TRAVELING IN STYLE

Pulitzer prize-winning author James A. Michener’s first book of fiction, “Tales of the South Pacific,”enraptured millions. In this issue of Traveling In Style, Michener takes our readers back to the same islands on another visit, 40 years later. In “Return to the South Pacific,” the noted author meets again a number of characters from his book, including the legendary Aggie Grey, who fed and sheltered American Marines in Western Samoa during World War II. Michener’s coordinating editor, John Kings, recalls poignant moments on the trip, particularly when Michener came face-to-face with an old friend from “Tales of the South Pacific.”.

“When Jim returned to these places he wrote about, he was immensely moved,” says Kings. “Indeed, to see the famous James Michener actually cry seemed almost unbelievable, since ordinarily Jim is the most controlled person I know.”

At the time I spoke with Michener about doing the article for Traveling In Style, he was living in Alaska while writing his next novel, “Alaska.” With his wife Mari, he had spent months in a log cabin in Sitka, completing his 33rd book.

Joining James Michener in this issue of Traveling In Style are novelist Herbert Gold, who recalls nostalgic moments of his youth in Paris, and Irene Korbally Kuhn, who reminisces about exciting times in Shanghai. Other articles focus on an old-fashioned Thanksgiving in New England, sailing in the Caribbean, my own return trip to heavenly Hana and the favorite weekend hideaways of our Times foreign correspondents.

We are proud to bring you this issue of Traveling In Style.