Pick-a-Shelf discussion

To share your readings / reviews / thoughts / etc for James A Michener

Spoil Away...

Miracle in Seville was first book that I read by Michener for this challenge - its one of his short ones (only 108 pages) but it was a complete story. I've always been interested in going to see the running of the Bulls in Spain and this focused on some elements of that. It featured a sports writer sent to Spain to cover the bull-fighting season and in particular the goal of a owner to re-establish his bulls in history, as those of his in the past had. the detail in the book made me feel like I was there, when he was describing the three Matadors and their various methods of fighting, I could close my eyes and visualize what they were actually doing.

woo hoo first book on one of our Author shelves :0)

I finished Creatures of the Kingdom. It was a collection of animal stories, mostly from his longer books. There were stories from Alaska, Centennial, Chesapeake, The Covenant, Hawaii and Texas. I recognized several of the stories. I think my favorite was the last story, "the Colonel and Genghis Khan" about a squirrel who keeps invading the bird feeder in the retired officer's back yard. I don't think that this one was in any of his other books.

Arlene that sounds soooo funny "the Colonel and Genghis Khan" the squirrel, I'm going to have to add this to my reading list. :0)

I finally finished Poland - which is probably one of the thickest books for Michener (my ed has 849 pages!) and it has taken me some time to read it :p

I have to admit that also has to do with the book itself (it doesn't really encourage to really want to pick it up to know what's happening).

What I don't like about the book is that the first chapter sets up a scene in contemporary time (keep in mind book was published 1983) and then for the rest of the book (except for the last chapter), it's basically a 'history' of Poland from the 1st century to now (80s). So, there isn't main characters as such (no one I really get attached to and spur on). The way it's written is that we follow generations of 3 families throughout the centuries. These families are of different positions (magnate, minor gentry / landlord, and peasant) from one particular area. So, it was a really long book on how Poland struggled throughout centuries due to the stubborness of certain people plus not having strong leadership in position of a period of time which may do good and continued dependence on other bigger countries, therefore their current existence is still straining & struggling but unable to reach their ideal 'Poland'.

Most definitely not a good first book to start reading an author from :p but it did fit with a ROAR and it was one of the reason I picked it up. It was interesting in some ways but I think if I really want to read a history of Poland, I will pick up an actual non fiction book on the history of Poland!