The Novel

by James A. Michener

In this riveting novel, James A. Michener, America's preeminent bestselling author, plunges us into the exciting world he knows so well: the world of books. Here is the fascinating story of a writer, editor, critic, and reader locked in a desperate scenario of life, death, love and truth.

Lukas Yoder, a novelist who has had a long, successful career, has written what he believes to be his final book - until tragedy strikes his community and he becomes obsessed with writing about it.... Yoder's editor must fight to preserve her integrity - and her author - as her firm becomes the target of a corporate takeover.... A critic who teaches literature near Yoder's hometown struggles with his feelings about Yoder's success, and his own ambitions.... And finally, a devoted reader helps Yoder solve the mystery that is destroying their community.

~from the back cover

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Books About Books, Novels, Writing, Historical, Literature

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 30, 1991

About the author

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 paintings and a room containing Michener's own typewriter, books, and various memorabilia.

Michener's entry in Who's Who in America says he was born on Feb. 3, 1907. But he said in his 1992 memoirs that the circumstances of his birth remained cloudy and he did not know just when he was born or who his parents were.

Reviews

[Lisa Reads & Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE NOVEL has 4 parts: The Writer, The Editor, The Critic, and The Reader. Loosely, it follows the development of what may be the final novel of an esteemed and popular writer who rose through a traditional publishing career.

In the first 2 sections, we follow a novel from a professional, workhorse of a writer, to the hands of the writer's long-time editor. These sections were interesting to me, for Michener addresses issues of the publishing industry such as conglomerate takeovers to the care/feeding of authors.

My interest grew more keen in The Critic section as Michener explored literary issues, such as whether the success of a novel is the readership, or whether writers should strive for "exalted discourse."

Michener wrote over 40 books. I've read a few of them and always appreciated the research behind his stories. THE NOVEL wasn't his last work, but it gained by the maturity of Michener's life and experience. I had the sense he put much of himself into the characters. The setting and careers appear to be modeled on his own life. On a general note, while the characters and scenes are well fleshed, I felt less wowed by the writing and Michener's choice of inserting a mystery at the end. Looking at the novel solely as a non-writing reader, I would probably lack some affection for the novel as a whole--unless I loved reading about the Pennsylvania Dutch. Then, just the description of the food might have wooed me enough. I find myself meandering in this review. Must be an influence of Michener....

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Somewhere around the page 200 mark, The Novel goes from being mildly entertaining to being downright unpalatable. I'd like to think it's because booger-brained critic Striebert was introduced, but even after skipping through his section, which consisted of Michener masturbating over literature, I still wanted to hurl the book across the room. The only character I found interesting or had any sympathy for at all was the Mennonite oaf, Applebutter. I was hoping Michener would write a spin-off series of books about him, where Applebutter whines, eats some scrapple, knocks down Amish barns with his hammy fists, and then drives around in a van solving mysteries. But alas, Michener is dead, and all we're left with character-wise is a frigid Amish wife, a masochistic editor (and not in the fun way), and a snot-nosed critic who thinks he's better than everyone else. Hell, I got the feeling that this entire book thought it was better than me, and that's when I finally stopped reading.

[C.L. Hoang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quite a departure from the "standard" Michener novel: it's contemporary instead of historical, and it has an autobiographical feel to it rather than being the usual sweeping epic Michener was famous for. It presents a road map of the birth of a book from concept to manuscript to final product, as seen from the perspectives of all the people involved: the writer, the editor, the critic, the reader. Since I'm a writer myself, "The Novel" definitely grabs my interest and holds it because many details the author shared about his publishing experience are still as relevant today as they were back in the 1980's.

