I truly enjoyed this book. The way it presented the allure of the American West was captivating. It showed how the West had the power to draw people in and make them want to come and stay.

I myself grew up in Pennsylvania. My family's story was somewhat similar to that of the characters in Michener's book. They too made moves, perhaps in search of better opportunities or a different way of life.

The book made me reflect on my own family's journey and how it paralleled the experiences of those in the story. It was interesting to see how the West could have such a profound impact on people's lives, just as it did on my family's.

Overall, this book not only entertained me but also gave me a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the American West and how it influenced the lives of many.

I just spent a significant amount of time writing a detailed review for this.

However, in a moment of carelessness, I accidentally hit a button and the entire review vanished!

To make matters worse, my computer isn't even providing the option to undo this unfortunate action.

I'm extremely annoyed and frankly, I'm not in the least bit in the mood to re-write the entire thing from scratch.

So, here's the abridged version. I'd rate it a 7/10.

I didn't have a great affinity for the parts that dealt with dinosaurs and dirt.

Even though I reside in the west, I don't have an inherent love for this area.

This work, however, did give me a greater sense of appreciation for the region.

While I still maintain my stance of not fully understanding other people's profound love for it, I do respect their feelings more now.

I'm glad that I persevered through the 1000+ pages because Michener truly hit another one out of the ballpark.

(Aren't you glad I erased the long version!!!)

I wholeheartedly agree with the few individuals who have penned negative reviews prior to me.

I managed to reach the dinosaurs, under the impression that I was perusing some kind of prologue. No kidding. I promptly flipped back to the table of contents and then forward to the subsequent section, and the next, and the next.

There were endless and seemingly interminable descriptions of the development of the area throughout eons of time.

Given that there are approximately 35,000 reviews here on Goodreads with a cumulative rating of nearly 5 stars, I suppose this book must become truly fabulous at some juncture. However, I am simply not into it.

And mind you, I have a genuine love for history. But there is no way I'm going to finish this.

I just can't bring myself to do it.

So far, the progress has been slow.

I'm really hoping that it will get better because my mom said it was really good.

Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it or finding the right approach.

I'll keep going and see if things improve.

After all, my mom has good taste, so there must be something special about this.

I'm looking forward to uncovering its hidden gems and having a great experience.

Even if it's a bit of a struggle at the moment, I believe it will be worth it in the end.

Let's wait and see what the future holds for this.

For me, learning history through historical fiction has always been a great deal. It's like picking up a £5 book that begins with the premise of being about a no-name town on the most uninteresting river in America, which is the South Platte. This book was truly worth it.

The book covers approximately 400 years (millions if you include the first two chapters) and follows the different generations that come to a small area in Colorado. In each chapter, I got to know characters and a part of history that I wasn't very familiar with, such as American Indians, fur trappers, first settlers, cowboys, farmers, and so on. And in each chapter, I was disappointed that I couldn't get to know the characters better. (I guess that's why I only gave four stars to such an amazing piece of work. Also, I felt like the book wasn't as neatly concluded at the end as I had expected.)

I would highly recommend this book.

My advice: 1) Skip the chapter about the earth forming. I did and didn't regret it for a second. 2) Do not skip the chapter about the animals. It was fascinating. 3) Know that this book will take at least 3 months to read.

I vividly remember having a penchant for Michener during my younger days. However, this particular work seemed to be overly reliant on telling rather than showing, which made it somewhat dull and uninteresting. I managed to plow through approximately 75% of it, but eventually, I just couldn't endure it any longer.

Fast forward to 7/13/2024, and I find myself rereading it, this time taking it at a much slower pace. I'm currently 25% into it, and it's almost as if I'm delving into an entire series all within the confines of this one book. There's a certain depth and complexity that I'm starting to uncover, perhaps something I overlooked in my initial hasty reading. It's as if Michener is slowly unfolding a rich tapestry of stories and characters, and I'm eager to see where this new journey takes me.

As I continue to read, I hope to gain a deeper appreciation for the work and discover the hidden gems that I might have missed before. Maybe this second chance will prove to be the key to unlocking the true beauty and brilliance of Michener's writing.

You could enroll in a university course专门研究 the History of the American West. However, you might not gain as much knowledge as you would from this extremely comprehensive fictional history penned by James Michener. His background research is as meticulous as that of any other writer in this genre. Moreover, he possesses the remarkable skill to seamlessly integrate those details and that historical context into a fictional narrative, thereby breathing life into history.

I have perused most of his novels, and they are all of exceptional quality. Nevertheless, the three that truly distinguish themselves for me are Hawaii, Centennial, and The Covenant. These works not only offer a captivating fictional experience but also provide profound insights into the rich tapestry of history.

James Michener's ability to blend fact and fiction in such a masterful way makes his novels a must-read for anyone interested in history and literature alike.

I would rate it at around three stars on average.

Sometimes, the stories presented are truly excellent, captivating the reader and drawing them into a world full of excitement and intrigue. However, at other times, the indoctrination can feel rather oppressive, as if the author is trying too hard to push a certain agenda or point of view.

