Popular history and the desire for knowledge : an examination of James A. Michener’s The Source as a popular history of Israel
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Open Access
Type
ThesisThesis type
HonoursAuthor/s
Brocker, JacquelineAbstract
This thesis explores the issues that arise when we consider James A. Michener’s number 1 best-seller The Source (1965) as a popular history of Israel. It examines the educational desires of middlebrow audiences that led to Michener’s popularity, and discusses the benefits and concerns of presenting history in a fictionalised popular form. It then explores how these issues arise within The Source, examining the novel in-depth, arguing that popular history should be cause of greater concern as it has the ability to express particular historical narratives to a wide-reaching audience.This thesis explores the issues that arise when we consider James A. Michener’s number 1 best-seller The Source (1965) as a popular history of Israel. It examines the educational desires of middlebrow audiences that led to Michener’s popularity, and discusses the benefits and concerns of presenting history in a fictionalised popular form. It then explores how these issues arise within The Source, examining the novel in-depth, arguing that popular history should be cause of greater concern as it has the ability to express particular historical narratives to a wide-reaching audience.
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Date
2007-03-01Licence
OtherRights statement
The author retains copyright of this thesis. It may only be used for the purposes of research and study. It must not be used for any other purposes and may not be transmitted or shared with others without prior permission.Faculty/School
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, School of HumanitiesShare