User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
My 1st Michener and let me tell you about it as I wipe my mouth off with a napkin after having a fine meal and push my chair back...Sigh... what a journey this was.
It's 1969. The world is changing. The drifters are a new generation of young adults who are unhappy with their current lives and where they live- Joe, avoiding the draft for the vietnam war; Britta, wanting to escape the tunnel of darkness that stays for months in Norway; Monica, the child who grew up in Vwanda, fighting against the constraints of her English political upbringing and the culture that forced her dad out of the country; Cato, the black American, now a fugitive for having stood up to the inequalities of race in Pennsylvania. Yigel, the Israeli, torn between national identities and also by the war that rages in his country of birth. Gretchen, the Bostonian, with political aspirations until they go awry in such a violation of her self, she leaves and meets up with a these drifters. Hedonistic seeking at first, challenging the status quo in their own ways, seeking enlightenment and their purpose.
All destined to meet through their own circumstances in Spain - Torremolinos- a town which attracts these confused yet clear minded child-adults who are challenging the moral code of what is supposed to be the norm in their countries and culture; in their lives. Idealists whom have become disillusioned until they find themselves with each other. Their journey takes us through Spain, to Portugal where we run with the bulls, to Mozambique and the wildlife reserves and the stunning landscapes along the coast of the Indian Ocean, to the Mecca of Morocco, Marrakech.
I was only 3 when this was written but the issues and challenges that existed then, still exist now. This was a bountiful discovery of self, nature and most of all, friendship.
A magnificent masterpiece and a classic that I will remember for years to come. 5⭐️
Rating: really liked it
- Kids today! I wonder if the 70s won't be even worse than than the 60s. Honestly, you don't know what to think, dropping out of school, letting their hair grow, rock and roll music, free love, drugs...
- Another martini?
- Oh, why not! Thank you. As I was saying, I don't understand young people any more, as they would say, I just don't "get" them...
- Have you read the new James Mitchener?
The Drifters?
- No?
- You should take a look at it, he'll answer your questions. Great piece of work. A bit shocking in places, he's not afraid to use crude language, hit you with the occasional motherf-
- Harold!
- Sorry. I tell you, I've been reading Mitchener since 1947 and he just gets better. Wish I knew how he did the research for this one. A week ago, I was as "square" as they come, but now, "man!", I'm "with it".
- Harold, don't show off.
- But really, it's opened my eyes! I even went and bought the new Doors LP.
L.A. Woman. My secretary recommended it. Shall I put it on?
- Harold, was that the girl at the office party who-
- Ah, yes, that was Karen.
- I think I'd rather have some more Frank Sinatra.
- But-
- Sinatra, Harold.
- Sorry darling. Maybe we should talk about something else. What do you think of Nixon's chances in '72?
- My friends in DC tell me it's a sure thing.
- Well thank God for that anyway. And here are our martinis. Cheers!
- Cheers!
Rating: really liked it
I can say with ease that this is my favorite book of all time. I read this book as a teenager and if it had done anything for me it instilled a vital desire to travel the world, especially Europe. The story-line is placed in front of a backdrop of rich European sites and culture that makes the reader crave the warm air of the Mediterranean. On top of this, the novel goes in depth to look at the politics and social conflicts of the late 1960's. It follows six very different travelers from six very different back grounds and parts of the world. They connect through music and coincidences challenging the ideals of the past and pushing boundaries towards a new modern philosophy. The perfect read for anyone who holds the era of peace and love close to heart.
Rating: really liked it
The Drifters is the life I wish I'd had before getting married, having children, experiencing divorce and now playing it safe with a job, grown children and a mortgage. Joe, the main character from the US, is my hero. He epitomizes basic qualities of character that as you travel with him, you realize this guy is no saint but he's got heart. And he is loyal and kind, assertive and strong, and reasonable. But you'll have to read the book to know why.
James did a GREAT job with this novel and it is my all-time favorite. I can re-read it and always find a gem that I'd overlooked or forgotten about from previous readings. I hope you enjoy it too!
Rating: really liked it
I read this first when I was studying at Melbourne University in 1973. I loved it. That set off be buying and keeping all of Mitchener’s books. All are excellent but The Drifters resonated with me. Mitchener managed to capture the lives of the young people described in the book so well and as a man on the cusp of leaving his teens behind, I could relate to so much of what the characters said, did and thought. Fantastic story.
Rating: really liked it
I read this book for the first time in the late 70's as a teenager. This time it's many years later and I am middle aged. How I wish that I could sit down and have a book club meeting with the teenage me!
