Born in Pennsylvania in 1907, James A. Michener had a fantastic run at the top of the best sellers list, creating epic historical fiction and a lot of non-fiction. It is estimated that 75 million copies of his books have sold worldwide. He served as a Naval historian during WWII and his experiences led to
Tales of the South Pacific, which earned him a Pulitzer Prize in 1948. 15 of his works have been adapted to the big or small screen. He was a philanthropist, donating $100 million to various causes. He was involved in politics for a while as a Democrat, which I found surprising given his novel
Legacy, which I just finished. It is the story of an Army Major, a member of the National Security Council embroiled in the Iran-Contra scandal during the Reagan administration. His work was on the Nicaraguan side of it, the fight against communism in Latin America. He is unrepentant. His lawyer wants to use family history as the basis for his defense. The Major's ancestors were present during the framing of the constitution and in the interpretation of it through the decades. Seven of his relatives are profiled in brief, separate chapters. Not all were on the right side of history, but all were good people. The novel spans only 176 pages, less given the breaks. It seems more like an outline, a planned epic the author didn't have time to complete. It is skimpy on the drama that makes fiction compelling, and the conclusion is completely unsatisfying. It doesn't answer the question it begs: Do noble intentions and a sterling family history exonerate one from actions deemed criminal by certain politicians and reporters? Most folks would probably answer no, but the narrative doesn't give the reader a chance to examine the case, which probably means it will be judged by the reader's political persuasion. The writing is as solid as one would expect from such a successful author. Only 14 users at Amazon have rated
Legacy, forging to a consensus of 3.5 on a scale of five. I rate it two. It stands largely as a testament to the greatness of the Constitution, which is included in the paperback, as is an an excerpt of Michener's following book,
Alaska. He passed passed away in 1987 at 90. This novel may have failed, but there is no doubt of the wonderful legacy he left.
And in a current political battle, where the mainstream media now showers love on a former CIA director who has had his security clearance revoked by President Trump, here's a headline from the July 31st 2014 issue of the Washington Post, followed by the concluding lines of the accompanying article:
"Obama should fire John Brennan"
"...But as Brennan said when he denied the allegations, “if I did something wrong…he is the one who can ask me to stay or to go.” It’s time for Obama to take that responsibility head-on and start to restore in U.S. intelligence agencies some semblance of responsibility to the Constitution and the public."
Brennan was accused of lying about the tapping of senate phones, and civilian casualties during drone strikes, which he claimed were zero. Whose legacy will be positive - Brennan's or Trump's?
From 6 p.m. Friday through midnight Sunday, at least 58 people were shot across Chicago. At least six of those victims died. What will Mayor Rahm Emanuel's legacy be?
My thanks to Bus Driver, who purchased three Catherine Coulter thrillers, and to the sweet elderly woman who bought a book in Russian. She had just suffered a fall two blocks away. Fortunately, her bag flew before her face, cushioning it. Her shoulder is sore. I suggested she take Tylenol. She said she'll spread cabbage leafs over the injured area, a remedy with which I was completely unfamiliar.
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