James Michener, Pennsylvania’s Favorite Literary Son
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Navy veteran James Michener (1907-1997) was born in Doylestown, now the home of the grand Michener Art Museum. Located at 138 South Pine Street, the Museum offers a wide range of creative exhibits, activities, and events year-round.
Doylestown is a small burrough with a population of around twice as many as the number who lived there during Michener’s early years. Michener, however, roamed far and wide from his hometown to write dozens of long, epic historical fiction novels about major places of public interest, and at least 14 of the novels were made into feature films. Examples are Texas and Hawaii. You can find Michener’s bestselling books at most any public library or bookstore.
Read more about the prolific author here: https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Albert-Michener.
“Whenever I start a book, I swear it’s going to be a short one. But then it’s, ‘Who was his grandfather? And how did he get there in the first place? And what kind of animals is he chasing?” –James Michener
More Fun Things To Do
While you are in Bucks County, consider taking a hot air balloon ride to get a slow, aerial view of this postcard-pretty vintage town. Read about this popular opportunity here: https://www.visitbuckscounty.com/listing/balloon-rides-daily-by-us-hot-air-balloon-team.
Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II lived in Doylestown and his home, where he wrote numerous Broadway classics and where he passed away in 1960, is on the National Historic Register. Located at 70 East Road, a campaign has been underway for a few years to open it as a theater and museum for the public. Read more about it here: https://www.hammersteinmuseum.org.
Also see more about James Michener in the New York and Texas sections on this site. Also check out his archives at University of Northern Colorado.
The Michener Art Museum is the seventh stop on our Pennsylvania Author Adventures Trail.
Patricia Smart
You must be logged in to post a comment.