This was not my favorite Michener. I found it tough to get involved with the various characters. But he did do a good job of showing just how disastrous the settlers were for the native peoples. ( )

A sweeping overview of the history of Alaska from the ancient geology to the present-day (as of 20 years ago when this was written). This isn't straight history; it's interwoven with fictional characters, although there is a brief listing in the front of which is which. This is too episodic to be a proper novel, but the sections aren't shaped like short stories. It's good reading, though, whatever it is. ( )

A sweeping overview of the history of Alaska from the ancient geology to the present-day (as of 20 years ago when this was written). This isn't straight history; it's interwoven with fictional characters, although there is a brief listing in the front of which is which. This is too episodic to be a proper novel, but the sections aren't shaped like short stories. It's good reading, though, whatever it is. ( )

Typical Michener historical fiction novel. The subject, Alaska, makes it one of his finest. ( )

So begins an epic novel that starts with the dawn of time and covers a
sweeping history of the land that became our 49th state. Michener follows
the first inhabitants who made the major migration across the land bridge
between what would become Siberia to the frozen far north reaches of the
continent of North America. From the violent upheaval of volcanic activity
and terrane movement that formed the jagged and rugged land, through the
time of the mighty mastodons, to the mammoths and saber tooth tigers and
massive bears, to the final settlement of the Arctic by primitive people who
would become the Athapascans, the Aleuts and the Eskimos, Michener spins a
tale that is gripping and engrossing. As in all of his epics, he follows a
handful of people who settled the land down through the generations, telling
their stories and through them, the story of the land itself. Russians,
Englishmen, Americans, gold hunters, charlatans, thieves, runaways,
reprobates and heroes, all are described with a richness that is uniquely
Michener.

I don't read one of his tomes very often, but I've never been disappointed
yet. The story is so detailed and so rich that I can't just race through
it, so I've been reading this one book for weeks now, but it was worth every
minute. I don't think Michener is capable of writing a bad book. This one
gets a high 5. ( )