A sweeping saga, but the broom left too much unswept, with some stories getting smoother and more complete treatment than others. I enjoyed the story lines, though, and would have liked to read more complete versions of them, say in a serial. So much is covered here, it would have been impossible to do justice to every topic in one volume. Still, this novel seems a good introduction to the Chesapeake as a whole, its history and people, tracing fictional families representing different types of people living on the Chesapeake. It left me wanting to read more about people whose livelihood comes from the water.

The book is sectioned into ‘Voyages’ set in different time periods, with the chapters titled as shown. (In parentheses, some of the subjects covered in that chapter.)

Voyage One: 1583 – The River (local Indians – Susquehannocks, Nanticokes)
Voyage Two: 1608 – The Island (Captain John Smith, Catholicism)
Voyage Three: 1636 – The Marsh (hunters, ecology)
Voyage Four: 1661 – The Cliff (Quakerism, boatbuilders)
Voyage Five: 1701 – Rosalind’s Revenge (Pirates, plantation owners, Protestantism)
Voyage Six: 1773 – Three Patriots (corruption in church officials, stirrings of rebellion)
Voyage Seven: 1811 – The Duel (British navy, Susquehanna expedition)
Voyage Eight: 1822 – Widow’s Walk (geese, family business, wasted talent)
Voyage Nine: 1832 – The Slave-Breaker (slave issues)
Voyage Ten: 1837 – The Railroad (politics; iron horse & underground railroad)
Voyage Eleven: 1886 – The Watermen (storms, flood, crabs, oysters, water dogs)
Voyage Twelve: 1938 – Ordeal by Fire (ransoming Jews, race riots)
Voyage Thirteen: 1976 – Refuge (Watergate, returning home)
Voyage Fourteen: 1978 (storm, erosion, death)

A bit dated, but an interesting read overall. ( )

The most rewarding part of reading Michener -- and in particular Chesapeake -- are the final chapters. This is where the author beautifully reminds us of all layers of history that had been covered. We discover again the heroism of Eden Cater through her memoirs. We hear again of the piratical exploits of the Turlocks through the Turlock Real Estate marketing campaign. This is where the essence of history is captured: through its remembrance. And we recall all those moments which we were witnessed to and now can see from a modern perspective.

Chesapeake is a great book. It covers all the various strains of society through four or five families, each evolving through the challenges and opportunities life, along the Choptank, had to offer. ( )

A great historical novel that follows the same family geneology for over 700 years in the Chesapeak Bay area. Fascinating is how Michener also portrays the changing geography of the area across the 700 years. An excellent read for historical novel lovers. ( )

About average for him. Not my favorite writer, but the area interested me since I lived there for about 40 years. It's worth reading once, certainly. ( )

I read this book the first time years ago, possibly when it first came out in 1978. I included it in my 999 Challenge as a good introduction to my Chesapeake category, providing a relatively painless overview of the area's history. I got what I paid for.

I found the initial chapters about the Choptank Indians awkward; a certain element of well-intentioned condescension made me squirm slightly. There is an extent to which you have to forgive the man: He was born in 1907, so he was in his 70's when writing the book. I nevertheless kept seeing a tension between the inclusive and respectful spirit of the Quakerism he was exposed to as a boy, and some of the social attitudes that were integral to his times.

The believability of his characters and their stories picks up once he moves into the European colonization of the area, but he remains somewhat condescending in tone in his discussion of the watermen. As he moves forward in time, the book becomes progressively more engaging. It was interesting to realize that the Eastern Shore of Maryland was, at one point in time, effectively part of the Old South.

I wish that Michener had included a Selected Bibliography at the minimum. I do understand that he was aiming at an audience that might be put off by actual footnotes - me, for instance, on my bad days - but a carefully selected bibliography would not have been too scary. I would also have liked a list of which of his characters were based on real people. The plotting and the writing are both decent but not truly good. No surprize there. It served the purpose, and I would read another of his tomes for the same reason, then to move on to other, better and more specialized sources. ( )