This book is an account of michener s memories of spain stretched out over many years and several visits and was originally published in 1968. That said, there is no book about spain that i would more highly recommend than iberia. Although the term iberia includes the entire portuguese and spanish peninsula, this work is confined to the cities and provinces of spain. This book is an account of micheners memories of spain stretched out over many years and several visits and was originally published in 1968. He is wellknown for the amount of research that went into his work in addition to the length of his novels 900 pages was a short novel for him. Hooper surveys all aspects of modern spain, including its transition from dictatorship to democracy, its cultural traditions, and its changing society. Michener s tribute to spain explores how the countrys dark history created a contradictory and passionately beautiful land. Albert michener, born around 1907, won the pulitzer prize for his first fiction, tales of the south pacific. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were lengthy, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history. Its about his travels in spain in the 60s and enjoyable though long. Michener 1995, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Just reread iberia, a james michener classic, after a decade in spain.
From the glories of the prado to the danger and dazzle of the bullfights, master storyteller james a. It is of the few books i could read more than once a wonderful book. Iberia is micheners enduring nonfiction tribute to his cherished second home. Devouring grape, olive, pig at the moment, which is a food writers love letter to spanish cuisine. Michener had numerous bestsellers and works selected for book of the month. Michener, the pulitzer prizewinning author and celebrated citizen of the world, came. It is not fiction, but rather a loving and detailed account of his experiences there, combined with quirky historical details. Michener clearly loved spain and knew many spaniards as friends. In the fresh and vivid prose that is his trademark, he not only reveals the celebrated history of bullfighters and warrior kings, painters. The novel follows six young characters from diverse backgrounds and various countries as their paths meet and they travel together through parts of spain, portugal, morocco and mozambique. Michener was one of the worlds most popular writers, the author of more than forty books of fiction and nonfiction, including the pulitzer prizewinning tales of the south pacific, the bestselling novels the source, hawaii, alaska, chesapeake, centennial, texas, caribbean, and caravans, and the memoir the world is my home. I read it before a trip to spain in 1998, then reread it before a return trip in 2011.
James was born on february 3, 1907 in new york, united states. Iberia iberia vii acknowledgments the balanced view which this book endeavors to maintain regarding the muslim occupation of spain. The book is still in print, and though it must be dated to some extent, i have a gr friend who moved to spain in the last year, and has said he has found it useful to. So begins millennium, or might have done, had james michener. Michener does a fantastic job of describing the art, the history, the architecture, the customs and so on that make spain such a fascinating place. Iberia is very different from micheners historical novels.
Someone mentioned michener to me today and i suddenly remembered i had read the drifters in high school when we did a unit on the 60s. Michener was a prolific and very successful author. Micheners novels were usually massive in scope, and he researched them extensively. Michener, the pulitzer prizewinning master of the historical saga, returns to his beloved spain with this magical novel of seville at easter time, a season of splendid pageantry, thrilling bullfights, deep pietyand the possibility of m. About 2,000 years ago at a village in judaea, one of the smaller of the provinces that made up the mighty roman empire. Micheners iberia, 1968 table of contents for micheners. While iberia is normally taken in the usa, at least to incorporate portugal, michener is writing almost exclusively about spain in this book. He is most famous for writing the multigeneration historical and fictional stories. In the vivid prose that is micheners trademark, readers will find the real spain as he experiences it. Michener magnificently captures the stunning kaleidoscope that is spain. He reveals bullfights and warrior kings, painters and processions, cathedrals and olive orchards. Michener and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In the fresh and vivid prose that is his trademark, he not only reveals the. This book about the intertwining lives of six very different 20somethings who meet in torremolinos, spain really spoke to my 16yearold self and my desire to just sling a bag across my back and set off to see.
Iberia is a travelogue and history of spain that james michener wrote in the 1960s but its still mostly relevant today. Hoopers definitive tome serves as an ideal companion to ghosts of spain. Spain is an immemorial land like no other, one that james a. Iberia spanish travels and reflections by james a michener. February 3, 1907 october 16, 1997 was an american author. The bestselling book was adapted into the popular musical and film, south pacific. The book is a staggering paiella of information culled from history, conversations, literature and micheners stays there for over thirty years. Michener, as he is popularly known as, is a well known novelist, philanthropist and story writer from pennsylvania, united states. Iberia is michener s enduring nonfiction tribute to his cherished second home.
Michener, the pulitzer prizewinning master of the historical saga, returns to his beloved spain with this magical novel of seville at easter time, a season of splendid pageantry, thrilling bullfights, deep pietyand the possibility of miracles. The late pulitzer prizewinning author james michener presents a detailed history of spain from 1968 that takes in everything from the moorish occupation to franco, as well as michener s own very personal take on his adopted homeland. Aug 25, 2015 spain is an immemorial land like no other, one that james a. Aug 01, 2018 hoopers definitive tome serves as an ideal companion to ghosts of spain. In the fresh and vivid prose that is his trademark, he not only reveals the celebrated history. Table of contents for micheners classic book on spain. Michener is a detailed and illustrated exploration of spain as it was during the mid1960s. Jul 03, 20 spain is an immemorial land like no other, one that james a. Michener 19071997 was an american author of historical fiction and nonfiction. Novels such as hawaii 1959 and the source 1965 typically open with the earliest history of an areathe geology, flora, and faunaand ultimately encompass the people who settle and rule there.
Micheners numerous bestselling novels also included the. In the fresh and vivid prose that is his trademark, he not only reveals the celebrated history of. Spanish travels and reflections chronicles the authors travels in spain and his longterm love affair with all things spanish. The late pulitzer prizewinning author james michener presents a detailed history of spain from 1968 that takes in everything from the moorish occupation to franco, as well as micheners own very personal take on his adopted homeland. In the vivid prose that is michener s trademark, readers will find the real spain as he experiences it.
Michener, the pulitzer prizewinning author and celebrated citizen of the world, came to love as his own. Micheners numerous bestselling novels also included the source, centennial, texas, hawaii, and chesapeake. Michener wrote with journalistic skill, aiming to instruct. Spain is a large, diverse country with an interesting history involving a variety of people. The drifters is a novel by pulitzer prizewinning author james a. It turns out that the book is actually about spain almost exclusively, despite being named for the peninsula upon both which spain and portugal are located. Although he was criticized for the abundance of detail and facts in his fiction, his books were extremely popular, offering the reader a carefully and elaborately created. This is what his factladen book of spanish travels accomplishes. He discusses spains history, culture, art, literature, dance, geography, sports, and spirituality. Iberia is very different from michener s historical novels. He sometimes spent years preparing a book, as he did in. Micheners tribute to spain explores how the countrys dark history created a contradictory and passionately beautiful land. Hailed by a number of critics as one of the most comprehensive travel books on spain written. He sometimes spent years preparing a book, as he did in spain for iberia.