[Apryl Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything written by an artist. Most everything has been ‘classic’, in other words, outdated bestsellers. In contrast, this was a book by a very hardworking and gifted author.
It was fascinating to read the points-of-view of four different, but interrelated characters. Different in occupation, socio-economic cultural upbringing, experience; but the same in regards to setting and a relationship with a particular author. To go deeper into the author’s purpose is to see Michener, himself, appear beneath the surface of all the characters.
He also reveals ‘his’ criteria of the great novel; honesty of purpose, simplicity of statement, artistry in portrayal and a mysterious, indefinable ‘sense of what the novel should ideally be: entertaining.
Well, this was entertaining. It made me feel intellectual and in touch with those people who search to gain wisdom. How does one find such a group?
No suspense in the mystery category. I knew all along who did it. Was there any way to avoid the finger-pointing that was established as soon as we met Applebutter? Is he a universal character? Does my connection with such similar people make him a more distinct character than someone from a different area of country would perceive him?
Are we to understand a similarity between working class Fenstermacher and wealthy Tull? Both were rebellious, but the family coffers allowed Tull to attend the schools that would help to redirect his aggression.
How well does Michener know the area? How well do I know York?
What a powerful book to provoke such thoughts. It’s not often that I want to question an author about so many aspects of his work.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often go for Michener novels because who has that kind of time? But "The Novel" is a great page-turner of a read. Written in four parts (a la The Sound and the Fury), this inside look at the world of publishing, wrapped around a murder mystery, delivers a lot in only 435 pages.

Of particular interest was the section written by "the critic". His chart of 'The Doomed House of Atreus' and his comments about Erich Auerbach are pretty much spot on and have spurred me on to deepening my reading in those areas.

Highly recommended.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is an excellent books for readers who are passionate about books and reading, who want to understand the dynamics that go along in relationships between writers, editors, critics, agents, and readers, in the book-publishing world. It's also an amazing book for aspiring writers, again to understand what I have mentioned above, and also to know how s/he can deal with within the publishing industry.

Michener in this book extends his lovely writing style to a story in a small town community that comprises of a writer and a reader along with a few others, connected to an external editor and a critic, who eventually are observed to become the part of that small town. The book is written in four parts from each of their point of views, running through nearly four decades in the second half of the twentieth century. The last sixty pages even comprises of an event that came totally as a surprise, making the book even more interesting.

I would certainly praise some of the quotes and events in the book (especially nearing the ending). They were very inspiring, and I could feel them sort of bringing out the writer that has been lying dormant within yours truly.

I must say this is not a book for everyone though. For me it was surprising that I enjoyed and liked the book so much. Had picked up simply because I love reading Michener.
Great recommended reading for readers/writers/Michener buffs. :)

[J.J. Garza · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Michener era el autor favorito de mi abuelito. Sentía gran pasión por todos sus libros (aunque explícitamente más por Centennial y Chesapeake) y todavía el año pasado le regalé Tales of the South Pacific. Puede que ése haya sido el último libro que haya leído en su vida. En mi caso, nunca había leído nada del autor, tal vez por considerarlo pasado de moda o porque me diera flojera agarrar una de las novelas conocidas por su masivo info-dump en cientos de páginas. Pero habiéndola leído, entendí dos cosas: por qué a Michener se le consideraba un autor de schlock o literatura desechable y por qué vendía como pan caliente.

The Novel es distinta a los ofrecimientos usuales del autor. En lugar de enfocarse con láser en una región y contar su historia desde los trilobites hasta el presente, se trata más bien de la exploración de cómo se hace una novela desde varios puntos de vista. No cualquier novela, claro, sino una novela que ligeramente parece del tipo de las que Michener solía escribir. De forma tangencial, también se aborda la escritura o el intento de escritura de otros tipos de novela a través de una serie de personajes centrales. El autor, su editora, un crítico y una lectora. Todo ambientado en tierras menonitas.

De lo más interesante es el abordaje de la industria editorial en ese momento, principios de los 90, con lo que se notan un poco las preocupaciones de la época: la temida pérdida de poder de los corporativos estadounidenses hacia Japón y la reunificada Alemania (tema que narró Crichton de forma bastante histérica en Disclosure o Acoso Sexual) y también el pico de la epidemia del SIDA. El trabajo de la editora, que creo que es el mejor personaje, es el que parece unir los cabos.

