Description
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(as of May 28, 2025 11:59:59 UTC – Details)
Written to commemorate the Bicentennial in 1976, James A. Michener’s magnificent saga of the West is an enthralling celebration of the frontier. Brimming with the glory of America’s past, the story of Colorado – the Centennial State – is manifested through its people: Lame Beaver, the Arapaho chieftain and warrior, and his Comanche and Pawnee enemies; Levi Zendt, fleeing with his child bride from the Amish country; and the cowboy, Jim Lloyd, who falls in love with a wealthy and cultured Englishwoman, Charlotte Seccombe. In Centennial, trappers, traders, homesteaders, gold seekers, ranchers, and hunters are brought together in the dramatic conflicts that shape the destiny of the legendary West – and the entire country.
Customers say
Customers find this historical novel engaging as a well-researched history lesson wrapped around a story. The book receives praise for its writing style, character development, and historical accuracy, with one customer noting how it takes readers through generation after generation. While customers appreciate the attention to detail and find it an excellent way to learn history, the pacing receives mixed reactions, with several customers finding it slow-paced for today’s readers.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Amazon Customer –
Long, but, oH, so Worthy
Michener takes you through time, like no history book you ever read. If you read it for love, and not for a fast story with a speedy ending, youâll enjoy it. Let yourself absorb each section, and in fact devour it. You wonât regret it.
MommaLayne –
A Vivid Epic of the American Fronteir
In “Centennial,” James A. Michener delivers an expansive and richly detailed saga that captures the essence of the American West, particularly the history and transformation of Colorado. Through the interwoven lives of characters like Lame Beaver, the Arapaho chieftain, and Levi Zendt, a homesteader seeking a new life, Michener brings to life the diverse cultures and struggles that shaped the frontier.The novel celebrates the triumphs and trials of various groups, from Native Americans to settlers, providing a comprehensive narrative filled with vibrant characters and historical contexts. Michener’s storytelling mastery shines as he paints a vivid picture of the landscapes, conflicts, and human experiences that define the region. “Centennial” not only serves as a celebration of America’s past but also as a poignant reminder of the complex interplay between cultures and the enduring spirit of the wild West.
Robert Johnson –
Always interesting and informative
Definitely an interesting read. I learned a lot about the history of the west. For me it did drag a bit towards the end.
bonnybedlam –
One of my lifelong favorites
I was so glad to see this book come out for Kindle at long last! It was worth the wait, though, as this is one of the cleanest Kindle transfers around. With the exception of “but” in place of “hut” in two, maybe three, places, I found no distracting typos and the maps are totally readable.That said, this is why I’ve been reading it since I was a teenager: Centennial, as the story of one fairly small bit of landscape, is the story of America in microcosm, from the hardening of the Earth’s crust to about 1974. Having been published not long after, some of the science is outdated so I don’t read the Earth formation part anymore. For me, the book gets good when it becomes about living things.The introduction of diplodocus begins the history of life in Centennial Colorado, and by the time that pea-brained Fred Flintstone crane of an animal gives way to the insufficiently attractive beaver who has to take a lazy mate, damn it, I’ve grown to really care about her troubles in the swamps. But then I care about the beaver’s troubles, too, and after her the horse and the buffalo and the French-Canadian trappers and the Native Americans, and everyone who comes after. Everyone reaches Centennial in a different way (even the Natives, who roamed across the land and were only much later confined to a small portion near the town), for a different reason, only to find their lives hopelessly intertwined and their families hopelessly intermarried. Mostly it turns out okay.A small warning, though. A story that covers three hundred years of people and families is, naturally, going to involved a lot of death. That’s not a spoiler, that’s common sense. But we get to live with them so long and know them so intimately, it’s gut-wrenching to lose characters that seem like friends over and over. And that’s not even considering what the soldiers did to the Natives. That’s pretty graphic–more graphic than I’ve ever heard our government accused of–but Michener is careful not to glorify it or make heroes of anyone involved.There was a time, after having read it four or five times already, when I thought it was too sad to ever read again. Fortunately that seems to have been a phase. I enjoyed this reading all the more for the long break and look forward to reading it again.Little Tip: If you’re considering reading Centennial for the first time and have the option, I’d recommend the Kindle version just for the x-ray feature alone. The dictionary and access to Google/Wiki for the obscure stuff is really helpful, but x-ray is practically required to keep straight all the names and relationships through the decades and centuries.
Frank Donnelly –
A Very Good And Somewhat Typical James Michener Novel
“Centennial” is a vast sprawling epic about an area northeast of Denver. It starts before human history and carries on until 1976. Once human beings inhabit the area various individuals and their offspring become entwinned in tis ongoing history. I completely enjoyed the novel, with the exception of the ending, of which I will not specifically detail.I have been reading James Michener novels in the order of their publication. Of the ones I have so far read, this one reminds me in format of “Hawaii” which I also enjoyed. I would say these two novels are my two favorie James Michener novels thus far and I might lean towards “Hawaii” as my favorite.My copy of this novel is over 1000 pages. It took me approximately a month to read at a mostly casual pace. As is often the case, I also listened to an audiobook at the same time. The audiobook, narrated by Larry McKeever was of high professional quality. Occasionaly I increased the speed of the reading on my device to match my normal reading speed.***** I intend to remain vague about the end of this novel, but feel free to skip this part. *****The only problem I had with this novel is the end. I felt the author used the end of the novel to expound upon his own vision of American Society, ecology, etc…. That, of course, is his right. I just felt it was the weakest part of the novel. In that context, the novel reminded me of his previous novel, “The Drifters”.***** End of reference to the end of the novel. *****In summary, I am very glad that I read this novel. Although fiction, James Michener mixes in a lot of historical detail. I did parallel reading and study, and I LEARNED A LOT. That is one reason that I enjoy James Michener novels so much. They are enjoyable but they are vast sprawling works that demand a commitment. After some months I intend to read another. Thank You…
Monika Harmelink –
Mitcheners bombenfeste Vorstudien
lyntrom –
Michener’s books always provide an in-depth, well researched history of the area of focus, in this case, Centennial Colorado. I found the pre-historic segment slow but once the story involved his fictitious characters, it was engaging and drew you into the history of the times. It was told from many different perspectives, Indian tribes, settlers, British land investors and more recent generations of all of these people. I learned a great deal in the process as it brought the history to life through their personal tales set. It’s a very long detailed book but worth the time.
phillip shovk –
A fabulous epic tale that sheds light on so many dark corners of American history .
alessandra bonino –
ho comprato questo libro, che è indicato come nuovo, in realtà la copertina non è perfetta come dovrebbe essere un libro nuovo. il prezzo certamente è da libro nuovo, più di 20 Euro. Lo tengo lostesso perchè mi serve subito.
Kukui Pachuau –
If someone had told me that this was a true story (excluding the bits only about the animals) that this was based on a true story I would’ve totally believed them. Fascinating storytelling .