Micheners books include tales of the south pacific for which he won the pulitzer. In an island paradise during the second world war, two americans a wideeyed nurse and a promising young lieutenant discover love and come facetoface with their own prejudices. The stories are based on observations and anecdotes he collected while stationed as a lieutenant commander in the us navy on the island of espiritu santo in the new hebrides islands now known as vanuatu. While in the big city, the math prof receives a bump on the head which brings on a form of amnesia. Music by richard rodgers lyrics by oscar hammerstein ii book by oscar hammerstein ii and joshua logan adapted from the pulitzer prizewinning novel tales of the south pacific by james michener. On a south pacific island during world war ii, two children of polynesian and european descent.
Captain cooks 1768 voyage to the south pacific included a secret mission the explorer traveled to tahiti under the auspices of science 250 years ago, but his secret orders were to continue. The author has many short stories and poems to his credit, published in the south pacific, australia, new zealand and hawaii. Michener, one of americas most beloved storytellers. The bestselling book was adapted into the popular musical and film, south pacific. South pacific was born when navy lieutenant james a. Michener as retold by michener, the book is based on rodgers and hammersteins awardwinning musical, south pacific based on micheners 1947 book tales of the south pacific, about the lives of officers, nurses, a french expatriate, and natives on the islands of the south pacific during world war ii. Here is contained an account of the past eight and onehalf months, he. The novel was selected by the bookofthemonth club and the readers digest. South pacific 1992 is a book by american author james a. Michener about the pacific campaign in world war ii. South pacific broadway, south pacific original cast list, original cast, current cast. It enjoyed enjoyed as much success as did the stage musical.
South pacific route and passage planner bluewater charts. Ever since james michener wrote tales of the south pacific, the dreamers among us have been searching for our own bali hai. Another wwii novel, but this one is a series of short stories of the war in the pacific. Pearces musical adaptation of the book and rodgers and hammersteins play is impeccable. Top destinations from the author who wrote the ultimate book. South pacific novel project gutenberg selfpublishing. Aug 24, 2018 captain cooks 1768 voyage to the south pacific included a secret mission the explorer traveled to tahiti under the auspices of science 250 years ago, but his secret orders were to continue. Jun 15, 2016 the shows book, by hammerstein and joshua logan, was inspired by james a. Micheners novels were usually massive in scope, and he researched them extensively. Correspondent mack morriss reluctantly left his diary in the honolulu yank office in july 1943. Michener had numerous bestsellers and works selected for book of the month.
Click here to read the entire chapter on the south pacific tour. Finally some pins, indicating places not mentioned in the book, include photos from the tour or of the place. Michener 19071997 graduated from swarthmore college and continued his studies at many institutions at home and abroad. South pacific is adapted from tales of the south pacific 1947, a collection of stories by james a. Premiere on broadway was held in april 1949 in the majestic theatre. Although the novelist robert louis stevenson composed little fiction about the south pacific during his years in samoa, he wrote articles and letters about his travels and about events leading to germanys acquisition of the islands in 1890. He has also written a childrens book the shark, and a social commentary. Michener writes well and you begin to care about the men he talks about, many seem disillusioned, far away from home and. South pacific was the number one box office film of 1958. Joshua logan, richard rodgers, oscar hammerstein ii, mary martin, and michener 1949. This one was tales of the south pacific by james michener. He shows how oscar hammerstein and joshua logan carved a concise and coherent story out of micheners sprawling saga, then recounts the.
To get you started, dive into turquoise waters with these selections from sarah jio, the author of the bungalow, a romantic world war ii tale set in bora bora. What was preserved and appears in print here for the first time is a unique chronicle of the war in the south pacific from the perspective of a sensitive twentyfouryearold sergeant. Tales of the south pacific by james michener is a pulitzer winning collection of stories that are an account of world war ii in the pacific and are based loosely on the authors own wartime experiences. Albert michener, born around 1907, won the pulitzer prize for his first fiction, tales of the south pacific.