De estilo sencillo, creo que el principal problema es que Michener intentó hacer varias cosas, y en algunas de ellas no se llega a dilucidar qué pretendía. La parte del crítico explícitamente contiene una meditación sobre el mérito literario, la técnica de las novelas y el papel del escritor. Michener parece dejar sus conclusiones al lector, pero da la impresión de que él mismo no intenta en ningún momento seguir los principios que exponen sus personajes. Lo peorcito de la novela es la inclusión de una subtrama de misterio en el último 20% del libro que se siente apresurada, fuera de lugar, introducida a la fuerza y destinada a mover el final a un rumbo al final intrascendente.

En conclusión me pareció que Michener era un autor culto y pensativo, amigable con el lector y dispuesto a compartir información. A lo mejor demasiada, a lo mejor no muy definitiva, a lo mejor de forma no muy técnica. Y eso sí, algo pasada de moda.

[Lynn G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

My history with James Michener has been hit or miss. Some of his other books seemed overly long, filled with too much description, shallow characters, or even shallower storylines. From some I gleaned knowledge of people, places, and things that I had known little of previously. However, The Novel struck a chord. Perhaps because I lived in Pennsylvania briefly I felt connected to the characters and setting or maybe The Novel was the right book at the right time. Whatever the reason, I enjoyed this book. I was reluctant to put it down and eager to resume reading it again when each opportunity presented itself. I was able to imagine the characters clearly. Michener provided a backstory for the characters that fleshed them out and made them three-dimensional. I could envision the lovely backdrop of the Pennsylvania Dutch country, from the rolling hills to the derelict farms.

But there is more to the story than the Pennsylvania Dutch and their agrarian surroundings. The reader is immersed in the inner workings of a major publishing house, how book editors ply their trade, conflicts among authors, and how the established order of things often must make way for a new view point, a different approach.

The weakest portion of the story is the murder, at the end of the book, of one of the main characters by a minor character. It seems poorly thought out by Michener and just quickly slapped together. While greed is the motivation for the act, there is little to suggest a connection between the murderer and the victim other than proximity and the knowledge that the victim is wealthy. Does the murderer expect that the victim keeps banded bundles of cash scattered about his home, there for the taking? Very strange.

[Pamela Trawick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debated about rating it higher. Good coverage of books, publishing, and who decides what's a good book. Why should "they" get to decide what everyone else should think is good? That always bugged me as an English major. This book makes you think it through for yourself and decide your criteria and whether or not you're going to be bullied into conforming.

[Tpmac21 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't appreciate this book until reaching the critics section. This is where Michener's genius in characterization comes through as we see him legitimately address problems that his own critics have heaped upon his work. (Namely that he is long winded and overly descriptive).

Michener does not use the critic character to take his revenge, but instead critiques his own writing style very adroitly. I believe that this stands as a work of an aging author to place his past body of work in its proper place in the literary world and also to show that he is capable of writing in a style much more contemporary and socially responsible than some of the historical epics.

A marvelous book but certainly a true departure from Michener's usual style. A must read for true Michener fans. We achieve a rare view into the thought processes of one of America's great artists.

[Cojaysea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't imagine anyone who loves to read , who is interested or wished they could have been a writer and wants to know what the process of writing takes from its first thought right through to its publishing not liking this book. i was a huge fan of Michener back in the 70,s and starting with THE DRIFTERS ( one of my all time favorite novels) i read probably 8 of his books. i haven't read anything by him for years and decided to read one of his later works, this book being the last one he wrote before he died..this novel is so insightful told in four parts by four different people who all have something to do with reading or writing or publishing. the people are real and the work is very clever with a few twists and a surprise added to the mix..trust me if you love to read and if you ever thought you wanted to be a writer then read the novel

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely treatise on the power and importance of authors and readers, as well as an intimate, behind the scenes look into what goes into writing and publishing a novel. I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would, sucked into the inside baseball and constantly thinking about the meaning, necessity, and purpose of literature.

