The bestselling novel in the US in 1980 was another Michener, this one spanning South African history from precolonial times to the later 20th century, mostly from viewpoints of white settlers and their descendants. My edition runs 1,200 pages which is a lot of pages to spend in the headspace of these rough bigots slouching towards apartheid. Michener's research and writing are noteworthy, but the experience leaves me needing a 1,200-page shower.