site. As a story-telling device it is a bit contrived but doesn't detract from the story in general.

The episodes are interspersed with the contemporary on-going story of the archeologists and others associated with the site in modern-day Israel. This means that you are pulled back and forth between historical times and today. I found this helped to break up what would otherwise have been quite a heavy read. The episodic nature also means that you get a beginning/middle/end story in a bite-size chunk which makes putting it down when you need to a lot easier.

I first read the book in the 1980's and was completely absorbed by it. I knew nothing about Jewish culture and only that 'history' which I had learnt during childhood from the Bible and, of course, the more recent events in the 20th Century. The book was an interesting introduction to Jewish culture and made me think about its origins. It was also interesting to see the parallel history of other cultures in the area, particularly Arabic, and very depressing to read of the events that occurred in 1948 when modern Israel was born. You are left feeling that the rift between Israel and the Arab states is a tragedy but almost inevitable given the religious/cultural differences and human nature on both sides. The book also describes, through the stories from each era, how this kind of conflict between different religions and cultures has been happening in the area since prehistoric times and that resolution has often been bloody and violent. Quite thought-provoking.

The book is a little dated now but still a fantastic read. I have read a few other books by Michener and this is by far my favourite.

Thoroughly absorbing, 30 Dec 2006
Really a series of stories using artefacts found on an archaeological dig as a theme and progressing to recent times. They are sentimental without being sloppy and possess an epic quality not found in more recent historical fiction. Though I found the earlier stories more interesting than the later ones I am pleased to have revisited the book in 2006, having first read it in the late 1960's. Michener's depiction of Stone Age life would probably be different if he were writing today - but this is hardly surprising.

fantastic reading, 21 Apr 2006
anyone interested in archeology ,history or just a darn good read ,this book is a must read .It tells the story of a make believe Tell or settlement in Israel ,from the beginning of time to the present day ,starting with the archeologists in the present, starting a dig , and finding artefacts as they go from one level to the next deeper levels ,they discover more relics through the ages and you are then taken back to that particular age in history of the tell and the people who settle there

I could not put it down, 20 Nov 2005
James A Mitchener - The Sourse, an absolutely exhillerating book, although a large volumn, I found it difficult to put it down, and many chores due to be done had to be put asisde.

Starting at an archeological dig in Israel, the artifax found brought back stories from the days of cave dwellers right through the turmoils of the land through bibical times, the crusades, the world wards up to modern Israel.

Very well written and highly recommended.

Iberia, 15 Aug 2008
This is one of the most fascinating and enjoyable books on Spain I have read.Until two years ago I had never been to Spain - excited by the promise of a magical land but apprehensive of the ruin caused by so many Europeans(mainly British)who populate the costas and not apparently (as commonly believed) to the true benefit of the Spaniards.

I have however bought many, many books on Spain to try and discover the soul of the country.This is by far the best, My recent visits(to the Picos de Europa and the province of Salamanca) convince me that thankfully "real"(or imagined!) Spain(ie not the proliferation of North European sunshine extensions) exists still.

Michener brings the country to life in a fascinating way and his mix of descriptions of people he meets and the detail of the places he visits is compelling.This is without doubt an essential read before or during your visit to this magical country.Even though the book is written 4 decades ago you cannot help but feel that you are with Michener as we travel Spain.

Only regrets are the absence of places such as Ciudad Rodrigo,Uruena and Segovia in his book which are all deserving of a visit-.... and I am sure that there are many more which I hope to discover in the coming years.If only I could take Michener with me to capture the real experience!

Buy this and enjoy it!



Michener's best non-fiction, 02 May 1999
"Iberia" is a travel log which Michener compiled over years of trips to Spain. His love and respect for this "castle of old dreams and new realities" are evident in his poetic and informative language. We are also treated to people who, though nonfictional, are characterized as larger-than-life members of a fantastic story. Not having even been to Spain, and despite the book's age (30+) years, I feel I have been there many times and could take anyone on a tour of the nation. Fabulous.

it wonderfully describes the contradictions of Spain, 14 Dec 1998
TWIMC I carried a paperback edition of this book with me in Ecuador and Peru and found it fundamental in understanding the Spanish mind. When I visit Spain it will be with me also but, I won't begin my vist in Malaga!

Superb insights into Spain; long, but worth every minute, 18 Oct 1998
An excellent narrative about Spain and the Spanish people. I've lived in Spain for 4 years and find the insights spot on. Although written over 30 years ago in the heart of the Franco era, it is still a wonderful primer on the country.

