In his signature style of grand storytelling, James A. Michener transports us back thousands of years to the Holy Land. Through the discoveries of modern archaeologists excavating the site of Tell Makor, Michener vividly re-creates life in an ancient city and traces the profound history of the Jewish people—from the persecution of the early Hebrews, the rise of Christianity, and the Crusades to … to the founding of Israel and the modern conflict in the Middle East. An epic tale of love, strength, and faith, The Source is a richly written saga that encompasses the history of Western civilization and the great religious and cultural ideas that have shaped our world.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James A. Michener’s Hawaii.
Praise for The Source
“Fascinating . . . stunning . . . [a] wonderful rampage through history . . . Biblical history, as seen through the eyes of a professor who is puzzled, appalled, delighted, enriched and impoverished by the spectacle of a land where all men are archeologists.”—The New York Times
“A sweeping [novel] filled with excitement—pagan ritual, the clash of armies, ancient and modern: the evolving drama of man’s faith.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Magnificent . . . a superlative piece of writing both in scope and technique . . . one of the great books of this generation.”—San Francisco Call Bulletin
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Complex, in depth layered story telling. Michener is smoky unsurpassed, he treats every topic lovingly and in depth. You walk away from this one with a profound appreciation for faith, history and the enduring power of family..
Slow moving. Superfluous writing.
The best of Michener’s books. Remarkable writing and insights. I read this when it first appeared, and it means so much more on this second reading many decades later.
Excellent Michener historical fiction. Claims to be about the rise of monotheistic religion but it is mostly about the rise and development of Judaism. Other religions are prtrayed to the extent that they
Historical fiction. A good read many characters and many eras. One families story weaves through the history of the “tell”
I think I have now read all of Michener’s novels, however it took me 40 years. This is not a book for a weekend at the beach. Weaving a realistic fictional story through centuries of true events requires an exceptional talent, and this author is fully up to the task.
The best of Michener’s book, read it at least 3 times in a span of 30 years, still fascinates to this day!!
One of the best books I’ve ever read
Kind of slow reading considering the length of the book
Great book for lending perspective to world history, especially of the holy land. A must read.
historical and informative
This book introduced me to archeology/anthropology years ago and I have been interested ever since.
Learn a lot of middle east history
The best book I have read in years..it’s historical information and stories are totally relevant to today’s world affairs….what more can I say
James Michener is simply one of the greatest American authors, but The Source is my favorite.
So good I read it twice
Great informative read, just like all of Mitchner’s book
Made for History Lovers and Adventure Fans… Challenges the reader to think about the possibilities of what might have been… Characters are realistic in actual historic events… Mitchner is a master of this kind of Historical Fiction, blending fact with story to perfection….
I read this book many years ago and loved it! Now I have bought it again to read before traveling to Israel. Can’t wait to dig back in to all the generations of characters and events
Have read this book twice over a period of 25 years and will probably read it again. One of the best books I have ever read.