The Quality of Life by James A. Michener

James Michener is arguably America's best known author, writing novels of historical, artistic, and political content in astounding numbers since 1947. Readers who are familiar with Hawaii, Caribbean, Texas, Chesapeake, and the dozen other Michener lengthy titles that are offered at all regular trade book stores are overwhelmed when learning of the tremendous quantity of other titles by Michener.

One such lesser known piece is THE QUALITY OF LIFE, written for and published by the Girard Bank in Pennsylvania. The 85 page commentary is accented with paintings by James B. Wyeth, a gifted Pennsylvania artist whose paintings hang in the Brandywine Museum in Chadds Ford along with those of his father, Andrew Wyeth and his grandfather, N.C. Wyeth.

Michener begins by announcing to the reader that he is not a philosopher or an historian, nor a sociologist, nor a political theorist. He then continues his writing until the reader is hard pressed to believe that he is not all of these. He proclaims four supports of our nation as the secret of our continuance: The Constitution, education, economic abundance, and religion. He concludes by insisting we are intelligent enough to restore control and we must do so for the continuation of a great democracy.

The quality of life for all Americans has been made richer by the sharing of experiences and thoughts of the writer who has been most prolific in the past 50 years. The true first edition of this work is the Girard Bank edition, which is in slipcase. A trade edition which is expanded and in dust jacket is also available. This is a work which belongs in any Michener Collection and on the bookshelf of every American.

Copyright 1996 - 2001 C. Dickens Fine, Rare and Collectible Books, Atlanta, Georgia