[Acj · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a lot of story in these 400+ pages, and although I am supportive of using different storytellers throughout one book there was just way too much detail for me. I found the blurb on the dust jacket deceiving as it suggests a brutal crime links the four narrators, which is true but does not occur until nearly the end of the book. Although I liked aspects of Michener's writing style, this book felt never-ending, and I will not pursue his other works.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about books...about books (sometimes). Lets just say it helps to like books when reading this heady story about writers, publishers, critics and Pennsylvania dutch country. The story was really somewhat a deep portrayal of a three people that end up interacting over many years in personal and professional ways, but nicely touches on "finding your place" in many ways, love and loss, professional growth and envy and also goes deep on description of the area around Kutztown college, which I had visited a number of times as a kid so had a little history with some of the descriptons.

The mystery/crime that closed out the novel seemed like it was put in to "spice" things up and I thought really wasn't needed and kinda changed the tenor for the worse, but not a way that ruined everything.

Michener is known for his more "vast" type novels that describe fantastic places through his stories, so his focus here on a small area and a tight industry was a change, and he handled it really well. It's not a light read but definitely an intriguing one for anyone that's ever had any interest in how books go from ideas to best seller lists, and how the people involved with that live and work.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is his best novel by far! He does a great study and description of each viewpoint in the literary world: novelist, publisher, critic, reader. And he saves the best for last. I'll buy this one and use it as reference for "The Great Books" of modern history as he casts their seeded names across each section. This fit well with the Hemingway reading I was doing because of the Critic's connection to Ira Pound, the 1930s poet-mentor of so many famous artists. He is important because he committed acts against the US while abroad that were literary and therefore not punishable by imprisonment. However, the US managed to commit him to St. Elizabeth's asylum for many long years. This novel is as much a story of how art is successfully launched as it is about writing. And by success I/Michner do not mean number sold or money earned. The average successful novelist who sees his book in print earns 1500 in royalties....

[Doris Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "The Novel" and I learned how the author described the writing, the editing, the criticism, and the reading viewpoints. It was a good over-all description of publishing a book from beginning to end.

I think any writer or would-be author would enjoy it for the descriptions of the stages of writing a book.

I think anyone would enjoy it just for the pleasure of following the story. I always like James Michener's stories and I appreciate his research and detail which I always find truthful and accurate.

[Lynne Spreen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally, I would love a Michener novel, but this was self-indulgent and boring. "Yoder" reflected the mindset of an elite author whose world revolved around him, and who expected same. The more current reality is that of a writer working with much less support, let alone adulation. I respect what Michener did (I loved Centennial) but I stopped reading at about the 25% mark.

[Cathy Lipscomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although fiction, an interesting look into book publishing through the eyes of the author, editor, critic, and reader. It also delves into the deeper role of writing and literature in society. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

[Leslie Wilkins]

One of the books Cheryl Strayed deemed important enough to carry on the PCT.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting insights into the publishing industry but I couldn't get past the first 200 pages. The narrative got so boring I had to give up.

[Kevidently · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently I’m a Michener fan now. Who would’ve thought?

Here’s the thing: I probably won’t read every Michener novel. I picked Hawai’i because I love Hawai’i, and I was fascinated at the idea of a book starting millennia ago and bringing it up to the present. Or the present as it was when the book was written, in the 1950s.

Of course this one caught me because it was about books, and I’m a sucker for books about books. And I was intrigued at the conceit: tracking the course of a novel through four different points of view: the writer, the editor, the critic, and the reader. I’d assumed some sort of Roshomon deal, where we’d see a novel being written and read, all sort of concurrently.

That’s not how it went. And that was good.