A brilliant and detailed description of spain, 18 Jun 1998
This book is long but entertaining. The visualization of the land is accurate. I would recommend it only to people who enjoy long and detailed descriptions. The contrasts of the land and people are astonishing

Captures the Irresistible Essence of Hawaii, 26 May 2004
Aloha! If you have never been to Hawaii, James Michener's Hawaii will entice you into going. If you have been to Hawaii, this book will show you what you missed while you were there.

Hawaii requires that kind of explanation. I remember visiting the orchid garden in Honolulu once. I thought I had seen everything and really enjoyed it after 30 minutes. Then a volunteer gardener introduced himself and asked me if I would like a tour. I naturally agreed, and in the next 2 and a half hours, I saw the garden for the first time. That is what Michener will do for you in this terrific novel about Hawaii.

Like all Michener novels, this one starts back millions of years ago with how the islands were formed and populated. You will get a great geology and history lesson in the process. Normally, you would probably not be interested in either one in a novel, but they are both very valuable to you as a tourist in the islands by adding to your knowledge.

The people in the story are full of passion for religion, acquiring material possessions, power and sex. Although the last is not explicitly described, lust plays a big role in the story. That seems as it should in a tropical paradise where warm weather and scanty clothing combine.

When you visit modern day Hawaii, you will see reminders of the founding families of modern Hawaii all around you. Hawaii will give you a sense of the histories behind the current power and business structure.

The book itself is written in a way that feels like you are sitting at a luau with someone telling you the story through a combination of traditional means (like the hula) and good campfire story-telling. It's almost like a trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center on the northern shore of Oahu.

Seldom do I wish that long novels (and this one is really long) would keep on going, but that was my wish with Hawaii. Even if the fiction were not based loosely on fact, it would have been an exciting and engrossing novel. The fact that the reality is a lot like the novel makes it all the more appealing.

Hawaii will hook you on Hawaii. That's good. We all need more of the magic of the islands in our lives. Leave your misconceptions behind about Hawaii being too far away. It can be right inside of you. Enjoy!

The Island of Dreams, 27 Oct 2002
This vast, sprawling book is an incredible trip through the history of not just the Hawaiian islands but also provides insightful looks at both the history and mind set of each of the various peoples that over time have come to the islands, found them beautiful, and stayed, each adding another layer of richness to the already incredibly fecund soil that makes up Hawaii.

This is not the type of history you remember from your school days, dull and filled with irrelevant dates. It is instead a vibrant group of stories about some very engaging people, from Malama and Teroro of the early Polynesian settlers, to Abner and Jerusha Hale of the harsh, bitter school of Calvinist religion, to Char Nyuk Tsin and her sons and their sons, a great extended family with tentacles that reach across every business and social circle the islands have. Some of these characters are entirely fictitious, some are amalgams of known historical characters, a few are directly modeled on the individuals you can find in the history books, but regardless of their source or historical accuracy, you will find yourself totally engaged by them, fighting their battles, feeling their sorrow, enraged by their foolishness and arrogance, crying with their happiness. And along the way you will find that you have learned a lot about these islands and their history, and will end the book wanting to know more (what has happened there since this book was published in 1959?).

Many people seem to find the opening section on the geological history of the islands somewhat dull, but, in showing how the islands took shape via wave after wave of titanic and destructive eruptions, it provides a perfect counter-point to the later sections dealing with each wave of people as they arrive at the islands. And for those whose impression of this book was formed by seeing the Max von Sydow/Julie Andrews/Richard Harris movie, which was based on only one section of this book, "From the Farm of Bitterness", you will find that the movie is a very pale reflection of what this book has to offer.

If this book has a fault, it is in the constant optimistic outlook that Michener presents, both in terms of history and of people. But is it so bad to look on the bright side of things for a change? I ended this book with tears of joy, and I think you will too.

READ this book!, 25 Aug 2002
On moving into a new apartment a few years ago, I found this book left on a shelf as a welcome present. A note told me it was a "good read" though I was left untempted until I became ill a few months later. I read the whole book in less than two days and many times consequently.

It starts rather slowly with the description of Hawaii emerging as a volcanic entity. I actually enjoyed the first chapter more after I got to the middle of the book and read Chapter 1 again to refresh myself of the history that this island was built on.

The tale starts with the lives of those first pacific islanders and the worship of gods, idols and the volcanoes. The stories of this time are as fascinating and inextricably linked to the future stories of immigrants and struggle for identity that are found in the latter parts of the books.

I remember when I was a kid, seeing a film version of the missionary part of the story starring Julie Andrews and Richard Harris. However, being "Hollywood" it missed the even more fascinating second half of the book and the stories of the Chinese and the Japanese. It was a great dis-service to the book itself.

