The Source
When archaeologists begin uncovering relics in Tell Makor, they are also uncovering the lives of countless people who went before them. Slowly the archaeologists dig deeper and deeper past one find after another, backwards in history. At each point, every amazing find comes alive with the possibilities of what lives and events may have surrounded it. Then, step by step, the reader is brought back to the present through amazing vignettes of history from Ur and his family many thousands of years ago to events surrounding the little town during David’s time, Herod’s time, the Crusaders’ time and more. Each story stands by itself, but also shows how history affects the present time of each “generation.”
“Possibilities” is probably the best word for the multitude of stories collected in this book. Written in the grand epic style so characteristic of Michener, this book is a window on life through a number of historical periods. Flavorful descriptions of life, religion, art, nationalities, war and much more are masterfully stirred together into a lengthy look at one tiny piece of Middle Eastern ground. Even the book references the unlikeliness of many of the tales. Still, considering that each anecdote is based on the finding of a single artifact, each possesses a vivid and imaginative portrayal of what might have been. What more can any historian do than what this fictional account does? This book is not for the faint at heart considering the length and race through 12,000 years of history. Still, it will appeal to loyal fans of Michener and those fascinated with anthropology, history, and the Middle East.