The first big surprise is that it was set in Pennsylvania Dutch country, amongst the Amish and the Mennonites. The second is that Lucas Yoder, the author, also writes novels set in this region, and that after four misses, Yoder had become a runaway bestseller. God I love books like this!

The first conceit is that the new book is too staid for his readers, but Michener doesn’t like staying on one conceit. We then get to the editor’s story, which is really the editor’s backstory, and I LOVED her backstory. Then of course the critic’s tale, which is a gay love story set in the 80s, and you know what that means. By the time we get to the reader’s story, there are some new young writers and a murder and character named Applebutter and it all hangs together. Mostly. I’m still not sure exactly how Yoder’s new novel ultimately fared.

But maybe that’s not the point. The characters and how they find each other, and what community they make - that’s the point. And the idea that when writers are writing, it’s not only what they do but who they are. I was thrilled to find a novelist like Michener talking about books and writing and reading. I want all my favorite writers to do a book like this.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book for its history of the Amish/Mennonite area of PA and the insight into how books are published. I had a little trouble getting into it at first, as there was so much pedantic material, but once I got to the chapter relating to the editor, I found it more interesting. The book is divided into 4 sections--first, from the perspective of the writer, Lukas Yoder and his wife, Emma; the second part revolved around Yvonne M., Mr. Yoder's editor and how she came to be an editor and also concerning her relationship with a man who wanted to become a writer; the third section was about the critic, Karl Seibert, who seemed to think he was superior to everyone else, yet he couldn't relate to the more "common" people, although he did help some of the young writers in his classes, and you watched his evolution from a pompous, somewhat whiny man to a less self-absorbed man; the final section concerned the reader, with the character of a benefactress of the area college and her grandson and another young writer. I liked the character of the reader best. There is a twist at the end, and my book club discussed whether or not this situation really needed to be included in the book.

[Judy]

Is it possible to give zero stars? Because this book totally deserves ZERO stars. When will I learn that James A. Michener couldn't write his way out of a paper bag? THIS BOOK SUCKS!

I gave up about halfway through; originally thinking that at least I wanted to find out what happened, but by halfway through, I realized that nothing was going to happen, and furthermore, i didn't give a damn what might happen.

Pretty much no plot, no character development, no through-line, nothing. And the irony is that this book is about a novel and the people who are involved in producing it.

Friends, take heed: Do. Not. Waste. Your. Time.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 first two-thirds
4.0 last third

This is not Michener's typical saga, but in the end, I was left with the same 'sense of loss' that I've always felt when reading one of his books. After getting to know the people and becoming familiar with the setting, I miss being able to pick up the book and find out what's happening with the characters.

There should have been an Author's Note explaining how this reflects Michener's own writing experiences and his own beliefs about great novels. (Much of the story reflects on the question: What makes a book 'great'? Should it be entertaining or informative?) I thoroughly enjoyed the insight into an academic view of novels. Not being a literature major, much of this was new to me. (And, here I was introduced to Ezra Pound.)

[Anita Ashland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book not long after it was published in 1991 and loved it. I reread it again to see how it held up after all those years and fortunately it has. There are four sections each told from the point of view of the author, editor, critic, and reader. You get an inside look at the publishing world with plenty of literary discussions.

[Moonkiszt]

Am surprised I'm doing this, but life is short, and Michener is long - the two are directly related.

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel about a novel. What makes a best-seller? That sounded interesting, although I did not expect very much. Isn’t Michener one of these best-seller writers who is without artistic value? I was a bit prejudiced.