Music by richard rodgers lyrics by oscar hammerstein ii book by oscar hammerstein ii and joshua logan adapted from the. The shows book, by hammerstein and joshua logan, was inspired by james a. I love the musicals and south pacific by rogers and hammerstein was one of he first ones i ever saw. South pacific was based on the pulitzer prize winning 1947 book by james a michener called tales of the south pacific. James michener is a great story teller and i enjoyed his writing. Sep 06, 2011 in the pacific, hugh ambrose focuses on the reallife stories of five men who put their lives on the line for our country. Vote for your favorite books set in the idyllic realm of the south pacific.
The story is based on a james michener book of 1947, tales of the south pacific. Ten 1950 tony awards, including best musical, best libretto, and best original score. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were lengthy, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history. James michener, author of novels that sweep through the history. The invasion of the south pacific, 17671840 1966, a colorful tome loaded with sketches and paintings three good books trace tahitis history. American author, james michener wrote the original novel, tales of the south pacific, a series of short stories based on his personal experiences when stationed in the south pacific during world war ii. Truly one of the most remarkable books to come out of the war. The anthology was later adapted for the rodgers and hammerstein musical south pacific, which itself won a pulitzer prize and turned micheners book into a best seller. The first love, the first sunrise, the first south sea island, are. Micheners tales of the south pacific i was intrigued enough then to seek out the book and read. Those fellows are so mad, james michener would remember thinking about richard rodgers and oscar hammerstein ii.
A unique chronicle of the war from the perspective of a sensitive twentyfouryearold sergeant who wrote for the armys inhouse paper, yank, the army weekly and a tale of the south pacific that will not soon be forgotten. Tales of the south pacific marks the beginning of micheners long exploration of what happens when cultures connect, or fail to. Micheners pulitzer prizewinning 1947 book tales of the south pacific. A classic rodgers and hammerstein musical based on james a. Micheners numerous bestselling novels also included the source, centennial, texas, hawaii, and chesapeake. Pearces musical adaptation of the book and rodgers and hammersteins play is.
South pacific original broadway cast 1949 broadway. On a south pacific island during world war ii, love blooms between a young nurse and a secretive frenchman whos being courted for a dangerous military mission. The director bart sher, who spent his early career doing boldly political theater in san diego, changed a lot of minds. The first experience can never be repeated, wrote robert louis stevenson in in the south seas. With joan davis, jack oakie, mischa auer, kirby grant. What they had in front of them now was micheners first book.
The stories, narrated from a single perspective, show both the racial and social strictures that were in effect in the 1940s. It was over fifty years ago that james michener wrote tales of the south pacific. An aviator who crash landed on an island in the south pacific returns home to find that he is the last fertile man left on earth after an. Michener found himself stationed on a small pacific island in 1945. His first book, tales of the south pacific, was published when he was forty. This thrilling work invites the reader to enter the exotic world of the south pacific and luxuriate in the endless ocean, the coconut palms, the waves breaking. The whole time, he collects things like cups she drinks from and cigarette butts she uses, and at the end of. He was so happy to know that this impossible thing had happened, he wrote to his wife, that he helped two friends murder a quart of scotch. Or, to be more precise, it might prove cheaper to build military capabilities that in a war could neutralise chinese bases in the south pacific by denying access to them and subjecting them to. Out of boredom, he wrote a group of stories based on his wartime experiences, then compiled them as tales of the south pacific, which won the 1947 pulitzer prize. To deepen the story revealed in the hbo miniseries and go beyond it, the book dares to chart a great ocean of enmity known as the pacific and the brave men who fought. The work premiered in 1949 on broadway and was an immediate hit, running for 1,925 performances. The new york timeswinner of the 1948 pulitzer prize for. Micheners south pacific university press of florida.
