The Source
by James A. Michener · first published 1900
6mentions
5recommended by
6HN commenters
2009–2023first – last mentioned
83% recommend17% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Sweeping historical fiction that spans thousands of years through linked stories set in one fictional town in Israel; readers who enjoy imagining daily life in past eras or romanticize history find it fun and engaging.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"The Source" chronicles the history of the middle east from early geologic time to the twentieth century. This spellbinding narrative brings to life the story of this part of the world as only Michener can.
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
For folks who wonder how life would have been in those times, or just romanticize transporting to some time in history, I would highly recommend The Source by James A Michener. It covers thousands of years through multiple fictional stories across time but located in a fictitious town in Israel. There's "paganism", fun engineering challenges solved, the…
on “Iberian Citadel of Calafell, Iron Age Village” ↗"The Source" by James Michener is fun historical fiction on the subject. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Source_(novel) I'm also a big fan of the Cartoon History of the Universe series. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cartoon_History_of_the_U...
on “Ask HN: What's the Best Book on Religion” ↗Bradbury: Now and Forever: Somewhere a Band Is Playing & Leviathan '99 Gleick: The Information Michener: The Source Martin: A Song of Ice and Fire (all of them, digital)
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗Just want to jump in and show some appreciation for Michener’s historical fictions. The Source is great, and Hawaii is one of my all time favorite books.
on “Iberian Citadel of Calafell, Iron Age Village” ↗I recommend The Source by Michener (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Source_(novel)). Masterfully written.
on “Why Jewish History Is So Hard to Write” ↗…ordered a Kindle. But now I need to learn where to find all those free books (I love classics, but where can I find all of Plato's dialogues? King James Bible? Also, I want to buy an ebook (Michener's The Source) which is not available for Kindle but can be purchased as an ebook. How will I get these on my Kindle. I need specific help and would be most grateful for any. I've been reading these discusions for…
on “Why I won’t touch the Kindle 2 with a ten foot pole.” ↗