41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring, Surprising, Monumental !!!, March 18, 1999
This review is from: Poland (Mass Market Paperback)
Just a few words to describe the sheer magesty of Michener's retelling of the tale of Poland. Unless you were specifically educated as to Poland's history, I guarantee you will awed by what this peice of land, and its people, have been through. I am of Polish ancestry, and though I knew I knew very little about what my roots were, I had no idea what the sheer depth of my ignorance was. Just the simple fact that at two different times during the past few hundred years, there wasn't even a Poland at all, will probably shock most people.
The way Mr. Michener is able to weave his tapestry of Poland over the course of thousands of years, keeping his reader glued to the pages, is a blessing to us all. I am so happy I was able to discover even an over-view of what my past family had been through. After understanding how the Polish political system worked for so long, I also think I begin to understand where all of those Polish jokes probably came from through the years :)
It is an often-times sad story, of a strong people set upon at all points of the compass, used by Nation's over and over again, yet still they survive today. The families that Michener allows us to follow throughout the novel will at times have you in awe, at other times have you in ire, but unfailingly, they will have your interest.
Throughout the many novels of Michener's I have read, I have yet to be unappreciative of the opportunity to visit with the many Lands and Peoples he brings to life in his books. I eagerly await the next novel I will pick up of his, as yet again, I know I will be transported back in time to visit other people and places, with the sheer brilliance of the undisputed master of the factual/fictional historical novel leading the way.
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58 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Rousing read and remarkable historically accurate., February 9, 2003
This review is from: Poland (Mass Market Paperback)
I read this book after I had just finsihed a university course on the history of Poland. I was shocked at how historically accurate this work was. Michener definetly did his homework on this one. Even better it is extremely well-written. Despite the fact that I knew the history and therefore the outcomes of many of the events he was describing the detail which he gives to his character's lives as you follow a family history through time is riveting. I could barely put it down. If you can only read one of his books I highly recommend Poland.
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29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good book which helps one understand Europe, August 4, 1999
This review is from: Poland (Mass Market Paperback)
I read this book because my wife is Polish and I wanted to share with my children their herritage. The book gave me insight into Europe and some of its longstanding conflicts. The Holocoust of World War II is just one of a string of holocousts. I was amazed at Sweden's behavior during its conquest and slaughter of Poland. It helped me to understand what happened in Kosovo. Michener's mix of history and fiction was at times confusing. His fictional characters seemed so real when compared to historical figures. I would recommend a continuous review of the list of who is real and who is not given at the front of the book. Overall it was a good book which gives a flavor of Poland and Europe
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