Creatures of the Kingdom

Michener, James A.

ISBN 10: 0679429050 ISBN 13: 9780679429050

Publisher: Random House Audio, 1993

Synopsis

Contains nature stories that have captivated millions of fans--along with a never-before-published story. 2 cassettes.

About this title

Review

If you know James Michener solely for his entertaining, exhaustively researched epic novels, the short essays in Creatures of the Kingdom may come as a surprise, though all but one are excerpted from five of his most popular works. Mostly tales of animal life told in a strong narrative voice from the animal's anthropomorphized point of view, these 16 pieces evince a clear affection for their subjects and are told with an essential goodwill that is reminiscent of James Herriot. Good tales on their own (each piece stands alone and is not hampered by being taken out of context), the stories selected for this anthology also serve to showcase the gentle humor that infuses Michener's body of work, but which is generally overshadowed by the sheer weight of information and ideas in cumbrous books that could easily double as doorstops. By contrast, Creatures of the Kingdom clocks in at a digestible 281 pages and will appeal to anyone who enjoys reading about natural history or zoology. It is also likely to be a favorite with adolescent readers who favor animal stories but are getting too advanced for reading material aimed at their own age group--or who have depleted the available youth titles and are ready to move on. --Brenda Pittsley

From the Inside Flap

ure stories that have captivated millions of fans--along with a never-before-published story. 2 cassettes.

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Audio
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0679429050
• ISBN 13: 9780679429050
• Binding: Audio Cassette