Recessional

Rating:
Summary: Kept waiting for it to get better....
Review: "Recessional" was alot like the salad bar served nightly at "The Palms" - lots of choices with very little quality. I got the distinct impression that the story line of this shallow novel was only a vehicle for Michener's pontifications on subjects as diverse as Aids, Race Relations and Aging. There was very little character development, so it was difficult to care about any one in particular. But the biggest problem I had was the inattention to detail; detail which has made earlier Michener novels so captivating and entertaining. There are few Michener books I haven't read, so it it hard for me to suggest, but perhaps it is time for Mr. Michener to pack up his typewriter and enjoy the company of his peers in a "Palms"

Rating:
Summary: Pretend like you've never read a Michener book before
Review: "Recessional" was my introduction into James Michener's writing. This novel is the work of a fine craftsman. Upon reading, you feel that there are no wasted characters or scenes; all are important and work towards making a beautiful canvas for you to enjoy.

In this story a young doctor, Dr. Andy Zorn, is driven from his practice in Chicago by a frivolous lawsuit against him and by his divorce. Mr. Taggert, the owner of a chain of retirement communities, hires Dr. Zorn to manage of his properties, The Palms in Tampa, which is not making a profit. It is at this location that Zorn must rebuild the community and his life.

Of the characters Zorn meets, you feel that you have met them before, but never took the time to know them. For instance, there is Mr. Bixby who seems like just another retiree. One day, someone notices that he is "the" Buzz Bixby of World Series fame many years ago. All the characters, and for the matter all retirees, have had a wealth of experiences which get overlooked when we do not try to understand.

Michener also discusses many issues (as an aside, this was written in the early nineties) such as Alzheimer's, AIDS, euthanasia, and living wills. There are other topics, but these seem to be the most poignant. Throughout these issues, you will never feel that Michener is preaching to you, but you will know how he feels.

I would recommend this book. It is an enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: God's Waiting Room!
Review: A very good description of the options faced by those in the twilight of their life. The plot was really secondary to what I considered the main point of the story, which is the lives of the residents, and the activities of the caretakers. In all, it is a depressing story, but I guess that's the point.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: I was assigned to read this book for one of my college courses and I really ended up liking it. It's my understanding that Michener himself actually lived at the retirement center he based the book on and that many of the characters were based very closely on residents there. My teacher describes it as more of an ethnography than a novel, which made it that much more interesting to me.

Rating:
Summary: A true Michener again
Review: If you enjoy Michener's style at all, you'll find this a good read too. It is true, as others have noticed, that the author may be getting old. Where before, when my first impulse was "nobody talks that way" I could remind myself that English is not my native language and America not my home, in this book many dialogs are clearly contrived. Nevertheless, the thing that matters is how much Michener managed to put into them, and believe me, he still does.
A point noone else commented on: The whole book, from beginning to end, is a royal slagging off of the one profession I despise most. So if you happen to be a lawyer, it may be you will not enjoy the book as much as I did - but especially then I recommend you to read it and try to take it to heart.

Rating:
Summary: A true Michener again
Review: If you enjoy Michener's style at all, you'll find this a good read too. It is true, as others have noticed, that the author may be getting old. Where before, when my first impulse was "nobody talks that way" I could remind myself that English is not my native language and America not my home, in this book many dialogs are clearly contrived. Nevertheless, the thing that matters is how much Michener managed to put into them, and believe me, he still does.
A point noone else commented on: The whole book, from beginning to end, is a royal slagging off of the one profession I despise most. So if you happen to be a lawyer, it may be you will not enjoy the book as much as I did - but especially then I recommend you to read it and try to take it to heart.

Rating:
Summary: Michener's Retirement Book
Review: James A. Michener must be anticipating his own retirement in this book as he writes a compelling and interesting novel about a retirement facility in Florida. What to most might be a very boring subject, Michener once again enlivens his characters and makes them so interesting that the book is a real page-turner. In our contemporary society, the aged are packed away into retirement homes and forgotten. In Michener's view, the elderly live interesting lives, have meaning and purpose, and are thinking, feeling people. Particularly facinating is the attempt of four of the elderly men who attempt to build and fly an experimental aircraft!

Michener invites the reader to ponder the intricate problem of medical science extending human life, and when life ceases to be meaningful. In 2003, the media was buzzing with the attempt by a husband to end the life of his brain damaged wife in a nursing home. Michener has stong opinions on this subject and appears to be a prophet in dealing with a topic that only recently came to the american public's attention.

This is perhaps Michener's last great novel. I believe the reader will find it engaging and worthwhile. Although it is not as superb as "Texas", "Centennial", or "The Source", Michener will not disappoint you in "Recessional".

Jim Koenig

Rating:
Summary: Michener's Retirement Book
Review: James A. Michener must be anticipating his own retirement in this book as he writes a compelling and interesting novel about a retirement facility in Florida. What to most might be a very boring subject, Michener once again enlivens his characters and makes them so interesting that the book is a real page-turner. In our contemporary society, the aged are packed away into retirement homes and forgotten. In Michener's view, the elderly live interesting lives, have meaning and purpose, and are thinking, feeling people. Particularly facinating is the attempt of four of the elderly men who attempt to build and fly an experimental aircraft!

Michener invites the reader to ponder the intricate problem of medical science extending human life, and when life ceases to be meaningful. In 2003, the media was buzzing with the attempt by a husband to end the life of his brain damaged wife in a nursing home. Michener has stong opinions on this subject and appears to be a prophet in dealing with a topic that only recently came to the american public's attention.

This is perhaps Michener's last great novel. I believe the reader will find it engaging and worthwhile. Although it is not as superb as "Texas", "Centennial", or "The Source", Michener will not disappoint you in "Recessional".

Jim Koenig

Rating:
Summary: A dud
Review: This is a book your boring granddaddy might have written. That it was (allegedly) written by the monumentally talented James A. Michener is hard to believe. It was written relatively late in his life, and he was losing it.