I read this when I was in grade 10, and it has remained with me all these years later.

It offers a profoundly visceral portrayal of the lives, villages, towns, and cities that develop (and decline) around a single water source - a well - throughout millennia of human history.

The well serves as the focal point, a symbol of life and sustenance. It见证了人类社会的变迁与发展，从最初的小村庄，到逐渐繁荣的城镇，再到现代化的大都市。

People gather around the well, sharing stories, exchanging goods, and building communities. It is a place of connection and interaction, where relationships are formed and cultures are born.

However, as time passes, the well may also face challenges. Pollution, overuse, and the encroachment of modernization can all威胁到its existence.

This article makes us reflect on the importance of water and the need to protect our natural resources. It reminds us that the well is not just a physical object, but a part of our collective memory and history.

Because when men ignite in their hearts a religious fury, they inflict at the same time a blindness upon their eyes. This profound statement holds great significance.

I recall devouring "Hawaii" when I was a teenager. It was a captivating experience that left a lasting impression. Recently, when I stumbled upon a whole box of Michener novels at a yard sale, I was overjoyed. I knew that these books would offer a wealth of historical description and meticulous attention to detail, engaging the reader in the triumphs and struggles that span the thousands of years of Jewish history in the land now known as the State of Israel.

Realistically, the history alone makes it a 4-star read. However, the story had its drawbacks. Sometimes, I had a hard time feeling interested in several of the plots. The 1964 contemporary period storyline about the Irish Catholic archaeologist falling for the Jewish woman who was also in love with the smart Jewish soldier/politician guy was a bit convoluted. In the end, the story became weird because it seemed that every guy was in love with her. Minus the romance, it would have been an interesting story about those two characters. Considering this timeline was the central focus of the novel and was spread throughout the other periods of history, it is with good reason that it bogged me down.

This book should be compulsory reading for all students.

Michener employs his historical fiction style to track the evolution of the world's three major religions (Jewish, Christian, and Muslim) through the narrative of the UR family.

The origin of the UR family was in the caves of Makor in 10,000 BCE. The story is centered around a dig at the Tell of Makor in 1964.

Makor is a fictional place that was mentioned in the Old Testament. The dig is carried out by a group from Chicago, but most of the workers are from the newly established state of Israel.

They have a profound interest in the history of their newly acquired Jewish state in the Holy Land. This book is about the Holy Land.

As the layers of history are unearthed, the story unfolds through time. Along with it, the reader witnesses the development of the three faiths.

This book clarifies a great deal about why many Muslims hated Christians. It also examines the suffering of the Jews at the hands of others, including Muslims, Christians, Greeks, and Romans.

The book also, for me, made me understand why the founders of our country believed that only a secular government would permit freedom of religion.

The Christian right should read this book, especially the chapters dealing with the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition.

The Catholic Church's corruption and control of politics during this time surely influenced Voltaire and others who influenced the founders of our nation.

We are not a Christian nation; we are a secular nation that allows all religions to be practiced. When one faith rules, then you no longer have freedom of religion. This is a great book!

I began reading this book with great enthusiasm, as the premise seemed fascinating: to look at the history of Israel through the eyes of archaeologists at a dig. However, unfortunately, I now feel that this was a subject far too vast in scope, even for this author and his renowned research.

After discarding the first chapter on cavemen as an outlier, each subsequent chapter failed to halt the plummeting credibility factor. I am quite certain that Michener did not truly understand Biblical history. For instance, his portrayal of King David was simply laughable, even when considering his mistakes and flaws. So, how much could I trust his artistic interpretations from other sources as well?

After investing a significant amount of time in more than half of the book, I came to the realization that no amount of time would be able to rectify these flaws. I give it 2 stars instead of 1 (1&1/2 would be more appropriate) because I did gain an understanding and appreciation for the malevolence of Ba'al and other cult-worshipping groups, which helped me comprehend why Yahweh would authorize their eradication from the earth.

