Texas

Rating:
Summary: "...WHEN YOU REPRESENT TEXAS ALWAYS GO FIRST CLASS."
Review: AS STATED IN THE LAST WORDS OF THE BOOK, JAMES MICHENER HAS REPRESENTED TEXAS "FIRST CLASS". HIS BOOK IS BOTH INTERESTING IN
THAT MUCH OF IT IS HISTORICALLY FACTUAL, BUT IT IS ALSO A VERY
FIRST CLASS NOVEL. IT IS ONE OF THOSE BOOKS YOU CAN PUT DOWN, BUT YOU LOVE GETTING INTO IT THE NEXT CHANCE YOU HAVE. I THOUGHT
IT INTERESTING HIS HAVING R.J. POTEET IN THIS BOOK AS WELL AS
IN CENTENNIAL. I HAVE NOT READ ALL OF MICHENER'S BOOKS YET, BUT
THE ONES I HAVE READ ARE GREAT. I AM NOW STARTING HAWAII AND I
EXPECT IT TO BE AS INTERESTING AS HIS OTHER WORKS.

Rating:
Summary: A Compelling History of a Compelling State
Review: Granted, this book is very long (the particular version I read exceeded 1,000 pages), but it is also very well written (what would you expect from Michener?) and fascinating.

It tells the history of Texas, including notable events like first exploration of that area by Cabeza de Vaca, the Texas Rebellion (the story of the Alamo is told) during which brave soldiers like Sam Houston fought the Mexican dictator Santa Anna, and the first discoveries of oil in that region.

This book will teach you some things about Texas. For instance: I, for one, did not know that for a brief period of time Texas was an independant nation recognized by, among others, the United States.

Don't confuse this for an impassive history lesson, because it is not. Michener makes it come alive with vivid characters and historical events.

Rating:
Summary: Gargatuan Novel
Review: I think this is Michener's longest and consequently one of his best that I have read. Michener uses his typical formula shows the historical development of Texas from the 16th century to present (1980). What makes this work is that he shows the evolution through the eyes of different families (with varying ethnicity's) throughout different generations. You get to see the Texan perspective from differing points of view. Warning, it's a very long read, but looking back well worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Glorious blend of Texas history sprinkled with fiction!
Review: I vividly remember when Mr. Michener was in Texas researching this book and the interview he gave to a local magazine. We had moved to the Dallas area from a lifetime in Denver and Boulder, Colorado to spend 3 years there on business. I couldn't wait for the book to come out. I wanted to know if he was going to tell the truth or tame it down. When we first moved to Texas I felt like I needed a U.S. Embassy there.

Michener gloriously blends his history with colorful story telling to give you a lesson in history that you will savor and leave you wanting more. Make no mistake, the state of Texas has a huge impact on the rest or the United States. When he wrote Texas, he wrote more of the real Texas history than fiction. He also wrote the truth. When you finish this book you realize that Texas has unlimited potential, but changes very slowly because it is a huge landscape. You completely understand the Texas state of mind, the bigger than life people that live there, the courage of it's minorities who have lived there longer than anyone else and the courage of those who fought for it.

As a surprise, he gives you a whole new respect for the Armadillo and it's contribution to the cure for leprosy! Maybe that is why we just moved back to Texas, this year!

Rating:
Summary: TEXAS, Good and Bad
Review: In Michener's page-turning spiced-up view of the great state of TEXAS we meet the Hero's and Hellions in a well researched yet fictionalized story. History should be written by someone as talented with words as this writer. A state as large as TEXAS could only be regaled in a novel as large as this. If you are unfamiliar with this talented novelist, shame on you. No one can tell a story better than James A Michener and TEXAS is just one more in a long line of this writer's BEST SELLERS.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Rating:
Summary: Awe Inspiring and super fun to read!!
Review: James Michener writes another of his super famous world renowned mega one word title novels that take a geographic area and tell the whole story with intertwining familys. From the inital journey into texas to the founding of Bejar (San Antonio) to the horror of Comanche Indian raids, to the fasinating detail of commerical real estate development! I have never read a Michener book I didn't consider a treasure, and this one is no exception.

For anyone who is afraid of reading a James Michener historical fiction novel....Just because the books are long and you might think it will be a boring history novel, it is not! The books are fascinating, trust me I have read almost a dozen of them so far and they have all resonated with me, Hawaii, Chesapeake, Centennial, The Source, Poland, The Drifters, Caribbean, Alaska, TEXAS! I love them all so much! And I wish nothing more than for all those reading this to pick up a James Michener novel now!! Start with Hawaii!

Rating:
Summary: Please, Mr. Barlow, don't shoot my armadillo!
Review: Michener can get run off on some the most boring, technical details that have no place in a well-written novel, but Texas
certainly educated me about that unusual state. I was entertained more than not, but great characters and plot were sporadic. I can't help comparing him to Clavell and Jennings, and that's not fair to the guy. I will read his other work, but I'm going to hold off for a bit. I think Michener will appreciate this, though. I turned the last page much wiser than when I opened the cover. Enlightening.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book! I Learned So Much About Our State
Review: Michener has a great way to recount history in story-like prose. I learned a lot about Texas; what a neat story about how this state came to be. Michener tells it like he thought it was; the good and the bad. This book should be mandatory reading throughout high schools in Texas.

The book is long and a bit slow to read. But it is one of those things you invest time on and it really gives you a lot of return.

I would recommend it and look forward to reading it again some day.

Rating:
Summary: The Slow Long Tale of Texas
Review: The book to me was a little slow in the beganing fisrt but it got interesting when they got talking about Sam Huston was the first president of Texas. The book was to in formitive to make the book interesting for me to get involed like I did in past books. I say that the book was tells every thing about the the state and the four major people in the state. The book is to deep in the history of the state and the people that made the state what it is I dont understand how a person can find such happyness in writing about a place that has had it's history played out throw every western that has ever been made. The book was a very long read witch was very uninjoyable to me the the first story of the Mexican boy who made his way to Texas and raised a family that became a leader in the Texas way of life for Mexicans. in short the book is a some what good read with a good auther and it is a very good book to learn from but if you just want to read pick another book grab a Tim O'Brien. (This review was written by a student of bgfay's)

Rating:
Summary: Makes me (more) proud to be a Texan
Review: The length (my version is 1500 pages!) did scare me at first but it far surpassed my hopes in bringing my state to life - I felt as if it were my personal history and made me proud to be a Texan, born and raised. It was informative and educational without being dull or preachy, and made me genuinely interested in the characters - both the historical and the fictional ones. Also made me a bit homesick.... all in all incredibly entertaining!!!