The Source (novel)

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name = The Source
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author = James A. Michener
illustrator = Jean-Paul Tremblay
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country = United States of America
language = English
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genre = Historical novel
publisher = Random House
release_date = 1965
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media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
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"The Source" is a historical novel by James A. Michener, first published in 1965. It is a survey of the history of the Jewish people and the land of Israel from pre-monotheistic days to the birth of the modern State of Israel. "The Source" uses for its central device a fictional "tell" in northern Israel called "Makor" (Hebrew: "source").

A parallel frame story set in modern-day Israel supports the historical timeline. Archaeologists digging at the "tell" at Makor uncover artifacts from each layer, which then serve as the basis for a chapter exploring the lives of the people involved with that artifact. The novel begins with a Stone Age family whose daughter begins to realize that there is a supernatural force, then leads us to the beginnings of monotheism, the Davidic kingdom, Hellenistic times, Roman times, etc. It follows the story of the Family of Ur from the age of cavemen to modern times, with its descendants now living in the Galilee. Some consider "The Source" Michener's most popular book.

Chapter List

#The Tell
#The Bee Eater
#Of Death and Life
#An Old Man and His God
#Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird
#The Voice of Gomer
#In the Gymnasium
#King of the Jews
#Yigal and His Three Generals
#The Law
#A Day in the Life of a Desert Rider
#Volkmar
#The Fires of Ma Coeur
#The Saintly Men of Safed
#Twilight of an Empire
#Rabbi Itzik and the Sabra
#The Bell
#The Rancity of Makor

Recurring symbols and themes

Fertility/The phallic

In the early civilizations, the concept of fertility sprouts from agriculture, and the desire for a fruitful harvest. During the earliest layer of history, the giant stone idol named El is created to please the earth, and bring good crops.

As society moves away from a rural and agricultural existence, fertility is given less and less importance. The phallic is present from the Stone Age ("The Bee Eater"), until 606 BCE ("The Voice of Gomer").