James A. Michener

James A. Michener’s Followers (3,661)

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James A. Michener


Born
in New York, New York, The United States
February 03, 1907

Died
October 16, 1997

Genre

Influences


James Albert Michener is best known for his sweeping multi-generation historical fiction sagas, usually focusing on and titled after a particular geographical region. His first novel, Tales of the South Pacific , which inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Toward the end of his life, he created the Journey Prize, awarded annually for the year's best short story published by an emerging Canadian writer; founded an MFA program now, named the Michener Center for Writers, at the University of Texas at Austin; and made substantial contributions to the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, best known for its permanent collection of Pennsylvania Impressionist pain
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Average rating: 4.15 · 366,273 ratings · 16,823 reviews · 526 distinct worksSimilar authors
Hawaii

by
4.22 avg rating — 82,041 ratings — published 1959 — 153 editions
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The Source

4.30 avg rating — 45,893 ratings — published 1965 — 142 editions
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Centennial

4.26 avg rating — 45,277 ratings — published 1974 — 108 editions
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Chesapeake

4.22 avg rating — 27,563 ratings — published 1978 — 92 editions
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The Covenant

4.22 avg rating — 22,073 ratings — published 1980 — 98 editions
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Texas

4.11 avg rating — 19,594 ratings — published 1985 — 98 editions
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Alaska

by
4.18 avg rating — 17,124 ratings — published 1988 — 82 editions
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Tales of the South Pacific

4.04 avg rating — 16,755 ratings — published 1947 — 94 editions
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Poland

4.06 avg rating — 12,141 ratings — published 1983
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Caravans

4.12 avg rating — 9,531 ratings — published 1963 — 114 editions
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More books by James A. Michener…
Quotes by James A. Michener  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.”
James Michener

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home.”
James A. Michener

“Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.”
James A. Michener

Polls

1st Quarter 2026 Long Reads Poll

No Name by Wilkie Collins, 1862, 748 pages
 
  37 votes, 27.4%

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, 1943, 704 pages
 
  26 votes, 19.3%

Alaska by James A. Michener, 1998, 868 pages
 
  21 votes, 15.6%

Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks, 1998, 758 pages
 
  16 votes, 11.9%

A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, 1992, 613 pages
 
  14 votes, 10.4%

They Were Counted by Miklós Bánffy, 1934, 696 pages
 
  12 votes, 8.9%

On the Niemen by Eliza Orzeszkowa, 1888, 658 pages
 
  9 votes, 6.7%

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