Some parts of the book seem almost comical seen at this distance. For example, some of the conversations sound like a cliche. "Like wow!" It's hard to remember or to believe that people used to speak this way. (Just wait until we look back on the late 80's and early 90's and the valley girls!)
In my teens, I was absorbed by the freedom and lack of fear of these people. I couldn't wait to grow up and be free to do what I wanted to do. Now I look at this book and see how entrapping the drugs and efforts at freedom became. It was less about being free than about running away, about being different from our parents at any cost.
This is a timeless adventure that takes you into many different corners of the world. It's also an interesting peak into the culture and beliefs of a different age. In some ways, it makes me glad that I was too young to partake of this culture. In other ways, it allows me to see the forces that formed my generation. All in all, I am glad that I re-read Michener's The Drifters.
Rating: really liked it
This is the second Michener I've read. I hated 'Space' because in it Michener decided to fictionalize the space program. I found it an un-necessary gimmick. It seems like this is Michener's modus operandi. He does the same thing in 'The Drifters'. He takes the late '60s and then fictionalizes a couple of locations (such as the former British colony in Africa, the improbably named Vwarda) and then populated them with uninteresting, self-important windbags for characters. It's like Michener painted a pair of earrings on the Mona Lisa and then proclaims it his masterpiece.
Honestly, I could forgive the slightly tweaked reality if the writing, characters and plot (such as it is) weren't so weak. Here's an example of what the book is like:
I'm Britta. I'm from Norway. All my life I've dreamed of going to Ceylon. Then one day I walked past a travel agency and saw a poster for Torremolinos. I instantly knew that this was the Most Magical Place in the World. When I asked the owner of the travel agency how much it cost to go to Torremolinos, he told me it would cost $100. I told him I didn't have that much.
'Well, it's obvious that you are the Most Beautiful Girl in the World, Britta, so you must go to Torremolinos! '
'It looks like the Most Magical Place in the World!'
'It is! Can you afford $75?'
'No.'
'How about $50?'
'No.'
'How about $25?'
'No.'
'How about $14?'
'Yes!'
'Well, then it just so happens we have a few seats that we reserve for special young people because we know how important it is for you to go and find yourself. Since you are the Most Beautiful Girl in the World, I can sell you a full vacation including flight, hotel and all meals for $12'
A few weeks later I pulled into Torremolinos. I instantly knew that I could never go back to Norway and that I had to find a job to stay in Torremolinos, the Most Magical Place in the World.
After checking in to my room, I put on my bikini and went down to the beach. While there, I spotted the Most Beautiful Girl in the World. She was British and said her name was Monica. I asked her how long she'd been in Torremolinos.
'I've been here for ages, but I am getting ready to leave for Mozambique soon.'
'Mozambique? I hear it's the Most Magical Place in the World!'
'It is! How long do you plan on staying in Torremolinos?'
'I'm booked for two weeks but it's obvious that Torremolinos is the Most Magical Place in the World -'
'It is!'
'Do you think I will be able to find a job here?'
'Beautiful girls come here from all over the world and line the main square five deep trying to get jobs in Torremolinos. But since you are the Most Beautiful Girl in the World you won't have any problem finding a job. Let's go to the Alamo and I'll introduce you to the gang.'
A little later Monica and I walked into the Alamo. Monica introduced me to the American bartender, Joe. He had long hair and a beard, very much the Jesus look that was popular with all the young men these days. I immediately decided that I would have an affair with him.
'Hi. I'm Joe. Britta tells me you are looking for a job?'
'Yes. I am although I have no skills and no experience.'
'That doesn't matter since you are obviously the Most Beautiful Girl in the World. Would you like a place to live to go along with your job? I share a house with the Cato, the Most Interesting Man in the World, and Monica, the Most Beautiful Girl in the World.'
The whole book is like this. Every character is the smartest/hippest/most beautiful/handsome boy or girl in the world. Everyone is a dropout from a Harvard or Yale or Duke or Michigan. Everyone immediately recognizes how hip and cool they all are. Yet at the same time they are all walking cliches. Joe, draft dodger. Cato, black radical. Monica, rich, spoiled slut dope fiend (thankfully she ODs and dies - the high point of the book). Yigal, tough, smart, little Jew.
I suppose if I am being charitable I can see how a young reader (who hasn't read very much yet) or a reader who hasn't traveled very much might really enjoy this book. Otherwise, it's just pompous bloviating. It's like Michener took a correspondence course on the '60s from East Panhandle State and then decided to write a novel about them.
I have a really bad habit of plowing through books even when I am not enjoying them. I trudged through 750 pages of this book and I really should have quit about 650 pages back. I think I am off Michener. I wish Goodreads would allow negative stars.
