The Drifters

A Novel

By: James A. Michener

Narrated by: Larry McKeever

In this triumphant bestseller, renowned novelist James A. Michener unfolds a powerful and poignant drama of disenchanted youth during the Vietnam era. Against exotic backdrops including Spain, Morocco, and Mozambique, he weaves together the heady dreams, shocking tribulations, and heartwarming bonds of six young runaways cast adrift in the world—as well as the hedonistic pursuit of drugs and pleasure that collapses all around them. With the sure touch of a master, Michener pulls us into the private world of these unforgettable characters, exposing their innermost desires with remarkable candor and infinite compassion.

Praise for The Drifters

“A blockbuster of a book . . . full of surprise, drama, and fascination.”—Philadelphia Bulletin

“Rings with authentic detail and clearly descriptive sights and smells . . . The Drifters is to the generation gap what The Source was to Israel.”—Publishers Weekly

“[The Drifters] conveys a sense of a new time, a new generation.”—Chicago Sun-Times

“Michener has slid open a window on the world of the dropout and has spared no effort to make the reader aware of this new world.”—The Salt Lake Tribune

Critic reviews

“A blockbuster of a book . . . full of surprise, drama, and fascination.”—Philadelphia Bulletin

“Rings with authentic detail and clearly descriptive sights and smells . . . The Drifters is to the generation gap what The Source was to Israel.”—Publishers Weekly

“[The Drifters] conveys a sense of a new time, a new generation.”—Chicago Sun-Times

“Michener has slid open a window on the world of the dropout and has spared no effort to make the reader aware of this new world.”—The Salt Lake Tribune

Robot ruins the story

Such a great book i remember from my youth but the narrators robotic voice ruined it.

Great time piece

I like Michener, and this work had some great moments. From the standpoint of Michener writing about this time in history I believe he did a great job articulating some of the tension that young people faced during the 60's and 70's.

Drifters

Great story. As per most Michener books a great historical novel of tragic era of losses to war, drugs and sadness.
The reader is very poor. Got better as the story matured. I almost gave up on the beginning due to choppy word pronunciation almost as bad as computer reading. Liked the book. Never want to hear that reader again.

enjoyed this book

Michener is very good at intrrpreting the baby boomer generation : including the viet nam war, draft dodgers, and race relations,.He included the problems between His insight is amazing while he tells the tale of youthful optimists trying to solve the problems plaguing their generation.

Great Period Piece of The Sixties!

James Michener's, The Drifters, takes you on an International journey with six young people in the turbulence of the late Sixties. It was a confused time of unclear moral boundaries, Vietnam, drugs and some great music. I didn't want it to end!