James A. Michener

James Albert Michener ( or ; February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American author. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were lengthy, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating detailed history. Michener had numerous bestsellers and works selected by the Book of the Month Club, and was known for his meticulous research behind the books.

Michener's books include ''Tales of the South Pacific'' for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948, ''Hawaii'', ''The Drifters'', ''Centennial'', ''The Source'', ''The Fires of Spring'', ''Chesapeake'', ''Caribbean'', ''Caravans'', ''Alaska'', ''Texas'', ''Space'', and ''Poland'', as well as ''The Bridges at Toko-ri''. His non-fiction works include ''Iberia'', about his travels in Spain and Portugal; his memoir titled ''The World Is My Home''; and ''Sports in America''. ''Return to Paradise'' combines fictional short stories with Michener's factual descriptions of the Pacific areas where they take place.

His first book was adapted as the popular Broadway musical ''South Pacific'' by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and later as eponymous feature films in 1958 and 2001, adding to his financial success. A number of his other stories and novels were adapted for films or TV series.

He also wrote a book entitled ''Presidential Lottery: The Reckless Gamble in Our Electoral System'', in which he condemns the United States' Electoral College system. It was published in 1969, and republished in 2014 and 2016. Provided by Wikipedia