First published in 1963, James A. Michener’s gripping chronicle of the social and political landscape of Afghanistan is more relevant now than ever. Combining fact with riveting adventure and intrigue, Michener follows a military man tasked, in the years after World War II, with a dangerous assignment: finding and returning a young American woman living in Afghanistan to her distraught family … after she suddenly and mysteriously disappears. A timeless tale of love and emotional drama set against the backdrop of one of the most important countries in the world today, Caravans captures the tension of the postwar period, the sweep of Afghanistan’s remarkable history, and the inescapable allure of the past.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener’s Hawaii.
Praise for Caravans
“Brilliant . . . an extraordinary novel . . . The old nomadic trails across the mountains spring into existence.”—The New York Times
“Romantic and adventurous . . . [Michener] has a wonderful empathy for the wild and free and an understanding of the reasons behind the kind of cruelty that goes with it.”—Newsday
“Michener has done for Afghanistan what . . . his first [book] did for the South Pacific.”—The New York Herald Tribune
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Having lived in Middle East when very young I found it took me back once again to the fascination & cruelty of the environment. Wonderful reading.
I love anything by Michener. Learned a lot about Afghanistan.
tremendous view of Afghanistan and its hopes and dreams prior to WWII
James Michener put together a fascinating read. I learned a lot about the time period.
Although I read this years ago, it’s seems informative in my daily life as I follow current affairs. Invaluable reading.
The protagonist is a young American assigned to the tiny Afghan embassy. The book follow his assigned search for a missing American woman who married an Afghani. Exciting adventures in the desert, rivalries between chieftains, a riotously funny polo game featuring the headless body of a goat and lots more. Michener at his best! Loved it!
Only Michener could have painted a canvass of Afghanistan that brings the culture and the history to life..He is the best.
Great book
After having read many of Muchner’s books and enjoyed them, I found this one disappointing.
In my opinion, anything written by James Michener is a 5 star book!
Mitchner always is so descriptive that I can feel the heat and smell the dust as I traveled the desert with this caravan. Only an unethical person would have blazed the trail Ellen did thru so many peoples lives.
Insightful good description of land and people in enjoyable read
Caravans was very entertaining as well as educational. Many surprises. I loved the book!
I loved reading this book! Michener is a storyteller.
Really enjoyed the information in this novel.
Set in 1946, it shows what we are up against today, and what we waded into in a country that defies all of our western ‘logic’. Timeless.
A great read! Michener paints haunting landscapes with his words and deftly explores the inner worlds of his characters.
wonderful store of history.
Interesting history of Afganistan.
Michener never gets old or boring. I reread his books. This is the second time I have read Caravans and it was one of my favorites. First time was about 30 years ago, highly recommend all Michener books.