James A. Michener
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Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Authors, A-Z -> ( M ) -> Michener, James
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 53
Average rating: 4.5 of 5
The Drifters 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
This book really gives the reader a feel for the Sixties! Written in 1971, `The Drifters' is set in America, Europe and Africa in 1969. The plot centers on six young people from around the world, the ways in which their lives become intertwined, and the adventures they have while traveling. All the music and politics of the Sixties make this a really groovy read.
Bridging the generation gap? Sort of... 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Plot-wise, this is one of the weaker Michener titles I've read. Six teenagers from various corners of the world meet up in a Bohemian enclave in Spain in 1969? No problem. Some of them have been in trouble with the law? It happened then and it happens now. They travel through Europe and Africa in a minibus? Nice work if you can get it. They're guided on their travels by a man old enough to be their grandfather with an ultra-establishment career, whom they all love like an uncle? Not so convincing a twist in any generation, and especially not that one. The old man has already met four of them before they happened to meet each other, and he's known two of them all their lives? Well, it IS fiction, after all. At the height of the generational divide over Vietnam, they also make friends with a middle aged ex-Marine? Please.
But for all that, it's an epic, realistic adventure story by a man who knew everything about how to write them. It's also gritty enough to avoid romanticizing a lifestyle that really isn't as nice as it sounds. I admit that the early chapters had me wishing I could join the gang in Torremolinos, while the later ones made me thank my lucky stars I never tried what they did. Along the way, there are the usual vivid depictions of a wide variety of real places and times (and, this time around, a couple of fictional ones as well), tackling such uncomfortable issues as war, police brutality, murder, drug abuse, radical politics, and life in a third world commune.
As usual, the attention to detail and character development are good enough to justify the fact that the book does go on for a long time. I am especially impressed with the knowledge Michener (then in his mid-60s) managed to amass on the music of the era. He does slip up once and refer to "the latest recording" by a band that only ever made one album, but overall he not only shows a remarkable command of what songs came out in what year, but also of the controversies surrounding some of them and what they all meant to his younger characters. (His 61 year old protagonist's pontifications on "Macarthur Park" are especially amusing, whether intentionally or not.)
As for the ending, you'll probably see it coming a mile away. But you'll also enjoy the ride.
Editorial Review:
In his triumphant best seller, James Michener unfolds a powerful and poignant drama of six young runaways adrift in a world they have created out of dreams, drugs, and dedication to pleasure. With the sure touch of a master, Michener pulls us into the dark center of their private world, whether it's in Spain, Marrakech, or Mozambique, and exposes the naked nerve ends with shocking candor and infinite compassion.
"A superior, picaresque novel...and a revealing mirror held up to contemporary society."
JOHN BARKHAM REVIEWS