James michener wrote tales of the south pacific after his experiences in world war ii in the pacific theater. The book won a pulitzer prize in 1948, as did the play in 1950. Michener was one of the worlds most popular writers, the author of more than forty books of fiction and nonfiction, including the pulitzer prizewinning tales of the south pacific, the bestselling novels the source, hawaii, alaska, chesapeake, centennial. Joshua logan, who would eventually direct the show, thought. South pacific memorabilia south pacific is a musical composed by richard rodgers, with lyrics by oscar hammerstein ii and book by hammerstein and joshua logan. South pacific is not, as some say, a mere exercise in nostalgia. How the south pacific inspired a number of noteworthy authors. Buy a cheap copy of tales of the south pacific book by james a. May is one of the foremost authorities on writer james michener.
Tales of the south pacific is the iconic, pulitzer prizewinning masterpiece that inspired a broadway classic and launched the career of james a. His first book, tales of the south pacific, derived from micheners service in the pacific in world war ii, won the 1947 pulitzer prize for fiction and was the basis for the rodgers and hammerstein broadway musical south pacific, which won the 1950 pulitzer prize. Captain cooks 1768 voyage to the south pacific included a. He wrote its collection of stories while serving in the u.
As retold by michener, the book is based on rodgers and hammersteins awardwinning. It was fifty years ago that micheners play was first made into a movie. Tales of the south pacific won the pulitzer prize in 1948. Micheners books include tales of the south pacific for which he won the pulitzer prize for fiction in 1948, hawaii, the drifters, centennial, the source, the fires of spring, chesapeake, caribbean, caravans, alaska, texas, space, and poland, as well as the bridges at tokori, which was later adapted as a film by hollywood. Apr 14, 2017 another classics club spin book completed. How the south pacific inspired a number of noteworthy. Australia must prepare for a chinese military base in the pacific. Tales of the south pacific was a neitherfishnorfowl creation. Micheners tales of the south pacific, a pulitzer prizewinning. Tales of the south pacific, a collection of stories he began while he was in the navy. Tales of the south pacific is a pulitzer prizewinning collection of sequentially related short stories by james a. However, when she learns he is a widower with two halfcaste children, she cannot accept the situation.
On a south pacific island during world war ii, love blooms between a young nurse and a secretive frenchman who s being courted for a dangerous military mission. Jul 14, 2019 or, to be more precise, it might prove cheaper to build military capabilities that in a war could neutralise chinese bases in the south pacific by denying access to them and subjecting them to. His first book, tales of the south pacific, derived from micheners service in the pacific in world war ii, won the 1947 pulitzer prize for fiction and was the basis for the rodgers and hammerstein broadway musical south pacific, which won the 1950 pulitzer prize for drama. It created controversy, especially in the southern u. Micheners tales of the south pacific, a pulitzer prizewinning novel about life on two pacific islands during. Michener and tales of the south pacific truly one of the most remarkable books to come out of world war ii. And now, richard pearce directs his own version of the critically acclaimed novel. The explorers visits and their consequences in tahiti, australia, and antarctica are the subject of alan mooreheads excellent study the fatal impact.
February 3, 1907 october 16, 1997 was an american author. With rossano brazzi, mitzi gaynor, john kerr, ray walston. Micheners pulitzer prizewinning 1947 book tales of the south pacific and combines elements of several of those stories. South pacific is a musical composed by richard rodgers, with lyrics by oscar hammerstein ii and book by hammerstein and joshua logan. A plainjane math professor joan davis at a small midwestern college is talked into journeying to new york on behalf of a colleague who has written a steamy bestseller under an assumed name. Australia must prepare for a chinese military base in the. Michener was one of the worlds most popular writers, the author of more than forty books of fiction and nonfiction, including the pulitzer prizewinning tales of the south pacific, the bestselling novels the source, hawaii, alaska, chesapeake, centennial, texas, caribbean, and caravans, and the memoir the world is my home. Tales of the south pacific is the iconic, pulitzer prizewinning. Michener would write such monumental bestsellers as. A number of noted authors found inspiration in the south pacific. South pacific is a book by american author james a.
1213 1103 1602 1216 1157 21 1077 356 925 162 1102 1017 1137 502 276 1506 853 1512 482 1427 717 481 938 911 1111 189 1543 1305 791 1598 401 1571 530 737 865 1254 1074 462 133 402 1290 630 1034