BajaNomad

The Recessional by James Michener

BajaBlanca - 3-5-2016 at 01:27 PM

I recently finished reading a very interesting book about illnesses of the aged, attitudes of the aged, senior challenges such as losing one's driver's license permanently due to age. It also deals with an invented retirement center and its residents. It is sometimes hysterical, sometimes tear jerkingly sad.

He wrote it at age 87!

I highly recommend this book and I wish I had read it at age 40 - again at 50 and now that I am turning 60 soon, I finally read it and will reread it at 70 and 80.

Now, to relate this to Baja: I tried reading his book Mexico and did not like it at all. completely different and not enjoyable at all.

comments? have any of you read either book and what did you think?

DENNIS - 3-5-2016 at 01:38 PM


Never even heard of it, but I'll find it. Thanks.

chippy - 3-5-2016 at 02:03 PM

Thanks Blanca! I just finished his Mexico. What a waste of time. The only reason I finished was due to being in Cuba (no TV or internet). I to will be 60 soon. I'll try and find it. Thanks again.

Cisco - 3-5-2016 at 03:07 PM

Michener's early books were researched and written by him.

The sheer volume of work necessary in his large amount and size of books led him to hire graduate students to do the research for him and he wrote from their studies, which of course were entirely different perceptions than he would have had of the same subject.

"Everyone sees a different beach."

Consequently, in my opinion, his later novels were lacking the quality of his truly amazing early works.

I would think that due to the subject matter this book would have been "researched" and written by him and in the early style that I fell in love with.

Ordered a copy and look forward to reading it. Thanks for the 'head's up' Blanca.

vandenberg - 3-5-2016 at 03:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  


I highly recommend this book and I wish I had read it at age 40 - again at 50 and now that I am turning 60 soon, I finally read it and will reread it at 70 and 80.



Your optimism is refreshing.

BajaBlanca - 3-5-2016 at 06:23 PM

I could not even read Mexico. Tried twice and gave up after 2 or 3 pages.

Please do a trip report on Cuba Chippy.

Cisco - I bet you are right on the button. The style is really old Michener.

I will be very interested to hear what everyone thinks about the book. It ain't a short one folks but except when you have to stop and think about how you react to what he wrote (I mean we are most of us getting up there in age and this certainly hits home), the reading is really fast going.

Barry A. - 3-5-2016 at 06:50 PM

I own, and read Michener's MEXICO about 22 years ago, and found it fascinating and wonderful, but his style is not for everybody, I admit. I have not heard of this other book, but now am sure curious and will find it and read it.

SFandH - 3-5-2016 at 06:52 PM

Just bought it. $7.99. Thanks Blanca.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H6JHORK?keywords=The%20R...

gotta love kindles, read blanca's post and got the book within a couple of minutes

Barry A. - 3-5-2016 at 07:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  


Please do a trip report on Cuba Chippy.

(here is MY report):

My brother-in-law just got back from about 10 days in Cuba--------I asked for a report-------he left me a phone message, saying, "lots of VERY poor people, but most seemed happy, that about sums it up----very strange place, but beautiful".

[Edited on 3-6-2016 by Barry A.]

BajaBlanca - 3-6-2016 at 09:01 AM

thanks!

bajalinda - 3-6-2016 at 10:09 AM

Read Mexico a couple of years ago - huge disappointment and waste of time, IMHO.

Will also look for the other book - thanks Blanca.

Martyman - 3-7-2016 at 03:36 PM

I enjoyed Micheners "Alaska"

weebray - 3-7-2016 at 07:21 PM

Available at addall.com books for as little as four bucks. Our go to bookstore.

BajaBlanca - 3-8-2016 at 07:21 AM

Thanks Weebray.....for those close to la paz, great idea!

gallesram - 3-8-2016 at 08:01 AM

I am a huge Michener fan; sounds like I'm clearly in the minority because I loved Mexico. The Drifters is another one of his books that is fantastic too; as were Alaska and Texas. I also liked The Recessional and found it a bit easier to read than his earlier books. Like others have said, his style doesn't appeal to everyone but if you like it then his works are a real treat. I agree with Blanca that The Recessional triggered a real array of emotions as one read through the book. I didn't find that to be the case with the others.

DENNIS - 3-8-2016 at 08:01 AM


I read "Mexico" and enjoyed it. If I recall correctly, JM passed away before finishing it,.....at which point I have no idea. When it was published along with this information, I thought the completed product may have been purely profit motivated. I read it anyway.
I've wasted time on less rewarding books.




.

[Edited on 3-8-2016 by DENNIS]

DENNIS - 3-8-2016 at 08:07 AM


"The Drifters" I enjoyed a lot, but never gave it much chance for longevity due to the contemporary theme, the emergence of the wandering Hippie culture.
Ohh well.....they said "60 Minutes" would suffer the same fate for the same reasons, but they found a way to sell old news with re-runs.





.

[Edited on 3-8-2016 by DENNIS]

Pfish - 3-9-2016 at 07:24 AM

Love James Michener books. Hawaii is one of the best. The Covenant. Cheasapeake, Centennial, Mexico. They are all great. The only one I could not get through was Space.

BajaBlanca - 3-9-2016 at 07:36 AM



Has anyone read Poland????

Now I have to get Hawaii and Alaska and Chesapeake...and the rest.

and I will try Mexico once again.

bajaguy - 3-9-2016 at 07:44 AM

I'm slogging through Alaska for the third time. The Wolly Mastodon has not changed.........

BajaBlanca - 3-9-2016 at 05:31 PM

slogging does NOT make we want to rush out and get it LOL

Vince - 3-10-2016 at 11:17 AM

Thanks for all of your book reviews, it has got me interested in Michener again. Will order Recessional.