There are four parts in the book. All written in the first person singular by the author of the novel, by its editor, by a critic, and finally by a reader. The first part was the weakest, interesting because our writer, Lukas Yoder, is a "Dutch" man from Pennsylvania. But there is no drive, nothing in the plot that makes you want to go on. 3/10

The next part was much better. The editor is a Jewish girl who gains a position in the publishing world against all odds. Unfortunately, there is also a ridiculously bad love story (and that means ridiculously badly written). 5/10

Next, the critic tells his story. And suddenly this feels like a real book. You actually want to know why he will become the enemy of our writer. He is a brilliant man. And at the same time, not a really nice man. Why everybody likes him, I did not get. The story of how he discovers his homosexuality was somewhat predictable but really not bad. The hatred originates with a discussion on Longfellow. That is actually quite funny. One can feel that Micherner wanted to write for high-brow critics here. And maybe he is overdoing it. But I liked it. 8/10

The reader is a rich widow whose brilliant grandson, a student of our critic is a fan of Ezra Pound. How is your position towards Pound? This is the lacmus test that establishes whether you are a progressive or a reactionary. Yoder reminds the audience (to a large part Jews) that they would not be alive had Pound had his way. But that does not convince many people. The power of art!
Grandson gets murdered. That I found totally unnecessary. But maybe Michener wanted to have just another twist. 6/10

[Madelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book in high school, when it was assigned to me in my senior year English class. In the decade since then, I've read some worse books, but not many. The Novel is split into four parts, with four viewpoint characters: "The Writer," "The Editor," "The Critic," and "The Reader." Of these four, the editor is by far the most interesting and realistic; she's also deeply underserved by her own narrative, which is essentially the story of her constantly giving herself over to terrible men, and eventually learning that she should instead give herself over to a better man. (Who is gay! In the culminating scene of the editor's arc, she is advised to wait for a gay man to realize that he loves her!) The topics at hand are poorly researched (Michener seems to have only a vague idea of how HIV/AIDS works, for instance); the dialogue is clunky and at times preposterous; and the fourth and final part of the book takes a sudden swerve into a poorly written mystery story. (The fourth part also commits one of my biggest literary pet peeves: It's written in the style of a character's diary, but it routinely breaks from what is even remotely feasible for that format, using language that doesn't feel nearly immediate enough for a diary. If you're going to switch to a diary format for no reason at the end of your novel, at least use the format!)

My suggestion, if you're interested in the topics and themes of The Novel, is that you read Andrew Clements' middle-grade novel The School Story, which covers the same themes with ten times the skill and 1/1000 of the pretension.

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read many Michener novels and I enjoy them, but he always has the tone of a strict maiden aunt who insists that one sits up straight and eats all of one's vegetables, but does not think it too unseemly if you decide to have a couple of jiggers of whiskey following the meal. This one is much the same.

Unusual for Michener, he pulls off writing in several voices, assuming the supposed reactions of four characters: The Writer, The Editor, The Critic and the Reader. The Reader section is the only failure, in my opinion, in that it sounds more like Michener himself and not a rich old family lady who supports the Arts.

Despite being dated because it was about the business of publishing in 1991, it is informative and expert, and clearly Michener was on the inside of the business. For that, it is worth the reading. But I found the plot a bit thin, and with the exception of The Critic, the characters were stereotypical (which doesn't mean necessarily inaccurate). The Critic is also stereotypical, but he actually grows up and into a more self aware adult with regrets and lessons learned in the progress of the book.

This is really a very good three and a half star book, but, hey, Michener is truly a classy writer, so what the hell.

[Bambi · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's interesting that James Michener spends a great deal of time in this book talking about what makes a great novel and what the role of a writer should be, but overall, this book falls flat. Perhaps I'm not one of the elite that he describes in the book, who are his true audience.

I think some of the characters in this book are really well-developed and interesting, but others are either over the top or just not fully formed.

Being familiar with the area in which the book takes place, I imagine that I would be a huge fan of the "Grenzler Octet" and its author, Lukas Yoder.

The last section of this book, entitled "The Reader," ruined the story for me. I felt like it was rushed, characters lost their way, and Michener floundered to make a point that never fully developed. It reminded me that I read books for entertainment, or for knowledge, but I'm disappointed when I find neither at the end of 440+ pages.