Michener, through excellent, visual and spellbinding characterisation, allows the reader to feel an intimate knowledge of the history of these beautiful islands.

It surveys the actions of the missionaries, hawaians, chinese and japanese through stories of economy-building, world war two, the position of the Japanese Americans, the awful stigma of leprosy, the fate of the original Hawaian Islanders and the mixing of all these peoples, albeit grudgingly on the part of some. The stories of the Americans , Japanese and the Chinese are fascinating in themselves even before they end up in Hawaii.

I am left with the belief that these people are real and that this is the real story of Hawaii. I am left furthermore with the feeling on having read the book that I know something about Hawaii that those who haven't read the book will never know.....

READ this book, it is fantastic.

My favorite epic novel!, 23 Jun 2008
James Michener has done it again. Although I am a fan of his books in general, this one is the best yet. Don't let the details in the start of the book deter you. It will be well worth the effort to continue into the heart of the story. Set in the American West, it tells the tale of one spot on the Colorado map, following the area from early beginnings to the 1970's. The description of the families' struggles through the "Wild West" segment is particularly fun. Although this work is categorized as fiction, a history buff can identify the essences of each time period to be accurate. Obviously, Mr. Michener is a grand researcher of historical fact. If you want a great summer book, read this one.

Epic -- Here -- Means Epic, 03 Nov 2005
This is an epic story requiring staying power as it long and involved. It covers the history and eventual birth of the town of Centennial and the vast area around that part of Colorado over two hundred years seen through the stories of the Indians, trappers, pioneers, cowboys, farmers, and everyone else who came to and through that state. You get swept along by the pace up to about the Depression and from there tails off a little to the present(1970's). You must read on to the end where explanations are revealed about the past.
I have read this book twice and saw the TV series in the late seventies and I have now just received a 12(all regions)DVD set of the videos (e-bay) and have just started watching thae whole series (about 20hrs) again.

Masterpiece, 03 Aug 2005
Michener's majestic and sweeping history of the American West is brought to life in this epic tale of people and places thrown together by breathtaking endeavor. In Centennial Michener manages spectacularly to weave episodes of modern fictional history from the tumultuous geological events that shaped the area of Colorado millions of years previous. By telling the entire history of the American West, from the geological upheavals that formed the New Rockies, from the dinosaurs and early mammals, from the early native American inhabitants, from the fur trappers and traders, from the cowboys and from the insidious Indian wars, right through to modern man's violent manipulation of the land, Centennial is as much an evocative triumph of a novel as it is an education. The characters will become part of your life as you read about them and their adventures. You will also feel a sad sense of loss at their passing. As you read through Centennial you will gather the pace of nostalgia and the fiction will stay with as if it were fact. As for me, I read this book three times as a teenager and am now reading it again with the same fresh anticipation more than twenty years later. A true blockbuster, a story with soul, from a master storyteller and an amazing book that you shouldn't miss.

Centennial by far a great read, 12 Aug 2004
Its a brilliant book. But answering a question raised by a reviewer last year, the TV series is available on video in the states.

best book i ever read, 29 Nov 2003
loved this book am reading it again. but i would love to see the t v series shown years ago.anyone know if it on video. anyone considering reading this book do so you wont be dissapointed.

from a Micheneraholic, 02 Apr 2008
I first visited Alaska on holiday 17yrs ago and bought the book when I got home.I am a Michener addict and have been for forty[ugh,forty,I was avery young teenager when I bought The Source which started my addiction]years so I knew I was in for a treat.My son had just started yr2 in his Infant school and so I was a school run mum. My addiction to this book meant that I would roll up to school a good hour before before school ended just so I could settle down, on my own, and greedily read this fabulous book.I love all the books Michener wrote as 'faction' is my favourite style of literature.I love reading and can speed read lightweight novels in a couple of hours and enjoy them in a light superficial beach/holiday kind of way. This book took me weeks and I felt totally bereft after finishing it.It was as if a very good friend had emmigrated,sad I know,but such was the thrall the story held me in.Just try putting it down and leaving it. An impossibility.You have to finish it and then you're upset when you do.Catch 22.

Michenerholism - Craving a rich tapestry of history and tales, 05 Sep 2007
First, let me announce my bias: I was born and raised in Alaska.

When I saw this novel on the bookshelves when it first came out, I promised myself I'd read it even tho I had never read anything by Michener. Well, some 20 years later, I finally read it. And -- boy! -- do I wish I hadn't waited so long. It's a long book (close to 1,000 pages) and I was so engrossed that I almost lost sight of the real world for the duration.

Of course, being from Alaska helps. I could orient myself geographically with little trouble. I had the broad outlines of the history already. And the historical names were almost all familiar to me if not the details of their lives.

