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Title: Legacy by James A. Michener ISBN: 0-449-21641-1 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 July, 1988 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.92 (12 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: THE LEGACY... My Point of View
Comment: Legacy, written by James A. Michener, was a good fictional novel based on historical events. Even if the reader is the type of reader that does not enjoy reading historical stories, he will definitely like this one. Michener does a fantastic job of keeping the facts and events in order.
Legacy is a very factual book and an interesting book that will keep the reader on edge. Many people have heard about the gentlemen that signed the Constitution, but this gives Michener's audience a fictional account of things that could have happened at the meetings. The main character Norman Starr portrays the historical figures in this book. He tells his wife all there is to know about the Starr family.
Michener goes in order of the first Starr to serve America, Jared, and ends up telling about what Norman does in his life as a military major. Considering that there are not many facts documented on the Starrs, Michener ties facts and fiction together well.
Michener is an extraordinary writer. He is the kind of writer that uses many descriptive words. He tries to "drag" his readers into history. If Michener did not use as many descriptive phrases, he would not touch his audience in the same way. He pulls the reader into the book even when he is not interested in history. He makes the reader feel as if he is part of the Starr family history. Other writers of history, drag things out and make history dull, but not Michener. He wants people to enjoy his writing. He tries to tell them everything there is to know in one paragraph, though he does not do it in a way that will bore his readers.
When reading this book, Michener's audience will realize what our ancestors have really done and given for our country. People, just everyday citizens, have changed our lives dramatically. If you are ever in the mood to read about out country's history, definitely pick up a novel written by James A. Michener because everything he writes about stays true to the way history was played out.
Rating: 2
Summary: An inferior part of Michener's legacy
Comment: James Michener, a master of the epic historical novel, took a break in more ways than one when he wrote Legacy. For an author with more than his fair share of 1000+ page books, this is little more than a novelette: less than 200 pages of relatively big print (plus a copy of the Constitution and in my edition, a forty page preview of Alaska).
Written in the bicentennial year of the Constitution, Legacy is Michener's weak ode to the venerable document. In the mid-1980s, Major Norman Starr faces a crisis when called to face a Senate committee for his role in the Iran-Contra affair; as he prepares his defense, he reminisces on the roles his ancestors have played in history. This creates a series of banal biographies of fictional characters.
Good historical novels work one of two ways; either telling the story of a real historical figure or telling the tale of a purely fictional character who may meet real people, but whose own historical influence is minor. Michener goes a third, rather flawed way by having his fictional characters creating history.
I'm not sure who Michener was aiming this book towards. His usual fans would be put off by the bad history, complete with anachronistic speech (such as when an 18th century character uses the 19th century word, "millionaire"). As a tribute to the Constitution, it is rather tepid. For younger readers, the narrative is too slow and actionless to sustain interest. In short, this is a book for Michener completists only.
Rating: 4
Summary: You can't lose with Michener
Comment: Legacy is a well-written book that tells the story of a family and their involvement in the making of this country. The whole book is centered on our completely original and truly wonderful constitution, and how it governs our country.
I'll admit this is not Michener at his very best, but don't let that stop you from reading the book. It is well worth it.The description on the insert describes the book as "a powerful story to be read in an evening and remembered for a lifetime."
Most of Michener's books that are more than worth reading and this is one is no exception. As for the ending, I think that it is proper because it stays in tune with the entire novel.
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Title: Journey by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449218473 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Recessional by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449223450 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 30 October, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Mexico by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449221873 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 02 March, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Rascals in Paradise by JAMES A. MICHENER ISBN: 0449214591 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 October, 1987 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Bridge at Andau by James A. Michener ISBN: 0449210502 Publisher: Fawcett Books Pub. Date: 12 September, 1985 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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