Rating: really liked it
Whilst the first half of the book starts off strongly, introducing each of the six young people to whom the narrator has some link, the second half of the book becomes more about place; especially history and description of place. I found it annoying that the last half of the book completely dropped the bundle when it came to characterisation. In the first six chapters, you have these long, beautifully drawn characters, each with their own inner turmoil which they 'drift' out of mainstream society and into travelling to solve. In the rest of the chapters, however, the characters become one-dimensional, and the reader is pulled along by the 60-something narrator and his opinions of young people and the lifestyle they're creating. The ending felt rushed, too, as if Michener was trying to tie together too many threads left flapping in the wind.
In other ways, this book is a window into a time of major cultural shift in the Western world, where the largely conservative status quo was being tested and challenged by youth. It's interesting to ponder some of the visions of the future which the book puts forward, and that a great many of them have not come to pass- African Americans have not wholeheartedly embraced Islam, for example. Also, the attitude to people about the Vietnam War - seen as a huge mistake nowadays- in the book seemed to suggest that people would generally accept that it was a war that the US had to fight.
Of all the ideas in the book, I found the narrator's dogged faith in war (along with that of his bizarre friend, Holt) repugnant. In fact, I found the character of Holt sleazy and unsavoury and his sudden pairing with 18 year old Britta both forced and farcical. Likewise, Cato's behaviour at the end of the novel seemed like some kind of stereotype and cultural comment on white and black society in the US never being able to co-exist. The way Michener also disposed of Yigal was lazy: he made up his mind about his identity and was shipped off to the airport in a paragraph.
One final criticism: the never ending and totally ignorant portrayal of Australia as a nation of cattle farmers. Australia is one to the most urbanised nations on Earth. Almost 90% of people live in cities. Very few of us are cattle farmers. Enough with the stereotypes..
Rating: really liked it
I really enjoyed this book by James A Michener, as I have enjoyed everything else he has written. He has a way of writing that just drags you into a story and keeps you hooked there. They are always very well researched, you get the feeling he is confident in all aspects of his story.
six young people from different parts of the world Britta, from dark brooding Norway, Joe from America, Yigal from Isreal, Cato from America , Monica from Englad and Gretchen from America, all their own individual reasons for leaving their homes and travelling, all of them escaping though from things they cannot or have no wish to understand. They are trying to "find themselves".
They all come together in Torremilinos in a bar called The Alamo, which is where their adventures start. They drift around Spain, the Algarve, Pamplona, Mocambique experiencing new things and end up in Marrakech, where tagedy stikes the group.
I found myself shouting at them in my head because whilst they were bumming around doing dreadful things to their minds and bodies, you weren't quite sure if they would find themselves or just make a whole mess up of their lives!!
I think if I had read this book 30 years ago I would have thought about it in such a different light. It is a young persons book, as this is what they will do for ever more, try and change things for the better and never really suceeding in understand what it is they want.
Rating: really liked it
This book made me want to travel! Michener paints many pictures of places I'd love to visit, but also does not leave out the grimy side of the 60s-70s. The ending is a particularly vivid reminder that the flower children were much more (and much less) than sunny, idealic people full of love. He does a great job of portraying this generation from many viewpoints so that the reader can gain an understanding of the vibrancy and excitement of embarking on this new path of freedom, but also shows the clashing of beliefs, ideals, confusion, and loss of direction. The mix of beauty and sadness witnessed through Michener's full perspective of a time endeared me as well as removed a veil of idealism I've heald for this generation and time in history. It also reafirmed my belief that you don't necessarily grow by traveling all over to new places, but more so by looking within yourself. I feel lucky to be living in a time when we have both the acceptance of freedom to opt out of the status quo, but also the wisdom gained through time of the value of combining this with responsibility. We have the luxury of building on the best that was gained in the 60s-70s, while leaving behind much of the confusion, anger, and lack of direction. I look forward to reading more of Michener!
Rating: really liked it
Gag me with a beach towel in Ceylon. What kept me reading for a while was the sheer momentum of my astonishment at how poorly written this is, how zilch he knows about being a young person in the wake of the end of the summer of love, and most of all how much misogyny, racism and anti-Semitism he manages to squeeze onto each page. He even disparages the place I live, North Norway.
There are other erudite reviews here that give the book a well-deserved analysis, better than I can be bothered to do typing with one finger on my phone so it remains to say only that the abundance of linen colored pages in my old hardback are going to come in handy for the art installation we are planning in the house: papering the banister with literature. Although I have my doubts that it will in the final analysis be deemed literary enough for that end. I may use it as kindling to fire up the old wood stove, a light in the dark Norwegian tunnel.
