Chesapeake

Rating:
Summary: An epic through the generations
Review: James Michener's novels generally tell the story of a geographical location - sometimes large, sometimes small - through a fictional set of interrelated characters. Chesapeake (perhaps a more accurate title would have been Choptank, but never mind) follows the careers of three families living on the eastern shore of this great bay. The Steeds: Rich, well-educated pro-slavery plantation owners, forced to take the lead in the Revolution even though they considered themselves royalists. The Turlocks: uneducated, racist slavers/pirates/privateers, living off the land, poaching and killing Natives, English, and runaway slaves. The Paxmores: Quaker shipbuilders, lynchpins of the underground railway and moral voices of the Choptank area.

The timeframe is from the 15th century to Watergate. Multiple generations of these three families come and go. In spite of the huge numbers of characters, Michener manages to keep everything clear. Each chapter is basically a short story - one is the story of a slave brought from Africa, sold to the Steeds, who eventually buys his freedom. Another is the story of a Turlock privateer's running feud with a British captain through the War of 1812 and beyond. These short stories are all interwoven in a larger narrative that develops the land and history of the Chesapeake.

For my money, Chesapeake is a well-crafted tale, seamlessly intertwining the individual stories into a coherent whole. Michener does a much better job here than with, for example, the disjointed Caribbean. My only complaint is the fact that the last two chapters are extremely weak - rambling, self-indulgent, and without focus. However, as this is only 100 pages of a 1000 page book, there is so much more to like that I recommend it to anyone. Even those, like me, who previously had little interest in the area and who have never visited the Chesapeake.

Rating:
Summary: An epic through the generations
Review: James Michener's novels generally tell the story of a geographical location - sometimes large, sometimes small - through a fictional set of interrelated characters. Chesapeake (perhaps a more accurate title would have been Choptank, but never mind) follows the careers of three families living on the eastern shore of this great bay. The Steeds: Rich, well-educated pro-slavery plantation owners, forced to take the lead in the Revolution even though they considered themselves royalists. The Turlocks: uneducated, racist slavers/pirates/privateers, living off the land, poaching and killing Natives, English, and runaway slaves. The Paxmores: Quaker shipbuilders, lynchpins of the underground railway and moral voices of the Choptank area.

The timeframe is from the 15th century to Watergate. Multiple generations of these three families come and go. In spite of the huge numbers of characters, Michener manages to keep everything clear. Each chapter is basically a short story - one is the story of a slave brought from Africa, sold to the Steeds, who eventually buys his freedom. Another is the story of a Turlock privateer's running feud with a British captain through the War of 1812 and beyond. These short stories are all interwoven in a larger narrative that develops the land and history of the Chesapeake.

For my money, Chesapeake is a well-crafted tale, seamlessly intertwining the individual stories into a coherent whole. Michener does a much better job here than with, for example, the disjointed Caribbean. My only complaint is the fact that the last two chapters are extremely weak - rambling, self-indulgent, and without focus. However, as this is only 100 pages of a 1000 page book, there is so much more to like that I recommend it to anyone. Even those, like me, who previously had little interest in the area and who have never visited the Chesapeake.

Rating:
Summary: A classic in historical fiction
Review: Living in Maryland I really enjoyed the details about the places around me. I could feel myself in another time; in these places I know so well. The character development was superb. The work really gave me a sense of the times when our country was in its infancy. It also helped me understand the present just a little bit better. Very well done

Rating:
Summary: A Good Michener But Not Great
Review: Michener is wondrous with adjectives, using them to enhance the image that he describes for us. I enjoyed this book but it was not flawless. Still, it's worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Take it for what it's worth
Review: One has to realize that the driving force behind this novel is not a "moral"... The book is not character-driven; in fact, character development is tepid. Nor is the work plot-driven; there is no central gist leading to an apex. Instead, the beautiful novel is driven by the lay of the land of the marvelous Chesapeake Bay, and to a lesser extent by those brave souls who colonized it, for better or worse. It is an historical fiction account of the life of the Eastern (and western) Shore. Actually, one could aver that the main character, the protaganist, is indeed the Chesapeake.

This book is wonderful. Please do not critique it on "traditional" grounds... do not compare it to "Quo Vadis" or other historical fiction novels of the such. The rapture comes from Michener's vivid descriptions of all that is glorious in this beautiful corner of the world. The book excites the senses and stirs emotions, but on a unique level. You will find yourself pining to visit the waters of both Shores, to revel in the natural beauty, to close your eyes and fill your lungs with the enticing scents, to relish the culinary ecstasy of the crabs and oysters, and to engross yourself in the history of the place.

