Something we do every month at the Emerson library is recognize an author and display their books. This month we are spotlighting James Michener.
James Albert Michener (February 3, 1907-October 16, 1997) was an American Author of more that 40 titles, the majority of which were sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations and incorporating historical facts within the stories. Michener took upon himself great, meticulous research when writing his novels. Michener was known for his lengthy novels, some of which ran over 1,000 pages and the author stated that he would spend 12 to 15 hours per day for weeks at a time at his typewriter.
His writing started during World War II as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. There, he was a naval historian and turned his notes and impressions into fiction novels. His first, being Tales of the South Pacific, which was produced on Broadway and film musical as South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Money certainly wasn’t something Michener gloated about. He selflessly donated over $100 million of his earnings to libraries, universities, museums, and other charities. He also founded a Master’s in Fine Arts program now named the Michener Center for Writers and upon his death left his entire $10 million estate and copyrights to his works to his Alma mater, Swarthmore College.
(James Michener on “How to Use a Library”)
Books by Michener
The Fires of Spring 1949
Return to Paradise 1950
The Bridges at Toko-ri 1953
Sayonara 1954
Hawaii 1959
Caravans 1963
The Source 1965
The Drifters 1971
Centennial 1974
Chesapeake 1978
The Watermen 1978
The Covenant 1980
Space 1982
Poland 1983
Texas 1985
Legacy 1987
Alaska 1988
Caribbean 1989
Journey 1989
The Novel 1991
South Pacific 1992
Mexico 1992
Recessional 1994
Miracle in Seville 1995
Matecumbe 2007
Talking Books is making things easier for it’s consumers! Digital Books are here! No more searching for the right cassette, flipping, rewinding, etc. The entire book is on one cartridge, making the casing smaller and less hassle with multiple cassettes. Just insert the digital book into the new player and push play. You’ll love the new player! It’s smaller, less hassle, and double the battery life of the cassette player. Search chapter to chapter instead of fast forwarding and switch between books and the machine automatically knows where you stopped with each one. How much better could it get? Call in or stop by if you would like more information or a demonstration on the digital books and player. Remember, disabilities do not have to be permanent to be eligible for this program. For more information on eligibility check out my earlier post or go to http://10.99.129.248/index.php/talking-books/
The people who welcome us to the library are idealists who believe that accurate information leads to good decisions and that exposure to the intellectual riches of civilization leads to a better world. The next Abraham Lincoln could be sitting in their library, teaching himself all he needs to know to save the country. While they help us get online, employed and informed, librarians don’t try to sell us anything. Nor do they turn around and broadcast our problems, send us spam, or keep a record of our interests and needs, because no matter how savvy this profession is at navigating the online world, it clings to that old-fashioned value, privacy. (A profession dedicated to privacy in charge of our public computers? That’s brilliant.) They represent the best civic value out there, an army of resourceful workers that can help us compete in the world.”
—Marilyn Johnson, author of This Book Is Overdue! in “U.S. Public Libraries: We Lose Them at Our Peril,” editorial in Los Angeles Times, July 6, 2010
For more quotes like this visit Amercan Libraries.
