James Michener has a remarkable talent for introducing a setting and taking his readers on a journey, that will make one understand the area through it's history and it's people. In Chesapeake, he forms a novel around that area in Maryland that borders the Choptank River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay.Michener begins with the natives just prior to settlement by colonial English. Through native (and later colonial) eyes, the reader gets a good feel for the bounty available in this area. He describes a beautiful natural setting with fish and fowl, berries and trees - everything capable of sustaining life. His descriptions of the land make it a valuable treasure to his characters and his readers, and this is even more poignant in later chapters of the book, when environmental concerns come into play.Like all Michener books, there is so much history here. From 16th century Native American tribes, to immigrants arriving from across a vast ocean, we learn how each affects the land and how the land affects them. I was fascinated to learn how the different religious sects arrived to find persecution in this new land. We are always told that early settlers came to flee religious persecution, but in Chesapeake, early Quakers were flogged, stripped and sometimes chased naked out of various colonies.Slavery and the racist attitudes that survive it's demise, also play a big role in this 1,000 + page novel. I enjoyed the stories of the African Cudjo, how he led the mutiny of his slave ship, and how he eventually became free. Michener did a good job of portraying those who profited, either directly or indirectly, from the slave trade. Their struggle with conscience versus the uncertainty of economic livelihood was well presented. And the feisty Quaker matriarch, who knew, without a doubt, that slavery was an evil that must be abolished, was a wonderful balance to the slaves and those that allowed slavery to continue.Michener also used anthropomorphism to make the world of geese and crabs come alive in a way that helped the reader to understand the changes taking place in nature. I greatly appreciated this much more than the straightforward approach he used in other novels.Another story line near the end included the Watergate crimes. Since this novel was first published in 1978, Michener, like all of us during that time, were surrounded by news of the break-in and subsequent hearings. With little choice in television or radio, Watergate was on every channel all the time. You couldn't get away from it. And so I appreciated even more, Michener's including it in the book. Somehow, it seemed right because it would have been a big part of the history of this area, especially given it's proximity to the nation's capital.I have to yet to read a Michener novel that I didn't enjoy, and Chesapeake definitely rises to the top of those I have read. Fabulous book!
This is not the first book I have read by this author. I am always impressed, if not amazed, by his depth of knowledge concerning the topography, people, and in-depth history of the areas about which he writes. This book was no exception. The book unfolds in voyages, fourteen in all, and takes us across an amazing four centuries. It begins with the native tribes living in the Choptank area of the country in the 16th century, and moves across time as colonists embark from Europe. Amazingly, he tracks three families across all this time: the Turlocks--a group of muskrat like people who inhabit the swamps; the Steeds, from English ancestry who become very rich and noble like; and the Paxmores--Quakers who build ships and stand, steadfast as the masts of their ships, to their Quaker faith. The story is a powerful one because I found myself becoming attached through familiarity with the families. As with any relations, I did not always care for each equally, but that is normal, I believe. This is not a piece of classic literature in the way that one thinks of A Tale of Two Cities, for example. But it maintains its own kind of majesty that tracks a segment of Americana in a most memorable way. The memories are sometimes painful: slavery, the mistreatment of the Native American peoples; the debauchery and pollution of the pristine area, the land, and the waterways. I particularly loved the way the author makes connections between men and nature. Near the end of the novel, one of the characters, a Steed, is a retired gentleman 65 years old. The author writes that the force of the earth, revolving in its passage through space, ought to carry an older man along, from year to year, making such honors as he may have earned seem even more delectable because of his reunion with primal agencies. I like to believe that, when I am 65 in five years, I will feel that same way, and be carried along by the stream of time and nature in which I make my passage. This is a powerful book, but because it accurately reflects the many avarices of the human species, one will not find it either easy or painless to read. I loved it, but am picking up something a little lighter, both figuratively and literally, for my next read.
What do You think about Chesapeake (2003)?