Michener has captured it all, and then some. Of course, as a native Marylander, I may be biased.

Rating:
Summary: My Chesapeake...
Review: People from the western shore sneer and ignore me if I say I'm from the Eastern Shore. I'm not really from there--just spent a number of years there. Doesn't matter. They're just jealous that western shore isn't capitalized and that somebody unique and fascinating like James Michener never wrote a book about where they live--ha! If you're lucky enough to have ties or just a handful of memories about Maryland's Eastern Shore, then you'll find this book absolutely enthralling. From the mighty warrior who became the unlikely leader of a small band of Indians later known as the gentle Choptanks to a handful of diverse European families who shaped the bountiful wilderness into the comfortably proud land it is today, Michener's book is alive with strong women, stubborn men, the crafty and the vile, the shamefully wrong and the helplessly righteous. Don't let the size of the book scare you--it's a fast read full of laughs and wonder, historically altered, yet accurate to the times and places in so many ways. A rare book describing the growth of a portion of our mighty country including the trials and tribulations of the Native Americans and the never ending struggles of the Africans brought over as slaves. He glosses through the Civil War, but I think the book might've been twice as long had he written much more about it. For everyone who's stalked the marshes and seen the skipjacks gallantly skim by, from the poor farm boy to the community-building rich--Michener's toast to you. As treasured as the Bay herself.

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF MICHENER'S BEST
Review: The more Michener I read the more I want to read. CHESAPEAKE is one of Michener's best. Following four established families from the beginning of American colonization and into the 70's, JM provides many perspectives into the Maryland's eastern shore. The primary families are made up of boat builders, plantation owners, watermen, and a black family beginning with a kidnapped slave. Fascinating stuff.

JM begins with the degeneration of the indigenous Indians and shows how colonization was destined to dominate less industrialized populations. The Indians didn't stand a chance. Usually, Michener is light on the characterization, but I would say he milked the characters to the bone with this one. Just keep in mind, the story is about the development and socialization of the region, not so much the individual characters. Though these characters are not given short shrift by any means.

I had always heard CHESAPEAKE was one of JM's best works, but at this point I would say I liked TEXAS and then CENTENNIAL better. Great stuff here. I hope to read all of Michener's novels.

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF MICHENER'S BEST
Review: The more Michener I read the more I want to read. CHESAPEAKE is one of Michener's best. Following four established families from the beginning of American colonization and into the 70's, JM provides many perspectives into the Maryland's eastern shore. The primary families are made up of boat builders, plantation owners, watermen, and a black family beginning with a kidnapped slave. Fascinating stuff.

JM begins with the degeneration of the indigenous Indians and shows how colonization was destined to dominate less industrialized populations. The Indians didn't stand a chance. Usually, Michener is light on the characterization, but I would say he milked the characters to the bone with this one. Just keep in mind, the story is about the development and socialization of the region, not so much the individual characters. Though these characters are not given short shrift by any means.

I had always heard CHESAPEAKE was one of JM's best works, but at this point I would say I liked TEXAS and then CENTENNIAL better. Great stuff here. I hope to read all of Michener's novels.

Rating:
Summary: They All Follow a Similar Formula and are Spellbinding.
Review: This book is among my favourites but not as good as his Hawaii. I have read most or many of his books twice and always find them to be entertaining and educational. I keep a copies close at hand.

This is a nice 1000 page historical novel that gives a very detailed picture of the evolution of the region. This is a geographical area close to the main US population centers but an area often missed by residents and visitors. I lived for a while in Maryland and I found that I was visiting just a fraction of the area described in the book.

I some ways the book is hard to review since his books have a similar structure and feel. So it boils down to do you want to read this type of book - 1000 pages, do you like his style, and are you interested in this- the general DC area and eastern Maryland?

Michener's books use a common plot formula that starts out by telling a story that in some way reflects and utilizes accurately the actual or known historical developments and time lines and people of a region. It progresses through the development of the region adding in settlers, farmers, plantations, fisherman, business people, adding in more characters and phasing out as time moves forward up to current times.

When I decided to review this book I was not certain if people were still interested in buying this book but I was pleased to see that there is still interest at Amazon.com in buying and reading this great story.

Good read and a good gift in the Michener tradition. Once you start be prepared to read with joy until finishing all 1000 pages.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This is a book I recommend to many. So far all have enjoyed it! Some of Michener's books I love dearly and some I can't get into at all. It's as if he has two totally different writing styles. This is truely one of his GREAT ones!