Rating: 
Summary: He could see it coming
Review: I read this book several months ago and said to myself, this guy saw the Afganistan quagmire of today coming 40 years ago. Its docu-fiction, but an interesting read. I just gave it to my wife to read and she can't put it down. Sadly, in Afganistan, history repeats itself over and over.
Rating:
Summary: Not his usual formula - this is much better
Review: I read this years ago and loved it then. Got it out and re-read it and still love it. It takes place in 1946 Afghanistan and really shows the problems that they had and still do have. His trailer paints a rather optimistic picture of a moderizing Afghanistan that unfortunately didn't pan out. As far as the novel goes, I always thought that this (or The Source) was his best. It doesn't follow his usual formula of going back to one era and telling a story and then moving to another era and telling a story until 1100 pages are done. It tells one exciting story of a young American, from the State Department, traveling with nomads for a few weeks in 1946 Afghanistan. Read it and you'll know more about the land and the people.
Rating: 
Summary: James Saw It Coming.
Review: In light of all the events that occurred around Sept 11th, I decided to read CARAVANS. In this book, Michener describes the landscape and the people who make up Afghanistan during the 1940's. Read this book If you would like to learn about the landscape of Kabul, and what the country was like in appearance.
What I found interesting was that Michener, wrote of the Afgan people. He considered them as brutal, crude and indifferent to change. Yet one of the main Afgan characters keeps explaining that his country will be modernized and come to it's own someday...providing that there be enough well educated Afgans to establish law an order. Unfortunately, since the Rule of the Teliban Afganistan has sadly reversed itself from 1944, but 1844, in both its laws and tolerance to change. No TV, Radio...Even CHESS OR CHECKERS are not permitted. Amazingly, the way Michener wrote of Afghanistan then, is the way it is again. So to read this book and to see the News reels on TV create an understanding I feel a personal bond with. Michener, must of had a crystal ball, because he predicted the Communists coming to rule. But it is on page 212 of the paperback edition, where Michener wrote. "Our major cities have been destroyed so many Do you know what
I expect...Seriously? When a thousand men like me have rebuilt Kabul and made it as great as The City once was, either the Russians or the Americans will come with there airplanes and bomb it to rubble." WOW!
Rating: 
Summary: Caravans
Review: It's nice to learn about new places, and John Michener effectively describes Afghanistan through the eyes of Mark Miller. It was nice for me, a high school student, to explore the culture of the Afghans. Some details,though, were utterly disgusting, like the torture of woman. I can't handle the horror of toruturing people. This definitely doesn't convince me to travel to Afghanistan any time soon. The plot itself was interesting, however. It was like a detective story: a women marries a foreign man, moves to his homeland, and disappears, and it's the American embassy's job to find out where she is. The main character, Miller, spends his time searching through Afghan cities and deserts for this woman, but he gets very sidetracked along the way. He discovers ancient monuments in the lonely desert, and learns more about the people who he is working with. Despite the interesting information about Afghanistan Michener wrote about, I thought his pace was extremely slow. Most of the first 200 pages focused on other things besides the missing woman. Miller had too many events occurring on the side. It is an easy read, but the reader must have an ample amount of patience, because it takes time for the information to sink in. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under high school age, because younger people have little or no patience for such an in-depth book. If you are ready to sit down for awhile and find out if Miller ever finds this woman, read Caravans, by John Michener.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Historical Fiction -A Lost Debutante In Afghanistan
Review: James Michner wrote "Caravans," a glorious romantic adventure of Afghanistan, long before the Soviet invasion, the Taliban and al Qaeda. However, it remains a pertinent work of historical fiction in its description of the people and their divergent cultures, the nature of the wild, majestic land, and insight into the political, economic and social dilemmas of post WWII Afghanistan. A young American diplomat, Mark Miller, stationed in Kabul in 1946 is given an unusual assignment. He is directed to find a young American woman who had disappeared in Afghanistan. Ellen Jasper, formerly of Philadelphia high society, had married a westernized Afghani engineer, a graduate of the Wharton School, against her parents wishes. The couple returned to the groom's home in Kabul and, after a thirteen month period without correspondence from their daughter, the Jaspers were frantic with worry. Miller's extraordinary journey across the forbidding, awe inspiring terrain of Afghanistan in search of the lost debutante makes for a riveting read. There are plot twists and surprises throughout and nothing is quite as it appears to be. I prefer Michner's early work and this is one his best books - especially in lieu of current events.
