Texas

A Novel

By: James A. Michener

Narrated by: Larry McKeever

"A book about oil and water, rangers and outlaws, Anglos and Hispanics, frontier and settlement, money and power...James Michener is something rare and valuable: an honorable craftsman doing honorable work....He manages to make history vivid and palatable to the reader."
THE BOSTON GLOBE
Texas. A land of sprawling diversity and unparalleled richness; a dazzling chapter in the history of our nation, a place like no other on earth. Through the remarkable lives of four families, this epic saga spans four centuries and two continents and charts the dramatic formation of several great dynasties from the age of the conquistadors to the present day. A richly compelling novel of a proud people eager to meet the challenge of the land, TEXAS is James Michener's most magnificent achievement.

Critic reviews

“Fascinating.”—Time

“A book about oil and water, rangers and outlaws, frontier and settlement, money and power . . . [James A. Michener] manages to make history vivid.”—The Boston Globe

“A sweeping panorama . . . [Michener] grapples earnestly with the Texas character in a way that Texas’s own writers often don’t.”—The Washington Post Book World

“Vast, sprawling, and eclectic in population and geography, the state has just the sort of larger-than-life history that lends itself to Mr. Michener’s taste for multigenerational epics.”—The New York Times

Great Story...but then there was the narration

I am not a native Texan, but as they say here, "I got here as soon as I could". Michener's story is great and well worth reading. I first read "Texas" about six months after I moved to Texas. I worked with several native Texans and this book helped me understand the culture into which I had moved. I was very pleased to see that Michener's works finally came to audible, and I eagerly got this book and looked forward to listening/reading it again. It has been 20 years since I had last read the book, and once again, I was captured by the incredible story. He does a tremendous job of capturing the heart and soul of Texas and Texans, and I can't help being proud to be a part of this culture with all it's ups and downs. I highly recommend this book to anyone new to Texas or thinking of moving to Texas.
The narration on the other hand was AWFUL. It was like listening to a robot pedantically over pronouncing each word. How anyone could pick this guy to read is beyond my understanding with so many excellent readers out there. After 20 hours or so he either got a little better,and loosened up a little bit, or my mind became numb to his style, and I made it all the way through his narration, except for the credits at the end. Enough is enough.
After saying this about the narrator, don't miss out on a great story just because of the reader. This can be listened to, you just won't likely pick another story read by this guy.

Narration leaves something to be desired

While the story was interesting, the narration was extremely lacking. Will be sure not to get this narrator again.

Michener at his best

Larry McKeever seems to be perfect for Micheners novels.
Of course, it helps when a story is so profoundly well written.
It's the typical Michener tale. Exposing the history of one of our most magnificent states.

Exceptional Book, Abysmal Performance

Michener's story is so wonderfully engaging that even McKeever's excruciating robotic recitation is bearable - but only just. I'd love to hear it again, read by a more expressive and "human" performer.

Learning about Texas is amazing

I liked the series and I loved the perfection regarding the history of old Texas. This is more then a novel it is a history of a fabulous land called Texas.