Written to commemorate the Bicentennial in 1976, James A. Michener’s magnificent saga of the West is an enthralling celebration of the frontier. Brimming with the glory of America’s past, the story of Colorado—the Centennial State—is manifested through its people: Lame Beaver, the Arapaho chieftain and warrior, and his Comanche and Pawnee enemies; Levi Zendt, fleeing with his child bride from the … bride from the Amish country; the cowboy, Jim Lloyd, who falls in love with a wealthy and cultured Englishwoman, Charlotte Seccombe. In Centennial, trappers, traders, homesteaders, gold seekers, ranchers, and hunters are brought together in the dramatic conflicts that shape the destiny of the legendary West—and the entire country.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener’s Hawaii.
Praise for Centennial
“A hell of a book . . . While he fascinates and engrosses, Michener also educates.”—Los Angeles Times
“An engrossing book . . . imaginative and intricate . . . teeming with people and giving a marvelous sense of the land.”—The Plain Dealer
“Michener is America’s best writer, and he proves it once again in Centennial. . . . If you’re a Michener fan, this book is a must. And if you’re not a Michener fan, Centennial will make you one.”—The Pittsburgh Press
“An absorbing work . . . Michener is a superb storyteller.”—BusinessWeek
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A great way to learn American history; Michener’s style captivates the reader while informing. Much research is done in his many historical writings from around the world. He makes history lessons enjoyable.
This is one of Mitchner’s best books although all are excellent. If you want to know about the true American West in the early days of our country, this book will put you back to the fur-trading days of commerce. If you want to know about an as yet unsettled Colorado, this is the book for you.
I have this on my read again list. I loved all of the Mitchner books. The first one that I read was Hawaii and I was hooked. The prehistoric parts are believable and every page put a picture in my mind that felt alive. I could easily put myself there living with the charecters and the landscape.
Thorough adventure of opening of the west. From pre-humans to today. I have read the book 3 time and I discover something new each reading. Michener has a writing style that puts the reader mentally in every place about what he is writing. I do have a bit of a bias though since I grew up in the West.
Love everything by Michener – this was one of the first books of his that I read and I was mesmerized!!!!
Interesting
One of the best of Michener’s books. I watched the tv series and then read the book. I loved every minute of both.
It’s an epic story, so it’s long, but one of the best stories ever. Michener can make you care about a family of beavers!
This is a very long book based on the founding of Colorado. It is well worth the time. I have read this book twice and plan to read it again. I have also seen the mini-series. No one can tell a tale like Michener and I miss him. This story is entertaining and informative with unforgettable characters.
Besides entertaining, a great insight into the travails of our ancestors as they push to the west.
One of the BEST books I’ve ever read; reader must love history….
Top 25 all time favorite books. Hawaii is my favorite book ever. Love the way Michener writes he brings history to life. Both are must read books.
One of my top ten books ever read. I love Michener’s middle books. In my opinion, that’s when he was genius. Centennial and Chesapeake are his finest examples (IMO). His characters and situations are realistic as well as memorable. Michener’S writing will put you there so you’re personally experiencing the growth of Colorado.
Outstanding read from a true world-class writer.
I read this book about 30 years ago, but remember that I enjoyed it enough to read everything that Mischner wrote.
Very interesting historical novel about Colorado from prehistoric times to the present.
My first James Michener book and I am not sure what took me so long to discover this amazing author!! This book was historically well put together and offered many details of the area of the country that I grew up in and provided me with some history that I was not aware of. Mr. Michener is able to take historical fact and make a very readable …
Michener is..Michener!
Michener gives an historic view of the development of the American west. I love the way he tied the land, the environment and multiple generations into one saga.
Excellent! One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The history is exciting and interesting.