JANA
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Historical Fiction -A Lost Debutante In Afghanistan
Review: James Michner wrote "Caravans," a glorious romantic adventure of Afghanistan, long before the Soviet invasion, the Taliban and al Qaeda. However, it remains a pertinent work of historical fiction in its description of the people and their divergent cultures, the nature of the wild, majestic land, and insight into the political, economic and social dilemmas of post WWII Afghanistan. A young American diplomat, Mark Miller, stationed in Kabul in 1946 is given an unusual assignment. He is directed to find a young American woman who had disappeared in Afghanistan. Ellen Jasper, formerly of Philadelphia high society, had married a westernized Afghani engineer, a graduate of the Wharton School, against her parents wishes. The couple returned to the groom's home in Kabul and, after a thirteen month period without correspondence from their daughter, the Jaspers were frantic with worry. Miller's extraordinary journey across the forbidding, awe inspiring terrain of Afghanistan in search of the lost debutante makes for a riveting read. There are plot twists and surprises throughout and nothing is quite as it appears to be. I prefer Michner's early work and this is one his best books - especially in lieu of current events.
JANA
Rating:
Summary: Very good historical perspective on Afghanistan
Review: Like many Americans, my interest in Afghanistan was peaked (to say the least) by the events of 9/11. Since then, I have done a good deal of reading about that nation and its people, both fiction and history. This early work of Michener's is set in the Afghanistan of the 1960s, which I found helpful in that it presents some context that shows how the rapid pace of change has affected the tribal peoples, and how differing responses to new technologies created rifts within Afghan society.
The story is told from the perspective of an American and, in fact, focuses on the experiences of an American woman who marries an Afghan man. This has its plusses and minuses, but I found that the Western perspective of the characters helped me understand the interplay between our culture and the cultures of the various Afghan tribes that are included in the novel.
While I understand that historical fiction has its limitations and that the events of the story aren't "real" in the strict sense, I find that good fiction that is based on a solid understanding of historical events helps me to fully appreciate what it must have been like to live during the time and in the place discussed. Thus, I usually read both fiction and nonfiction books about topics that interest me.
Michener is one of the best writers of historical fiction and, while this is an early example of his work, Caravans is well worth reading for its strong sense of place and historical detail that the book provides.
Rating:
Summary: Caravans, James A. Michener
Review: Michener, James A., Caravans (Ballantine Books, United States, 1963). 438. 1 map. 1 Note to Reader. 0-449-21380-3. Caravans is the story of an American woman, Ellen Jaspar, lost in Afghanistan after marrying an Afghan engineer. The novel is told through the cooperation of American officials and Afghani leaders to find the missing woman at the pressure of a U.S. Senator. Michener touches upon various aspects of Afghanistan, including women's rights, religious fanaticism, foreign perceptions, and the character of the Afghani people. James A. Michener found his inspiration for the novel in his personal experiences and travels through Afghanistan. He in fact met many European women who struggled for freedom from the confines of their marriage and Afghanistan. Michener is extremely well-traveled in the region, and furthermore has much diplomatic expertise lending to credible portrayals of Afghani leaders and people in the novel. Hence, his portrayal of the many facets of Afghani culture and politics are credible and well-researched. The motive of Michener in writing this novel seems unclear at times, as it's adventure-style narrative can obscure the reader's vision of it as more than just a story. Yet, there is some hint of the author's desire to enlighten the world on the deeper character of Afghanistan. Michener strives to shed light on such a perplexing people and culture, that more often than not are judged solely by the negative qualities that appear on the surface (i.e. fanatical mullahs and repressed women). And, by incorporating both Afghani and foreign perceptions of Afghani people and culture continuously throughout the novel, Michener achieves this goal. Although the novel was written in the 1950's, and Afghanistan did make many advances in human rights in the decades following its composition, the subject matter is sadly more pertinent today than ever. In a time when terrorism lends the outside world to focus only on the evils of Afghanistan, this novel could be extremely useful in explaining the development and perspectives behind such evils. When Americans look at Afghanistan, what comes to mind is terrorism, religious fanatics, and atrocious women's rights abuses. This solely negative view of Afghani culture causes people to view the entire nation and people of Afghanistan to be judged in this light. Michener helps to end this attitude and truly depict the majority of the Afghani population rather than let the minority represent them. Overall, this book is not only very helpful on giving a reader an insightful look into Afghani culture and mindsets, but is also both politically relevant and useful. Now, more than ever, a true understanding of Afghanistan is need in order to stop the violence and pave the way towards cooperation and mutual acceptance between Afghanistan and the rest of the world. Yet, the reader must be mindful to not just focus on the story-level aspects of the novel and its trite subject matter, but rather delve deeper into Michener's depiction of the character and desires of the Afghani population. Shirin Raza (002788950)
Rating: 
Summary: I love Michener, but I though this book stunk
Review: Mr Michener has written some of my favorite books of all time, such as Centennial, Texas and Chesapeake, but I found this book simply rambling, boring, without Michener's usual interesting and intelligent plot line. The book, set in Afghanastan, introduces one to some of the cultural and environmental aspects of that land, which were interesting, but I never truly seemed to care much about the fictional characters. Call me spoiled by JAM's later blockbuster bestsellers, but I barely finished this one
Rating:
Summary: a review from mango
Review: my mom kinda forced me to read this and im glad she did. it was a wonderful novel, full of facts and a great story line. not one of micheners best but it made me happy.
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