The World Is My Home: A Memoir

It was said that Michelangelo told others that he did not sculpt but that he only removed the unwanted material and the beauty hidden in the stone emerged. "The World is My Home" rather did that for me the first time I read it in 1992. Reading it again on my Kindle reinforced that belief. I also write, not at his level of course, but I'm a better writer today than when I began and I will be a better writer later on. I loved his chapters on writers, writing and publishing and it was informative when he spoke of how poorly writers are paid (royalties). I receive a dollar on each book and one of my wealthy friends told me he had borrowed it from another wealthy friend so that reduced my income to $.50. I have read a number of Michener's books, particularly "Hawaii," "Poland" (I have Polish ancestors), "The Bridges of Toko-ri," and "Tales of the South Pacific". I have several others that I have not yet begun. I knew this was an autobiography and I was interested in learning about the writer but I learned so much more than just about James Michener. His writing style is clear, at times almost folksy, almost as though you are sitting in the living room with him over coffee and just talking, perhaps even asking him questions, which he answers. When he writes personally about discovering that he was not a Michener I am deeply interested in his feelings. My father always denied me though I knew I was a Payne and his son so I feel Michener's feelings, and I learned some of the same solutions as he used to deal with it. Once you get past the pain, you can go on and live your life. He made me realize how much bias there is in the world, especially against peoples with dark colored skin, he made me see how much people can do to help each other when we work together. I loved how many risks he took when he turned down offers that were almost guarantees of success, at well salaried positions, but he chose instead to take the risks and leave us a better world. I said that it helped remove unwanted material from me and let me discover my being inside. I had just finished reading this book in 1992 when the election between George Bush and Bill Clinton was in swing and I had been wavering on my vote. In 1988 I had voted for Mr. Bush, with reserved feelings after voting Republican all my voting life and becoming more disillusioned with being a Republican. My feelings were already deep in change after experiences which led me to know victims of the drug culture, including my son, learning Spanish fluently and being able to speak with Hispanic people in their language. On the eve of the election, Mr. Bush said, "Who are these clowns, these bozos?" and the next morning I voted for Democrats for the first time in my life. "The World is my Home" was literally life changing for me because I did not put it down, I did not reject it, I did not ignore or minimize his descriptions of hunger, famine, social injustice and discrimination towards women. Reading his book a second time has reinforced all of those feelings and today I work in ways I can to try to help end discrimination and hate. I should also mention that I was raised by a family of Native Americans though my DNA testing has proven me to be Irish-Scot-English (99.1% white), and not the Cherokee boy I was always told that I was. I recommend this book though I know that many who could and would benefit from it won't read it; some because of what I have just written about social injustice. Also through DNA I have learned that I have black cousins. Once I would have felt shocked by that; now I am rather proud of it. It's a long book, as most Michener books are, but it's well worth reading and when I have time, I'll read it again. I have never hesitated to recommend it, especially to other writers I know because a lot of would be writers don't really want to be writers, to bear the hard and dull work, but they want to have written; they want to be what they think a writer's life is. Mr. Michener is very honest in telling us just how difficult it is. But the fruits of his writing will serve us long and well. Stephen Joe Payne

I would not recommend reading this autobiography before you have read at least 10,000 pages of his work…. Would be difficult to appreciate this work fully till you have read up until about 1975 of his novels. I only picked this up after reading ‘Recessinal’ and ‘Source.’ My god, what a man…. Made me remember when liberals were relevant and ‘conservative’ meant fiscal responsibility. Just finished this autobiography this morning and I am very melancholy and regret when I was in the grip of my profession—dentistry- I had no time for novels. I am 70% through his catalogue now and have great regret I was so ignorant of his writings while he was alive. Regardless which novels you read by M, get around to this someplace in the middle. Sitting in my favorite reading chair, turning the last page, brought a tear to my eye. He had a good run; his novels are stacked two deep in my bookshelves!At least ten to go!

As a novelist (D.E.Royce) and artist, truly appreciated the prompt and well packaged book from the seller. Michener’s prologues - as enjoyed by a wealth of his fans will mot be found in this book - it’s rather an honest overview of his intention as a writer and life experiences…. an autobiography for sure.“The World Is My Home” - is Michener’s true, blue take on life as he experienced it… honest, thoughtful - and much like - emotionally - how we all experience life. A fairly long read - a bit over 500 pages its worth your read.

I don’t think Michener would take offense when I say it is not as enjoyable as his historical fiction. But I am glad he wrote it and I read it. A life of unusual adventure. Some cast on him and some chosen.

First off, you've got to like Michener to read this; after all, this is a biography and he's basically telling you how he got the idea for his books, that and his love of opera. But give the man credit, his books were all close to a thousand pages, massive epics on the history of the West, or Hawaii, or Israel, or Spain, or Alaska, or Poland, or retirement homes, or space. Well, you get the idea. As an author, he believed in research and loved doing it, diving back into prehistoric times and moving forward from there, giving you a feel of how an area or land came to be, all while trying to show a country's or region's historical background in culture. And to think that it all came from his years in the Navy stationed in the Pacific...hey, South Pacific, now that would make a good title for a musical (yes, based on his first book, Tales of the South Pacific). How can he remember so much detail? Here's one clue. While at the age of 80, he decided that he was getting old and had better step up the pace of his writing...so he wrote five more books including this one (two more were nearly completed by the time he passed away). At the very least, this book will sum up another notch in your praise for Michener (again, IF you enjoy his readable style of writing).

A grand adventure into the writing life. Michener takes us back to the hard-scrabble life of his youth and how he managed to overcome all of the hardships and trials of growing up without parents. Then it is off to his World War Two service in the South Pacific., where he fashioned stories that would win the Pulitzer Prize and be turned into the play South Pacific.His harrowing tales of surviving three plane crashes and of being on inspection tours for Admiral Halsey at Guadalcanal and other islands in the South Pacific made for interesting reading. And the impeccable research he did for his novels was inspiring. An example being, when he rode in a navy jet that attacked bridges in North Korea, so he could write his novel, The Bridges at Toko-Ri.This book is a slice of Americana, and I can't rate it highly enough.

Book was in excellent condition,although not new.Excellent value for money.

What a great book, by a wonderful author. Thanks for the memories.

Have been searching for a decent used copy of this book. Now I have one. Thank you!!

Michener, durch seine Reisen als Militärreporter viel von der Welt gesehen. jedoch immer kritisch geblieben. das mag ich an ihm.

Excellent copy. Efficient delivery.