But what Michener did which I most appreciate about his novel is painlessly impart the details of history by interweaving it so tightly with his colorful fiction that it was hard for me during the reading to separate the two. Yet I'm sure I know what is historical and what isn't. It's a contradiction, I know. And a compliment to this man's storytelling skill.

I let out a satisfied "whew!" when I closed the book a final time and returned to reality. Then I suffered withdrawal symptoms for days, maybe weeks. I found myself gazing wistfully at some of his other large works in the bookstores. Did you know there's no Michenerholics Anonymous? I've just begun reading THE SOURCE. I couldn't help myself.

No wonder Michener described himself as an educator!, 10 Mar 2007
A book of remarkable conception and brilliant execution. Alaska is 915 pages* of Alaskan prehistory and history told through a series of characters, the vast majority fictional, brought to life by Michener. The result is a book that informs as well as entertains, educates as well as enthrals. Living so far North is clearly not for the faint hearted and whether your favourite character is Trofim Zhdanko, Cidaq, Vasili Voronov, Ravenheart, Missy Peckham, Tom Venn, Sam Bigears, LeRoy Flatch, Vladimir Afanasi, Jeb Keeler, Kendra Scott or one of the others so well brought to life in this book, you will have an empathy with the challenges and the conditions. The book is well balanced and compares Russian vision with American disinterest. The research appears thorough but it is the story that keeps the reader engaged. The scope of the book is as large as the territory it describes and if it nothing else makes you want to visit Alaska this book will!
* Although the spec says 640 pages the book I have is 915 pages (ISBN is the same).

The attachment of a people to their homeland, 16 Jun 2008
The Source is definitely a highly entertaining and extremely interesting work, and I never lost interest. It presents the panorama of history of the Holy Land, particularly the Galilee, through the ages

I had to read it a second time to realize what a work of genius it is.



There is so much in this incredibly long book, that does depict the experiences and spirit of the Land of Israel, and the Jewish people, who originated in this remarkable land.

In 'The Voice of Gomer' a Hebrew mother is commanded by G-D to take steps that are difficult for her and her family, but are necessary to save the Israelite Nation.

He introduces throughout the story, various beautiful and strong-spirited Hebrew women, who have kept the flame burning, such as the enchanting Kerith, wife of Jabaal the builder, in 'Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird', the beautiful , compassionate and spirited Jael, daughter of Rabbi Asher in `The Law' , the lovely and gentle Elisheba in 'The Saintly Men of Safed' and the tough and idealistic Sabra,, Illana Hacohen in 'Rebbe Itzic and the Sabra'.

He does illustrate the depth of the attachment of the Jewish people to their homeland, which was never broken, as well as the cycle of persecution, and the attempts by so many different groups throughout history to annihilate the Jews.

All of this is being repeated in the latest struggle today, of the Jewish people to hold onto their rightful homeland and survive, against an evil people, supported by a world in which it is fashionable to hate Israel.
A world, which, is once more, creating a great injustice against the Jewish people.
The young Hellenist Jew, Menelaus, in 'The Gymnasium' who is so determined to cut of all connections with his Judaism, reminds me of the leftwing Jewish intellectuals who find it fashionable to side with the enemies of Israel, by embracing pro-Palestinian left-fascism.

In 'King of the Jews' we learn about King Herod, and observe the portrait of a tyrant and about the cruel persecution of his people, and in 'Yigal and his Three Generals' we see just how fierce is the will of the Jewish people to rule their own land.

Always there are the wonderful sites and sounds of the Land of Israel, and it's wonderful people, especially it's beautiful children:

" `What has happened to our beloved Sephardim?' A man in still another corner shouted, while in the center, a group of women from Morocco sang and beat on drums precisely like the ones which had been used at Makor four thousand years before. The music was wild and imperative and four little girls danced beautifully, throwing their arms in the air and captivating the men, including Cullinane, as Jewish girls had done for generations out of mind" and

" His three sons where married and his principal joy was in playing with his eleven grandchildren, sitting on the steps of the Venus temple as they ran back and forth across the forum."

G-D bless the children of Israel!


Michener speaks about the birth of Judaism and Christianity in the Land of Israel and their place in the world giving insight with gems such as:

" In these centuries when G-D, through the agency of preceptors...was forging a Christian church so that it might fulfil the longing of a hungry world, He was at the same time perfecting his first religion, Judaism, so that it might stand as a permanent norm against which to judge all others. Whenever in the future some new religion strayed too far from the basic precepts of Judaism, G-D could be assured that it was in error; so in the Galilee, His ancient cauldron of faith, He spent as much time upon the old Jews, as He did upon the new Christians."






