Caribbean

James Michener always gives a vivid picture of his subject. More than the average reader can enjoy. But details are exactly Michener's strength. You don't have to go there, he has taken you there. As a student of history what you used to vaguely know with Michener's help, now you really understand.

This book was Michener at his best. Sure, a few chapters were kind of boring but what else do you expect of an 800 page book. My favorite chapter was the scholar, near the endof the book about the hindu from Trinidad, Ranjit Banarjee. He was a student who went to the University of Miami and desperately tried to stay in the country after he got his phd. He eventually got caught up in a fraudulent marriage scam. The chapter Buccanears, about pirates was also good, and so was the stuff about Sir Francis Drake.

Caribbean is a typical Michener book. He is the best when it comes to tell a story of a place, not of a person. Recently there has been some followers of this kind of books, like Edward Rutherfurd, who is a good author, but not like Michener.Caribbean is a very long book, telling almost a millenium of history of one of the most enchanting places on Earth. Michener is able, through sixteen short stories, to narrate what happened on the various islands and main parts of the continent (like northern Colombia and eastern Mexico) since the time of the pre-colombian indians, passing through spanish domination, the attacks of english and french pirates and buccaneers, the abuse of the black people turned into slaves, till comunism in the form of Castro in Cuba. More, he is able to relate all what was happening in the Caribbean related to what was happening in the foremost countries in Europe, and the rising participation of the United States in the international scenario. One thing I think it's really important when an author wishes to blend various real facts with his immagination efforts is to inform his readers what is fact and what is fiction, and in Caribbean Michener has a list of actual facts of each chapter and a bibliography of each subject for readers who want to learn further. This kind of attention to the reader is something we don't see too often, and everyone who likes a well written book should mourn Michener's passing away, as well as be glad he was so prolific and intense while writing.This book is as colorful as the place of its name.Grade 8.8/10

If ever I wondered why the Caribbean keeps drawing me back, it's read in the pages of "Caribbean". This fiction based on fact novel allowed me to understand and appreciate the history of the Caribbean. From the beginnings in Mexico and through the history of the Arawak and Carib nations. After I finished, I again traveled to St.Somewhere with a different propective on the islands and its people. My first Michener book, but not my last. A true lesson in Caribbean history.

I've read JOURNEY, ALASKA, CHEAPEAK, and HAWAII. CARIBBEAN is close to the top of my list. Though this isn't "heavy" reading (like Homer for instance), it isn't exactly "light" either. It is sometimes hard to follow, because so much material from various regions is covered. I often found myself looking back for details I'd forgotten. However, I find the challenge rewarding. I also appreciate Michener's consideration for the reader - he is never vulgar or explicitly sexual. I find that refreshing in today's society. I learned a great deal from this book, including where "barbeque", "bacon", and "grog" got their meanings. I never really enjoyed history, so I've learned much more from Michener than I would have normally. Perhaps if I were an historian or a literary critic I'd knock it down a star or two, but I am blissfully ingnorant of any faults :-) For reference purposes, from the list above I rated CHESAPEAK at 5+ stars and ALASKA at 4.5

If you have read and like michener, this is a classic (my personal favorite). If you have not, classic michener means that he takes a very in-depth, well researched area and wraps a novel around it. In Carribean, he looks at the evolution from the Mayan times to the modern, covering the cultures, the facts and the myths. What makes it fun is the way he wraps his exhaustive research of the facts into the regions myths and a set of characters. This makes the novels fun and interesting, because even though the people are ficticious, one identifies more with the stories of people than a textbook approach to the facts.The chapters, dealing with different historical periods, focus on various sub-regions as they wane and wax in power and importance. It particularly appealed to my interest in history and frankly may be tiresome to those who do not have the same passion for history (ie, if you don't like historical accounts, you may not like this book!)Oh, yes, there are pirates, human sacrefice, and you learn where the term barbeque comes from...you may not want to know that!