Centennial

New York: Random House, 1974. First Edition [stated], presumed first printing. Hardcover. Good/Fair. x, [6], 909, [3] pages. Illustrated endpapers. DJ is worn, torn, soiled and chipped. DJ is price clipped. Name of previous owner on fep. Signed by author on half-title page. James Albert Michener (February 3, 1907 - October 16, 1997) was an American author of more than 40 books, most of which were fictional, lengthy family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history. Michener was known for his meticulous research behind the books. Michener's novels include Tales of the South Pacific for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948, Hawaii, The Drifters, Centennial, The Source, The Fires of Spring, Chesapeake, Caribbean, Caravans, Alaska, Texas, Space, and Poland. His non-fiction works include Iberia, about his travels in Spain and Portugal; his memoir titled The World Is My Home; and Sports in America. Return to Paradise combines fictional short stories with factual descriptions of the Pacific areas where they take place. Derived from a Kirkus review: Highly respected scholar-historian Dr. Lewis Vernor is hired to re-research a story on Centennial, Colorado. The big thoughtpiece has already been written, but the magazine wants to add Dr. Vernor's special feel for the past. Vernor's research suddenly carries him off as if he'd fallen into a time machine. This small spot of American earth (pop. 2618), on the South Platte river, is studied from its beginnings as liquid rock, through the hardening of the earth's crust, the 130,000,000 years of the great Saurians, early man, first animal migrations over the vast land bridge to Asia, the coming of ground hogs and beavers and rattlesnakes. Much later Indians arrive; much, much later the first trappers, traders, mountain men. Then the settlers, cavalry, cowboys, hunters, and range wars. Nearing modern times, Centennial becomes a beet-processing town. Through all this the South Platte is sheer mud or raging flood, and at last both the cattle and beet industries fade away.