Rating: really liked it
Don't waste your time. Michener had no feel for the counterculture of the 60s. Very stiff writing. Ugh!!
Rating: really liked it
This book explores the culture, politics, views on the Vietnam Nam war, changes in music, sexual freedom, racism, and drugs in late 1960's and early 1970's. The Drifters was published in 1972.
The narrator is a 61 year old man, Fairbanks, who feels close to six young people who travel through Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Mozambique during the Vietnam Nam era. There are three female 'drifters': one an American university student who worked on Eugene McCarthy's presidential campaign and then supported Bobby Kennedy, another from a Central African Republic where her father had been a British government official, and a girl from northern Norway craving summer climes.
The three men were an American draft dodger, a young black American man, and a 17 year man of dual Israel/American citizenship who fought in the Israel war against Egypt. All were wandering for different reasons explained in the first part of the book. They are disillusioned with government and rebelling against parents and are in search of truth, drugs and pleasure.
Fairbanks,age 61, frequently drops in on the six young people, often accompanied by another older man, Hunt. Their conversation and arguments from both sides of the generation gap. Is a plot device which gives us some insight into the ideas of the time. The older men give advice, mostly ignored or ridiculed. They try to understand the youths' morality, music, drug taking and their individual beliefs. This plot device gives us much insight while they argue into much which was going on in the counter culture of the late 1960's and early 1970's. This seems like a relic of a time very long ago.
My greatest enjoyment was realizing how much the world has changed for better and worse, and not in the ways
predicted by the characters in the book..
The young black American expresses that change and power will only come for his people through their conversion to Islam and armed rebellion with the help of the Jews. A South African Boer official plans to make apartheid even more stringent and to work to keep South Africans of British descent out of any political power. South African blacks discuss the need for armed revolt. A Rhodesian couple predict that the white settlers will control the country for at least a hundred more years. In a world before El Qaida and ISIS it seemed the greatest danger in Arab countries was death by heroin overdose, or a drug addled young girl going off with several native men for sex and being sold into white slavery.
I was aware of these ideas, events and philosophy at the time, but had only a minimal part in that era. I probably envied my contemporaries who could travel the world so freely until I read about these experiences and the futility for most, as expressed by Fairbanks. As the saying goes, "those who remember the 60's were never a part of it."
This is a long 720 page book, but very readable. (less)
Rating: really liked it
A Generation Writ Across the WorldThis is my second time through The Drifters, I originally read it when I was in my twenties. Michener's prose is just as lush as I remembered. He captures the desperation, amazement, intense questioning and driving need of a generation to break free of their parents value system.
Flung across the gorgeous landscapes of frozen Norway's Trömso, Africa's British colonies in turmoil, Spain's sunny and free Torremolinos, Portugal's quiet and intimate Algarve, down miles of Africa's unspoiled coastline to the ancient city of Marrakesh, our Drifters story plays out.
Through the eyes of Mr. Fairbanks of World Mutual Funds, we meet Britta, a dazzling Norwegian girl who desires to escape the dark nights of Scandinavia and her father's obsession with Ceylon, a land he'll never get to see.
Monica, the stunning daughter of English parents just barely holding onto power in a British colony in Africa, contemptuous of her father's fear of failing, is eager to flee the coop.
Gretchen, a lovely, intelligent girl from Boston, runs up against the tension between the protesters of the Vietnam War and the Police. After a seriously violent encounter, her parents beg Mr. Fairbanks to take her away from Boston for some healing.
Cato, a bright and inquisitive black man from Philadelphia, is rising to the top of his peer group. He is tired of watching his neighborhood and friends being beaten down by the system. A mentor sponsors his flight to find better answers.
Yigal or Bruce, as he's known as by his American grandparents, is caught between two worlds. He becomes known as'The boy from Quarash' for his part in the six day war in Israel. But his Grandfather wants him to give up his Israeli citizenship for a life in America.
Our Drifters meet Joe, an American young man, faced with the emotional choice of fighting an immorral war or running from the draft and facing jail, in Torremolinos, Spain.
Their adventures begin at the bar called The Alamo, where Joe tends bar and holds down the business for a friend. This sweeping tale will entertain, amuse, educate and break your heart. This is a read for all generations.
Rating: really liked it
l loved the book when i read it years ago. so many years ago. it spoke to my traveling spirit. i have been to all the places from tanjir to timboktu and the israeli young guy have the same name as i do - yigal.
