James A. Michener- Biography
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James Michener was a well-known author and short story writer of his time, most recognized for his epic and thorough writings, which were later described as fictitious documentaries. His minute detailing and detailed examination of everything, from the geology and flora of the area to the disposition and temperament of the people who lived there, set him apart from other writers of his day. Michener’s novels were distinguished by accurate and meticulous descriptions of every small and minute detail.
For the same reason, he frequently stayed in a given country for an extended period of time to learn about the geology, customs, and behavior of the people who lived there. He traveled much during his lifetime and used his travel experiences to compose books and short stories. He wrote 40 books over the years, including the texts for five art books. His work has been translated into every major language on the globe, and it is estimated that 75 million copies have been sold globally. Continue reading to learn more about his life, childhood, works, and timeline.
James A. Michener- Birth, Age, Ethnicity, Siblings, Education
Except for the fact that he was reared as a Quaker by his adopted mother, Mabel Michener, in Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, little is known about James Albert Michener’s early life and upbringing. He was reportedly born on February 3, 1907. Doylestown High School, from which he graduated in 1925, provided Michener with his early schooling. Following that, he enrolled at Swarthmore College, where he played basketball.
He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity in college. At college, he majored in English and psychology. After graduating with honors from the college summa cum laude in 1929, he traveled to Europe and studied for a few years.
James A. Michener- Relationship, Married Life
He was married three times throughout his life. The first was given to Patti Koon in 1935. The unity, however, did not last long, and he married his second wife Vange Nord in 1948. In 1955, his second marriage was annulled. He married his third wife, Mari Yoriko Sabusawa, the same year. She passed away in 1994. He spent the last few years of his life at the University of Texas in Austin. He stopped the daily dialysis treatment he had been receiving for four years in October. Michener passed away on the sixteenth of the month as a result of kidney failure.
He was cremated, and his remains were interred with his wife at Austin Memorial Park. Because he had no heirs, he bequeathed much of his assets and writings to Swarthmore College. He was philanthropic and charitable, donating a large portion of his money to charitable causes. James is said to have given a total of $100 million in donations. He contributed the royalties from the Canadian edition of his novel ‘Journey’ to establish the Journey Prize, a $10,000 (Cdn) annual Canadian literary prize presented to the year’s best short story published by an emerging Canadian writer.
Following his death, an Iririki Island Resort restaurant and a suite at the Raffles Hotel Singapore were named after him. In his honor, Random House Publishing established an award for the finest first novel published by an author over the age of 40. The United States Postal Service recognized him with a 59-cent Distinguished Americans series postage stamp in 2008. His alma institution, The University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, has named a library after him.
James A. Michener- Professional Career
His first job was teaching high school English at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In 1933, he transferred to George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania, where he remained for three years until 1936.
He enrolled in Colorado State Teachers College in 1936 to pursue his master’s degree. After finishing his degree, he taught at the university for a while before taking a year-long teaching position at Harvard from 1939 to 1940. He worked as an Assistant Visiting Professor of History at Harvard University. In 1940, he left Harvard to work at Macmillan Publishers as a social studies education editor. He could not hold the position for long because he was called to military service during World War II and was drafted as a lieutenant into the United States Navy.
He was entrusted with the profile of a naval historian while serving in the United States Navy, which allowed him to travel across the South Pacific Ocean. These adventures later served as the foundation and backdrop for his novel, ‘Tales of the South Pacific.’
‘Tales of the South Pacific,’ a novel, was released in 1947 to widespread praise and critical acclaim. It later served as the inspiration for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway and feature musical, ‘South Pacific.’ The book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction the following year. Following the huge success of his initial novel, he released his second novel, ‘The Fires of Spring,’ in 1949, which was an autobiographical effort. Three novels followed, ‘The Return to Paradise,’ ‘The Bridges of Toko-ri,’ and ‘Sayonara.’
The novel ‘Hawaii,’ published in 1959, catapulted him to popularity and established him as a best-selling novelist. The novel was the first of many multi-generational historical novels for which he became recognized. In the meantime, in addition to creating novels, he dabbled in television writing, with limited success. During his difficulties, he was approached by television producer Bob Mann, who pushed him to write a weekly anthology series called ‘Tales of the South Pacific.’ He focused on a different television series called ‘Adventures in Paradise’ when he was unable to get the television rights to ‘Tales of the South Pacific’ from Rodgers and Hammerstein.
He began working as a roaming editor for Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature near the end of the 1950s, a post he held until the 1970s. His 1965 novel, ‘The Source,’ was favorably praised once more, and it featured his typical thoroughness and research. Aside from literature, he devoted a significant amount of time to public service. He was the chairman of the Bucks County committee that elected John F. Kennedy in 1960. Two years later, he ran unsuccessfully for the seat of a Democratic candidate in the United States House of Representatives. He was the secretary of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention from 1967 to 1968.
From 1979 to 1983, he was a member of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Advisory Council (NASA). He later held several positions, including cultural ambassador to various nations, the advisory committee of the United States Postal Service, and the International Broadcasting Board. In terms of literature, he changed his concentration to American landscapes in the latter half of his life and emphasized them in his writings. ‘Centennial’ and ‘Chesapeake’ are two instances of such names.
‘The Centennial’ was made into a popular twelve-part television miniseries that aired on NBC from October 1978 to February 1979.
While ‘The Covenant,’ published in 1980, was set in South Africa and dealt with apartheid,’ ‘Space,’ published in 1982, was a fictional portrayal of the US space program. In 1992, he published two books: ‘Mexico,’ a fictional reflection on the ongoing issues of contemporary Mexico, and ‘The World Is My Home,’ a memoir.
Achievements & Awards
- In 1948, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
- In 1954 and 1958, he was honored by the National Association of Independent Schools.
- He received the Einstein Award in 1967. The next year, he received the Bestsellers paperback of the Year Award.
- The Hungarian Studies Foundation honored him with the George Washington Award in 1970.
- He was awarded the renowned US Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 1977.
- He received the Franklin Award for meritorious service from the Printing Industries of Metropolitan New York in 1980. Three years later,
- he was recognized by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities for his commitment to and support of the arts in the United States.
- The British Museum awarded him a Lippincott Traveling Fellowship, and NASA awarded him a Distinguished Service Medal.
- He was awarded the Order of Merit’s Golden Badge in 1988.
- The US Navy Memorial Foundation honored him with the Lone Sailor Award in 1993 for his military service and literary achievements.
Trivia
- This Pulitzer Prize winner and ‘Tales of the South Pacific’ author is said to have escaped three near-fatal plane disasters.
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