The Novel

The Novel  

1st edition cover
Author(s) James Michener
Country United States
Language English
Genre(s) Historical novel
Publisher Random House
Publication date 1991
Media type Print (Hardback)
Pages 446pp.
ISBN 0-679-40133-4

The Novel (1991) is a novel written by American author James A. Michener.

A departure from Michener's better known historical fiction, The Novel is told from the viewpoints of four different characters involved in the life and work of a writer of historical novels concerning a picturesque district (Grenzler) in rural Pennsylvania.

There is much discussion of writing, not all of it in support of Michener's own style. Many story devices discussed by the characters are later used by Michener in this same story.

Chapter Summary

  1. The Writer - Lukas Yoder: Narrated by the author of a popular series of historical novels as he works on his "final" novel.
  2. The Editor - Yvonne Marmelle: the personal and professional life of Lukas Yoder's editor.
  3. The Critic - Karl Streibert: a new literary star appears in Grenzler, and tries to rise from Lukas Yoder's shadow.
  4. The Reader - Jane Garland: told in the voice of an avid reader and prominent citizen of the Grenzler area.

References

Michener, James, The Novel, New York: Random House, 1991, Print.

Novels

The Fires of Spring (1949) • The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1953) • Sayonara (1954) • Hawaii (1959) • Caravans (1963) • The Source (1965) • The Drifters (1971) • Centennial (1974) • Chesapeake (1978) • The Watermen (1979) • The Covenant (1980) • Space (1982) • Poland (1983) • Texas (1985) • Legacy (1987) • Alaska (1988) • Caribbean (1989) • Journey (1989) • The Novel (1991) • South Pacific (1992) • Mexico (1992) • Recessional (1994) • Miracle in Seville (1995) • Matecumbe (2007)
Non-fiction

The Future of the Social Studies (1939) • The Voice of Asia (1951) • The Floating World (1954) • The Bridge at Andau (1957) • Rascals in Paradise (1957) • Japanese Prints (1959) • Report of the Country Chairman (1961) • Iberia (1968) • Presidential Lottery (1969) • The Quality of Life (1970) • Kent State: What Happened and Why (1971) • Firstfruits, A Harvest of 25 Years of Israeli Writing (1973) • Sports in America (1976) • About Centennial: Some Notes on the Novel (1978) • United States of America (1982) • Collectors, Forgers — And A Writer: A Memoir (1983) • All We Did Was Fly to the Moon (1985) • Six Days in Havana (1989) • Pilgrimage: A Memoir of Poland and Rome (1990) • The Eagle and the Raven (1990) • My Lost Mexico (1992) • The World Is My Home (1992) • Writer's Handbook (1992) • Creatures of the Kingdom (1993) • Literary Reflections (1993) • William Penn (1994) • Ventures in Editing (1995) • This Noble Land (1996) • A Century of Sonnets (1997)
Short story collections

Tales of the South Pacific (1947) • Return to Paradise (1951) • Selected Writings of James Michener (1978)
Film, TV and
theatrical adaptations

South Pacific (musical) (1949) • The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1953) • Return to Paradise (1953) • Sayonara (1957) • Until They Sail (1957) • South Pacific (film) (1958) • Hawaii (1966) • The Hawaiians (1970) • Centennial (1978) • Space (1985) • Texas (1994) • South Pacific (film) (2001)