#94- Michener's Tales of the South Pacific

This week, Scott and Karl read Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener, one of America’s most beloved storytellers.
As the author of more than forty books of fiction and nonfiction, the majority of Michener's novels were lengthy family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales, incorporating solid history.
As a collection of related short stories, Tales of the South Pacific interweaves Michener's personal anecdotes from his time stationed as a lieutenant commander in the US Navy on the island of Espiritu Santo during the Pacific campaign in World War II. Karl says, "The book is trying to capture Mitchener's view of what humans are like that ought to be remembered."
Written in 1946, Tales of the South Pacific goes on to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948. Tune in to hear more about Michener’s exploration of what happens when cultures connect, or fail to, in this classic wartime book.

[@Joe-fx2pz]

I and my brother read "Mr. Roberts" as teenagers in the early 1960s. This book with it's short stories reminds me of this. My father was a WW2 Pacific naval veteran and my brother and I were Baby Boomers. He would talk about the Navy and got us interested in ships though we lived near the naval airbase in Arizona. He also was a Chief Petti Officer and resented that nurses would date only officers. He also married my mother from letters while he was in the Pacific.

[@climbeverest]

Wow incredible dialog, so real and grappling with the facts, so intelligent. I am from India, actually Centennial and Chesapeake were the few books that made me want to migrate to the USA. So I was having this shoulder surgery and ordered from here and there: thriftbooks, abe books, ebay the 3 pacific books, tales, return and rascals, I am fascinated by Michener’s compulsion to spread out human experience from his circa. You guys remember the characters better than me, remittance man, harbison, fry, nellie(?). Anyways it is nice to hear you guys reflecting on the book.

[@zsedcftglkjh]

The rabbit trail about the war uprooting individuals from their communities hit hard. A veritable melting pot...sounds like Hell.

[@jimmchenry3686]

Who are you guys? Do you know anything about your subject here? For god sake, do some research before you talk about a Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece. You don't even know if it is fiction or non-fiction and when it was released. Come on Man!

[@GreatBooks1066]

We can talk about any damned thing we want to. You can kindly not listen.

[@jimmchenry3686]

@@GreatBooks1066 Nice, what a waste of resources you are. Keep thinking you matter though.

[@GreatBooks1066]

Leave. No one asked about what you think. Keep thinking you matter to me though.

[@climbeverest]

@@GreatBooks1066don’t take offense sir, his is a point of view, I think valid, because pulitzer is not trivial. You do what you do, and let him offer his point of view, no need to oust him.

[@GreatBooks1066]

@@climbeverestNow you're out too.

[@leepowers9535]

Sorry, just don't care for their attitude!

[@GreatBooks1066]

You should never listen to our show then. In fact, don't.

[@leepowers9535]

Sorry, just don't care about their attitude!