Nevertheless, the protagonists in his vignettes of each historical period, even the Jewish ones, often exhibited a high degree of animosity towards "God" in any form. I do not believe that Israel's history is as bleak and dismal as he presents it. Yes, it has been challenging, but is it really so devoid of joy throughout every era? He even made miraculous events seem dark and suspicious in nature.

Overall, while there were some redeeming qualities, the book ultimately fell short of my expectations.

I first read The Source many years ago. It was probably less than a decade after its publication in 1965.

This book was an excellent means to learn some history about the State of Israel. It also introduced the issues that the Rabbinate created for couples desiring to marry but not meeting the exacting standards of Orthodox Halacha due to the disallowance of civil marriage. However, I digress.

When reading the novel again from a more feminist perspective, I couldn't help but notice that every chapter except one [the Voice of Gomer] was written from a man's point of view. True, there were numerous female secondary characters, but most of them seemed more like interchangeable wives, daughters, or sex objects rather than real people. I attempted not to be critical of James A. Michener's portrayal of Arabs as greedy and craven, a common stereotype at that time. Also, his apparent admiration for the Hasidic rabbis, who are despised by most Israelis today. By the way, I was curious about Michener's religion and was intrigued to discover that he was a foundling, raised as a Quaker.

Nevertheless, I still rate it 5 stars. The amount of research involved is truly remarkable, and I only found the modern and most recent chapters somewhat problematic. I liked how the continuous thread is the family/descendants of Ur, and that we get a scene with a Jewish man whose ancestors have always resided in the same location and never left Israel. Most importantly, I read the entire novel in just 3 days. It was extremely difficult to put down.

This is typical Michener. He embarked on the archaeological excavations at Hazor to conduct in-depth research.

I truly adored it when I read it during my junior high years. Part of the reason I did so was to prove to myself that I was capable of reading such lengthy books. Subsequently, I reread it several times.

Now, as an archaeologist specializing in ancient Israel, I can assert that it is an enjoyable book to peruse. However, the interpretations it presents are sensationalist, blatantly Zionist, and have now become outdated.

On the flip side, it likely piques interest in my field, and it remains a pleasure to read.

Despite its flaws, Michener's work has had an impact, both in attracting readers and in generating discussions about the archaeology and history of ancient Israel.

It serves as a reminder that while literature can be a source of entertainment and inspiration, it is also important to approach it with a critical eye and to consider the context in which it was written.

Overall, it is a complex and multifaceted work that continues to be relevant in the study of ancient Israel and archaeology.

I have delved into a considerable number of Michener's literary works, and this particular one stands out as among the very best.

What truly captivated me was the ingenious way in which Michener presented each period within the story. He did so by detailing how a dig uncovers artifacts nestled in different layers, each corresponding to a distinct era.

I found myself especially enthralled by the segments that described the holding of the Olympic games. It was truly fascinating to envision how the people of that time observed and participated in these events.

Moreover, there was a particularly captivating chapter that explored the evolution of religion through the introduction of a figurine of Astarte. This added an extra layer of depth and intrigue to the narrative.

Overall, this book is not only highly engaging but also extremely educational. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in learning more about Israel and the surrounding regions. It offers a rich and detailed exploration of the history, culture, and people of this fascinating area.

I have a great passion for understanding various aspects related to other people. This includes delving deep into their minds and trying to comprehend how they think.

It is this curiosity that makes me believe that a particular book could be truly worthy of reading.

Religion, in my perception, is not just a set of beliefs and practices but rather the very force that governs the universe.

We, as human beings, possess the remarkable power to connect with this force.

Through this connection, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us.

This power of connection has the potential to transform our lives and bring us closer to a state of inner peace and fulfillment.

I am eager to explore this further through the pages of the book and see what new insights and perspectives it has to offer.

It's just a genre that I have a great affection for. It is a novel from which we can gain valuable historical knowledge.

The story that constructs the framework revolves around a group of archaeologists who conduct field excavations in a location that is currently in Israel. As they dig deeper and deeper, they embark on a journey back in time, commencing with the discovery of a bullet.

The chapters are centered around the tales surrounding the artefacts. These stories begin with "the bee eater", which is about a man in 10,000 BC. He endures through the ages, and the narrative covers significant events such as Massada and finally an episode of one of the modern wars between Israel and its neighbors.

