James A. Michener

James Albert Michener (February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American author best known for his epic, well-researched historical novels set in distinct geographic locales and often spanning multiple generations. His breakthrough, Tales of the South Pacific, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948. Over his career he wrote more than 40 books, many bestsellers, and became a major philanthropist supporting educational and cultural institutions.