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James A. Michener Biography

James A. Michener

James Albert Michener (/ˈmɪtʃnər/; February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American author of more than 40 books, most of which were fictional, lengthy family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history. Michener had numerous bestsellers and works selected for Book of the Month Club, and was known for his meticulous research behind the books.

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James A. Michener Quotes

The job of a storyteller is to tell stories, and I have concentrated on that obligation.

Jobs, Obligation, Stories, Storyteller, Tell, Writing

The rules seem to be these: If you have written a successful novel, everyone invites you to write short stories. If you have written some good short stories, everyone wants you to write a novel. But nobody wants anything until you have already proved yourself by being published somewhere else.

Already, Short, Somewhere Else, Successful, Write, Writing

a soldier lives always for the next battle, because he knows that before it arrives impossible changes can occur in his favor.

Battle, Favor, Favors, Knows, Occur, Soldier

When I was a child in the Navy during World War II, I was perennially grateful to the armed services libraries for having on hand a good supply of those pocket books, which were so common in that period. I must have read a couple hundred of them, and they did a lot to save my sanity.

Children, Common, Couple, Perennially, Read, War

When this is over, I'm not going to be the same guy. I'm going to live as if I were a great man.

Great Men, Guy, Live, Man, Men, Same

I think young people ought to seek that differential experience that is going to knock them off dead center. I was a typical American school boy. I happened to get straight A's and be pretty good in sports. But I had no great vision of what I could be. And I never had any yearning.

Boys, Differential, Good, School, Seek, Sports

On 24 October 1944 Planet Earth was following its orbit about the sun as it has obediently done for nearly five billion years.

Done, Nearly, October, Orbit, Years

I wondered how a man ever got an English girl into bed. What did they do with her hockey stick?

Girl, Hockey, Man, Men

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.

Fear, Food, Funny, Home, Inspirational, Travel

We risk great peril if we kill off this spirit of adventure, for we cannot predict how and in what seemingly unrelated fields it will manifest itself. A nation that loses its forward thrust is in danger, and one of the most effective ways to retain that thrust is to keep exploring possibilities. The sense of exploration is intimately bound up with human resolve, and for a nation to believe that it is still committed to a forward motion is to ensure its continuance.

Adventure, Believe, Exploration, Future, Motion

The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he's always doing both.

Excellence, Inspirational, Inspiring, Leaving, Love, Vision

organizations like the church or General Motors promote a man up and up until he reaches a spot which he is obviously incapable of filling, and there they lay him to rest.

Men, Organization, Church, Lay, General

About a billion years ago, long before the continents had separated to define the ancient oceans, or their own outlines had been determined, a small protuberance jutted out from the northwest corner of what would later become North America.

America, North, Ocean, Oceans, Small, Years

Russia, France, Germany and China. They revere their writers. America is still a frontier country that almost shudders at the idea of creative expression.

Country, Expression, Frontier, Russia, Shudders

I was surprised when shortly after New Year's Day of 1983, the Governor of Texas summoned me to his office, because I hadn't been aware that he knew I was in town.

Governor, New Year, Surprised, Texas, Town, Years

It takes courage to know when you ought to be afraid.

Army, Courage, Ought, Takes

Writers turn dreams into print.

Dream, Dreams, Print, Turn, Turns

A writer can make a fortune in America, but he can't make a living.

America, Fortune, Living, Make, Writer

It is difficult to be king when the gods are changing.

Changing, Difficult, Gods, King, Kings

The decent thing to do is to get rid of some of this money.

Decent, Money, Rid, Thing, Things To Do

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