This novel offers a unique blend of history and fiction, captivating readers and transporting them to different eras, allowing them to experience the past in a vivid and engaging way.

I simply can't refrain from awarding five stars to this and the majority of Michener's novels.

I perused this particular one at a slower pace than my norm, and as a result, I had already forgotten certain details I'd gleaned at the outset.

However, I have this distinct feeling that had any teacher in my history class presented me with any of Michener's books, my classmates and I would not have been dozing off or misbehaving.

This novel delved into the Holy Land, commencing from the era when man first emerged as a distinct being (having left the ape stage and still dwelling in caves) and constructed the very first house.

It then advanced from that point all the way to modern times.

What intrigued me so profoundly was the way it illustrated that the Greeks, Romans, and Jesus all existed concurrently, seamlessly weaving together all the strands of history in real-time.

Throughout my school years, I learned about these aspects separately and never connected the dots to realize that some of these momentous events were occurring simultaneously.

For instance, while Jesus was traversing the earth, people were worshipping Zeus, and chariot races were taking place.

Moreover, the chronicles of Jewish persecution were truly eye-opening.

Growing up, I had never fathomed the origin of anti-semitism, although the Holocaust had always loomed large in my consciousness.

But Michener provides a perspective and lays out the entire history of this people.

I was completely unable to put this book down and was completely immersed in it for over a month.

Not so easy to summarize a book like this in a few paragraphs.

Basically, this book presents a broad and deep picture of the Jewish history, starting from prehistoric times (naturally before Judaism) all the way to the mid-1960's. The frame of the story is an archeological expedition that is digging in an imaginary site of an ancient town in the north of Israel. Using this framework, the author travels back in time to various episodes in the history of the site and other places related to Jewish history (and related to the site in some way).

A few observations on this book:

The research was truly amazing. It is hard to believe that a person who did not live here could achieve such a deep understanding of the historical, cultural, religious, and political issues related to the Jewish history.

The scope is incredibly large. The book touches on so many aspects related to Jewish history, Jewish religion and philosophy, Israeli history, and Israeli/Jewish politics, and much more.

As an Israeli, most of the issues were not new to me, but the unusual way of presenting them was interesting and did help me understand my history better.

It is interesting to be exposed to an external view of my history/culture/politics, etc. I am not sure I agree with all the points of view expressed in the book, but they are generally accurate as far as I know, or at least accurate to the time they were written (about 50 years ago).

The book is long… very long…..and longer. It is not a page turner, and sometimes it took me time to get back into it, and some parts required a bit of a struggle. However, it was worth it at the end, and I do recommend this book (for people with time and patience).

Maybe I picked the wrong Michener book to start with. It did not work for me on several levels.

First of all, his characters were almost one-dimensional. They seemed so flat that the reader has to fill in the gaps in all the relationships. The feelings of animosity or chemistry and attraction between characters really aren't depicted clearly. You just have to assume that they exist.

Secondly, although I only got into it about 100 pages, everything I saw was told rather than shown. It was so boring. I learned this in 8th grade.

Thirdly, what I thought was going to be a really fascinating story about an archeological dig was over in a couple of chapters. I thought that was going to be the entire book. Instead, it turns out it was just a setup for the actual book. The book takes each of the artifacts they conveniently found in a few short pages and then turns each of those into their own section, a moment in history that is fleshed out for us to see how the artifact lived in its original life. I don't disagree with this idea as a literary device. Actually, it seems pretty cool. But the lead-up was so disappointing that I felt like it'd fallen flat before the "story" even began. And it started with cave men. Seriously? I just felt like I was stuck in a BC cartoon. It was too hokey. I found myself dreading picking up the book each time and repeating to myself, "It will turn around soon, just give it time, it will get better." But then one day I said, "Know what? Huh-uh. Not worth it."

If you think I am way off base, then tell me what Michener book I should read instead. At this point, I don't know whether I will take your advice seriously or not. But hey, at least you could feel better knowing you tried to convert me to Michener's fan club.