The discussion between Count Volkmar and a Jewish Rabbi in 'The Fires of Ma Couer ' illustrate how wherever Jews are, they always remember that their only true homeland is Israel, and 'The Saintly Men of Safed' explores the flowering of the spiritual life of Judaism in the town of Safed in northern Israel in the 16th Century, as well as how Safed was a town where Jews came from around Europe, to escape persecution.
Therefore we read in this chapter about the humiliation suffered by Jews in Spain, Germany and Italy during this time.

In 'Twilight of an Empire' we see even in the 19th century how the Arabs conspired with a powerful Empire to deprive the Jews of land in their own homeland, and how a young Jewish traveller from Russia comes across Jews whose ancestors always stayed in Israel throughout the Diaspora.
There was always a significant continuous Jewish presence in that country which was never broken! This book shows the Jewish presence throughout the centuries in the Land of Israel, through the years, through the chapters, including the period between the Roman destruction of the First Temple in 70 CE and the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish State in Israel in 1948.
`The Law' recounts the vigorous Talmudic academies in Tiberius in the fourth century CE .

And then there is 'Rabbi Itzic and the Sabra' which draws on the sacrifices and ideals of the young Jews who fought and died to re-establish the State of Israel.

However, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Arabs living in Israel, those who are today referred to wrongly as 'Palestinians', are descendants of the Canaanites. And in fact all historical facts point to these people as being Arabs originating from Arabia.
So I don't know what he means by referring to the Arab archaeologist, Jemail Tabari, as a 'scion of Ur', and a 'descendant of Jabaal the Hoopoe'.
He never refers to these Arabs as 'Palestinian', simply because when this book was written in 1965, the label ' Palestinian' had not been invented to refer to these people.
Nobody used this term in 1965. It only became fashionable later!

Will keep you out of mischief..., 13 Oct 2007
A huge book covering the stories of many different characters. The book is episodic in nature with a story from each 'era' in the history of the area in which the archeological dig is taking place. A couple of the eras are close together, so you get an overlap of characters, but mostly they are separated by significant periods of time. In each episode, at least one character is, unknowingly, descended from the main hunter/gatherer character in the first episode - these characters always have an instinctive connection with the site. As a story-telling device it is a bit contrived but doesn't detract from the story in general.

The episodes are interspersed with the contemporary on-going story of the archeologists and others associated with the site in modern-day Israel. This means that you are pulled back and forth between historical times and today. I found this helped to break up what would otherwise have been quite a heavy read. The episodic nature also means that you get a beginning/middle/end story in a bite-size chunk which makes putting it down when you need to a lot easier.

I first read the book in the 1980's and was completely absorbed by it. I knew nothing about Jewish culture and only that 'history' which I had learnt during childhood from the Bible and, of course, the more recent events in the 20th Century. The book was an interesting introduction to Jewish culture and made me think about its origins. It was also interesting to see the parallel history of other cultures in the area, particularly Arabic, and very depressing to read of the events that occurred in 1948 when modern Israel was born. You are left feeling that the rift between Israel and the Arab states is a tragedy but almost inevitable given the religious/cultural differences and human nature on both sides. The book also describes, through the stories from each era, how this kind of conflict between different religions and cultures has been happening in the area since prehistoric times and that resolution has often been bloody and violent. Quite thought-provoking.

The book is a little dated now but still a fantastic read. I have read a few other books by Michener and this is by far my favourite.

Thoroughly absorbing, 30 Dec 2006
Really a series of stories using artefacts found on an archaeological dig as a theme and progressing to recent times. They are sentimental without being sloppy and possess an epic quality not found in more recent historical fiction. Though I found the earlier stories more interesting than the later ones I am pleased to have revisited the book in 2006, having first read it in the late 1960's. Michener's depiction of Stone Age life would probably be different if he were writing today - but this is hardly surprising.

fantastic reading, 21 Apr 2006
anyone interested in archeology ,history or just a darn good read ,this book is a must read .It tells the story of a make believe Tell or settlement in Israel ,from the beginning of time to the present day ,starting with the archeologists in the present, starting a dig , and finding artefacts as they go from one level to the next deeper levels ,they discover more relics through the ages and you are then taken back to that particular age in history of the tell and the people who settle there

I could not put it down, 20 Nov 2005
James A Mitchener - The Sourse, an absolutely exhillerating book, although a large volumn, I found it difficult to put it down, and many chores due to be done had to be put asisde.

Starting at an archeological dig in Israel, the artifax found brought back stories from the days of cave dwellers right through the turmoils of the land through bibical times, the crusades, the world wards up to modern Israel.