Rating: 
Summary: A mixed bag of good and bad
Review: A very good book, overall. I have loved Michener's works since being enthralled by Centennial at 13 years of age. He had a way of making you feel you know the characters intimately by the time you are through with the book. His masterful placing of fictional characters in the middle of historic events is amazing and the history lessons abound in this work. The reader does pay a price however. The book is long and at times I felt the desire to skip ahead a few pages, feeling that I would not miss much of the story and could save myself considerable time. It took me over 6 months to read this book. Time defintely not wasted but I may have been tempted to cheat a little and look ahead if I weren't so enamored with Mr. Michener's writing style! A good book but not quite comparable to Centennial
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: Another strong multi-generational effort by Michener, capturing the essence of Texas through the eyes of the people who settled it. The very best part of the book traced the life of Otto McNab, the central character, as the events and the nature of his home shaped his thoughts, feelings and his life. This is Michener at his best. I thought the book got a bit boring towards the end, a little drawn out and dry as it entered the modern era, which is why I rate it 8 and not 10.
Rating: 
Summary: More than meets the eye.
Review: As a first time Michener reader I have nothing to compare Texas to, but as a collector of "anything Texas," I am amazed. While America's current affair with memoirs grows, this is an excellent work of fiction to enjoy between diary pillaging. Texas reads with the believability of several family histories inter-connected with each other through Michener's "Texas history." The novel is so masterfully prepared that I found myself repeatedly glancing back at the "Fact and Fiction" section near the introduction making sure I had not fooled myself into believing Michener's Texas is fully real. I first purchased Texas in 1989 and kept putting off reading the 1300+ page book for shorter books and personal projects. I finished reading the novel in less time than I expected and as soon as my second copy arrives ( nearly destroyed my nine year old copy through wear and notes) I plan on reading it again. Note Michener's use of quotations throughout the text as he presents the story through the voice of Dr. Travis Barlow and the individual voices of the well developed Texans. Every section brings one closer, focusing not only on the entity of the Texas spirit, but also humanity and interconnections between all people and all histories.
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: "...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: One of Michener's best!
Review: I have read most of Michener's work, and I rate Texas among the big three, not only in size but in quality. (The other two are Centennial and Chesapeake). I particularly like the way Michener presents the entire history of Texas, and yet focuses on the key aspects of change that make this region so interesting. We see how cotton, cattle, oil, barbed wire, football, etc have changed the very culture of the people of Texas. Each long chapter is another window from which we can see the evolution of the landscape and the people. We see the hearty characters that made Texas what it is today and examine the very heart of the issues which shape the modern day Texan. For all of this, it is a novel, with the sweeping epic qualities of Gone With the Wind or Michener's other great works. Don't let the size stop you. The novel is as big as the state itself, and worth every minute of the ride.
Rating:
Summary: The Definitive Texas Book
Review: I have read most of Michener's works and this rates up with the best of them. The characters are so interesting (ex. Otto McNabb, Benito Garza, General Quimper) and it is amazing how Michener can blend them with the historical personalities so convincingly. I found myself checking the fact section constantly to ensure myself as to who was real. So many part of the book were so vivid that I felt I was there (ex. the Plaza in Saltillo where the young people walk in circles with their chaperones). I was happy that Michener did not overplay the action at the Alamo. I have read so many books that have hundreds of pages devoted to describing the action. Michener gave just enough detail that I could picture the battle as it unfolded and the events surrounding it (ex. Bonham riding around Texas trying to get support for the doomed men). The battles of Goliad and San Jacinto were perfectly depicted. Many philisophical problems were brought to light during the book (eg. Mexican and Catholic culture vs. Anglo/non-Catholic) in very interesting ways that made this book hard to put down. The book was over 1300 pages yet from the start the reader is never daunted by the size as it never gets boring. Well worth getting this one if you see one in good condition at a garage sale.
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!
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