The dialogues in the book are almost always interesting, filled with wit and charm, and they do a great job of bringing the characters to life. But there have been a few instances where the plot seems to drag, causing the reader to lose a bit of interest and motivation to continue.

Most of the time, the writing is objective, presenting the facts and events in a clear and straightforward manner. But there are also moments when subjectivism and intrinsicalism creep in, which can be a bit distracting for the reader.

I have enjoyed the previous novels by Michener that I have read, especially Poland and Hawaii. These books were engaging, well-written, and full of interesting historical and cultural details. So, I had high expectations for Centennial. However, I was left feeling both pleased and disappointed.

On the one hand, there were many aspects of the book that I really liked. The characters were well-developed, the setting was vividly described, and the overall story was quite engaging. But on the other hand, there were also some flaws that prevented me from giving the book a higher rating.

Overall, while Centennial is not a perfect book, it is still an enjoyable read that offers a lot of interesting insights into American history and culture. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in these topics or who enjoys reading historical fiction.

James A. Michener, a highly respected novelist with an extensive catalog and an impressive resume filled with numerous bestsellers, has carved out a significant niche in the realm of historical fiction. His keen attention to the topography and social history of specific territories sets him apart. For readers seeking both a cultural and geographic history of Colorado and the Westward Expansion, Michener is the go-to author. He has repeatedly demonstrated his remarkable ability to craft fascinating stories that blend historical context with diverse characters.

Starting from the Prehistoric Age, his chronicle traces the unforgiving dog-eat-dog world that land animals and mammals had to adapt to. Dinosaurs are succeeded by wolves, bison, rattlesnakes, beavers, and so on, until the arrival of mankind.

The characters and their journeys become intertwined with future events and people. An overlooked beaver dam, which might otherwise be just background scenery, plays a crucial plot point centuries later when it is conveniently used as a hiding spot. This unique approach of highlighting the various locations and beasts in Colorado is employed and mirrored throughout the saga. Similarly, a forgotten prehistoric rattlesnake haven serves as a principle navigational point for both ranchers and Native Americans.

At times, the audience may feel eager to move on to the next storyline, especially towards the end of the nearly one-thousand-page book, as the plot can seem a bit forced. Additionally, the dialogue is rather dated. However, Michener's descriptions of the environment and geography of the Colorado territory are unrivaled by few novels.

Michener has clearly conducted in-depth research on his subjects and the time periods they belong to. Both major and minor characters are loosely based on real people and significant events of their era. The reader cannot help but wince at some of the atrocities committed for the sake of greed and Manifest Destiny. The plight of the Native Americans is vividly portrayed from both White and Native perspectives. Fur traders, Forty-niners, cowboys, Quakers, con-artists, murderers, socialites, and other diverse individuals contribute to a comprehensive picture of Colorado life throughout the ages. Although the pace can be slow and at times one character may receive too much attention over others, Michener has nevertheless created a captivating novel rich in valuable facts and details about Colorado and its human progress over time.

\\n  Read the Full Review and More\\n

After carefully re-reading "Centennial," I still firmly adhere to my original rating of 2 stars. It's not a terrible read by any means, but it's clearly not Michener's finest work. Just like all of his stories, this one is a multi-generational saga, yet it is set specifically in the town of Centennial, Colorado. The tale commences with an exploration of the area's geology and then guides the reader through the extensive history of the region and its diverse inhabitants, both animal and human, spanning from prehistoric times all the way to the 1970s.

I'm accustomed to Michener's style of commencing with the geology and archaeology of an area. When he writes about the history of a place, he truly covers ALL of it. However, this time around, I found myself skipping over those sections. (I must admit, I'm a bit of a bad reader in this regard!) The book begins with a first-person narrative of a fictional professor who is approached to write about the area for a fictional news magazine. This is a rather minor plot device, but I found it irritating enough that I had to mention it in my review. For one thing, this part of the story is extremely dated. I understand that this is to be expected since the book was written in the 1970s, but it really hasn't aged well and has even reached the point of being almost humorous. The book also concludes with this first-person narrative, which serves the purpose of connecting all the families and characters written about previously to their modern-day descendants. But again, it is still so dated that it becomes rather distracting. Michener employs this device throughout many, if not all, of his books, but it simply wasn't effective enough in "Centennial."

Perhaps the best way to summarize this book is that "Centennial" is structured similarly to most of Michener's novels, but what worked well in his other works just didn't quite cut it here.

4.5 rounded up

I listened to the audio version of this book.

It is truly a long listen!

In some parts, the story moved along quite well, captivating my attention and keeping me engaged.

However, in other parts, it seemed to plod, making it a bit of a struggle to stay focused.

The history presented in the book was both heartbreaking and compelling.

It painted a vivid picture of a bygone era, filled with pain, struggle, and hope.

Overall, it was a good book for the most part.

Despite the slow parts, the overall story and the historical context made it worth the listen.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history or looking for a thought-provoking read.

It offers a unique perspective on a particular period and will surely leave a lasting impression.