Product Description
In this sweeping novel inspired by the Iran-Contra affair, master storyteller James A. Michener conjures the triumphs and tragedies of one family and their dynamic role in the history of the United States and its founding document. Over a tense weekend of reflection, Major Norman Starr of the National Security Council prepares to appear before a congressional committee to publicly account for his covert actions. Hoping to learn something from his proud, troubled heritage, Starr looks for guidance in the lives of his ancestors: all-Americans who weren’t always right. From a framer of the Constitution to a slave owner, from a Supreme Court justice to a courageous suffragist, each recalls an important legacy that Starr must somehow reconcile with his own perilous dilemma.
Praise for Legacy “Michener has left his own legacy. . . . [He] is an educator, not just in history but in ethics, and like any good educator, he’s not afraid to confront a complex world.”—Edward Rutherfurd, Chicago Tribune
“Michener tells interesting stories about the Constitution, even if they are fiction. He brings the document alive. . . . Each tale is told with the Michener flair.”—United Press International
“An impressive amount of historical drama . . . Captivating historical vignettes [are] woven skillfully within Starr’s talks with his loving wife and loyal attorney.”—Kirkus Reviews “A revealing book . . . about the forging of the Constitution and the crises that shaped it.”—Associated Press
Reviews:
Sheranne (Germany) (2007/08/09): This timely short novel uses the Iran-contra affair as its point of departure to examine how the Constitution has influenced the United States and its citizens over the years. The central figure is Norman Starr, a West Point graduate and an Army officer whose cloak-and-dagger involvement with Nicaragua rebel activities is to be subjected to Senate investigation. In preparation for his defense, Starr and his lawyer examine Starr's family, attempting to prove the long tradition of patriotism, beginning with Jared Starr, who fought in the Revolutionary War and was involved in the preliminaries for drafting the Constitution. Other Starr family members argued the slavery question and fought for women's suffrage. Michener raises challenging questions in this book about our living Constitution.
As Major Norman Starr is about to appear before a congressional committee to publicly account for his covert actions, he recalls the heritage of his ancestors and the role they played in the true glory of America. Bestselling author James Michener has painted a timeless family portrait and an eloquent lesson in American history. "Michener is a master storyteller."