This novel is a sweeping saga that tracks three families of differing socials classes from the day they arrive on the Delmarva (eastern shore of Maryland) to the late 1970s. It would be interesting to read Michener's view on the last 30 years. Michnener is sparse on dialog and fond of using words that even the college prep courses haven't discovered. If you decide to take this journey, and it is a long one (800+ pages), don't expect high drama and page-turning action and suspense. Prepare yourself for lengthy descriptions of Indians and Europeans exploring the bay and the rivers that feed it. Action, including several accounts of pirates, is described in detail. The saga is compelling but the writing is more akin to narrative history than fiction because of its sterile, seemingly unbiased accounts of the characters.As a fan of the Chesapeake, it was lovely to read the detailed descriptions of rivers, oysters, crabs, marshes, geese and heron. Michener captured many of the unique elements of the bay--the brackish waters, the Skipjack, Chesapeake retreivers, tomatoe canneries, and lots of corn.The fictive movments when his characters interacted with historical figures were entertaining--such as one of the Steeds playing cards with George Washington. Michener adds relevancy by weaving into the plot such moments as well as historical events like the civil rights movement and Watergate. While suspense is not Michener's forte, his language skills are beyond reproach. He has penned timelines one liners among the vast descriptions. One of my favorites is on page 278 and it ends a paragraph wherein Roselind is describing how she will landscape Devon Island. "My principal flowers will be trees. Because when you plant trees, you're entitled to believe you'll live forever."The pragmatic knowledge, ingenuity and rebellousness of the Turlock clan is also laughable and admirable at times. At one point a sailing yacht has run aground in the soft mud of the Choptank. The yacht clearly outweighs the Turlock's skipjack, but Amos (I believe) brokers a deal for $50 dollar so free the boat. Knowing that he cannot tow it free, he ties a line to the yacht's mast at least half way up and begins to make it heal. When the mast is almost parallel to the water and the keel is unstuck, the tide bouyes the boat and it float free. The owner complains that $50 is a lot of money for 6 minues work. To which Amos replies something like, "$5 for doing, $45 for know how."If you have the time and want to learn more about the Chesapeake and enjoy historical fiction, this novel is worthy of your time.
—Jmattox
Just arrived from USA through BM.The cover of this edition, provided by Wikipedia, is the following:This book covers the history of the North American east, mainly Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where the Choptank River flows into the Chesapeake. By covering the historical period from 1583 to 1978, the author describes many historical facts and plenty of main characters, showing how the founders of 4 families will dominate the main plot: the Steeds, the Paxmores, the Caters and the Turlocks. Some strong and remarkable female characters play important roles into the plot.The book is divided in 18 chapters, each one beginning with a voyage that will provide the foundation for the chapter plot and will describe a particular generation of people.Some geographical points, such as Devon Island and the town of Patamoke , are fictional. There is an interesting link, Talbot County, which suggests an itinerary for this book.The author also describes a large variety of central themes, such as religion, slavery, poverty, industry and politics, including the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Emancipation and the Watergate scandal.Some typical wildlife animals are also described, starting with the deer, the Canadian Honker geese, the oysters and crabs as well.A magnificent book and an unforgettable saga that certainly will captivate many readers. So far, this is the best book I have read by James Michener.4* Hawaii4* Alaska4.5* ChesapeakeTR Tales of the South PacificTR CaravansTR Sayonara
—Laura
I was worried about committing myself to this, but the reviews were enthusiastic for good reason. The story moves along at a nice pace, I never remember becoming bored or hitting sections that move like molasses. This seems near impossible to avoid in such big works, or for someone w/ a bad attention span like myself. This really is a great way to know & understand history, the characters are interestingly realistic, reflecting the beliefs & struggles of the time in their own ways & changing in the process (or changing the beliefs of the world around them). Not limited to the human story though, the natural world is also involved; the bay, marshes, weather, & animals. As someone who has recently moved to the area, this book gave me a nice overview.
—Ian Lindstrom
