Centennial

by James A. Michener

Book Overview

"Michener is America's best writer, and he proves it once again in CENTENNIAL." THE PITTSBURGH PRESS A stunning panorama of the West, CENTENNIAL is an enthralling celebration of our country, brimming with the glory and the greatness of the American past that only bestselling author James Michener could bring to stunning life. From the Native Americans, the migrating white men and women, the cowboys, and the foreigners, it is a story of trappers, traders,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039447970X
• ISBN13: 9780394479705
• Release Date: July 1974
• Publisher: Random House (NY)
• Length: 909 Pages
• Weight: 2.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.1" x 5.9" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

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Arrived on time Good book

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I bought this for my husband because James Michener is one of his favorite authors. Prompt delivery and excellent seller.

Centennial Is Michener's Epic Novel of the American West

James A. Michener's "Centennial" is arguably his best literary work. Released in 1976, at the bicentennial of our nation's history, Centennial was a the novel blockbuster of the year. Like all of Michener's historical fiction novels, Michener lived in the actual town of Centennial, Colorado, for a year or more to do the extensive research for his story. The story itself is one that spans the ages from the lying down of the bedrock of the earth to the first creatures, to the Native American Arapaho, to the coming of the white settlers, to modern times. Each chapter is a mini-novel in itself dealing with a specific time period. Some of the characters Michener has created will be remembered for the rest of the reader's life. He writes at length on the life of Lame Beaver, the Arapaho chief, a fascinating narrative of how the Native Americans lived and how their society was overcome by the tidal wave of European white immigrants. Then there is R. J. Poteet, the cowboy trailboss who moves a herd of cattle from Texas to Centennial in order to establish the first cattle ranch in that area. Michener writes about the "dry-farming" methods of the white farming settlers such as "Potato Brumbaugh and men like him, who were the first to turn the soil, and how these "sod-busters" conflicted with the open-range ranchers, and their conflict to who would control the water rights of the land. The chapter on the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl years is still vivid in my mind more than 30 years after reading it. Yes, this is a novel of epic proportions, over 1,000 pages in length, that will entrance you with every new chapter. It is a novel that you will not want to put down. It is also so well written that you will want to read it again to experience the lives and stories of the characters that Michener brings to life. Michener's writing style is one that is unique to him. Readers seem to either love his vivid and pprolific prose, or they are overwhelmed by the great attention to detail that is Michener. I happen to be in the group that loves his writing and has read virtually all his novels. If you have never read a novel by Michener, this is the one to read first to see if you like his writing style. Like me, chances are you will become a life-long fan of the man who has become one of my favorite authors. Jim "Konedog" Koenig

A Sprawling Epic of the American West

I've been fortunate enough to read several of James A. Michener's works, and CENTENNIAL is by far my favorite from this gifted author. In fact, I've read this book twice, which is no small task, given its 900-plus pages.CENTENNIAL is about a fictitious town of the same name in Colorado. The town is not nestled in the majestic Rockies, as one might expect, but instead is located out on the vast, open, treeless, windswept plains that run down from the eastern slopes of the mountains. It is here, at the nexus of two radically diverse land masses, that Michener gives the reader a comprehensive history of the area, from the formation of the land and its rivers, to its prehistoric inhabitants, to its early settlers, to its subsequent clash of various cultures. The plains Indians, fur trappers, pioneer settlers, soldiers, ranchers, dry land and irrigation farmers, and the hearty descendents of these diverse groups--all are depicted vividly and weaved into an engrossing story by an author with a keen eye for detail. CENTENNIAL furnishes an impressive assortment of powerful, unforgettable characters: Lame Beaver, an Arapaho chieftan; Pasquinel, a French fur trapper; pioneer Levi Zendt; trail boss R.J. Poteet; ranchers Jim and Charlotte Lloyd; and many more. Through these characters the reader is given an epic tale of the American West, a tale that is beautiful, compelling, profound, and often tragic. CENTENNIAL is higly recommended to any student of the American West, or to any lover of epic literature.

Best historical novel I have ever read.

Many others have reviewed this book, so I will not be redundant. This book is simply the best historical novel I have ever read. I would certainly recommend the TV mini-series, which lasted over 21 hours. I consider it to be the best programming I have ever seen on TV. The producers did a magnificent job of adapting the novel to the screen. The only significant differences between the book and the miniseries is the mode of death of some of the main characters. Some who died rather mundane deaths in the book died dramatic deaths in the miniseries (beware of dancing outside!--those who have seen the miniseries will know what I mean.)A couple of criticisms I have of the book: Michener sometimes engages in historical revisionism in his attempt to dramatize the exploitation and mistreatment of Native Americans. He overcompensates for the former celebrative tone about "Manifest Destiny" found in many histories by portraying the Native Americans as faultless and wise, while whites are often portrayed as hard-drinking fools who have no appreciation for the land. Another criticism would be how Christianity is portrayed. I think Michener is too hard on the role of the church in the settling of the American West. True, some justified the genocide of the Native Americans by writing them off as "pagan savages," but many Christian leaders had a positive impact as well. But a pattern emerges in the book: most leaders and adherents to organized religion (Zendt's Mennonite pastor, the Catholic priest who dialogued with Pasquinel, the Centennial pastor who fell to the wiles of Wendell's wife) are portrayed at worst as self-righteous, vindictive and not having a clue about how to treat the Native Americans, and at best as easily-duped fools. This is certainly an overly simplistic appraisal of the role of Christianity in the West.Despite these weaknesses, I heartily recommend this book or miniseries to all. I purchased the entire miniseries, and I am currently watching it for the third time.

One of the best

Once again I've enjoyed every word of a book by Michener. Centennial offers an excellent portrait of the history and development of the American West. The depiction of the different Indian tribes is superb and very educational. The way all the characters and their situations are portrayed is magnificent. Every time I picked up the book I could picture myself in the 19th century West living and feeling like the characters of this fascinating book do. Of the six or seven novels I've read by Michener, I liked only "Chesapeake" better than this one. Michener is my American hero, and I've learned to love your country thanks to him.