James Michener (1907-1997) is best known for his many epic historical novels, which have sold an estimated 75 million copies worldwide. He was also a noted philanthropist, having contributed more than $100 million to universities, libraries, museums, and other charitable causes.
James Michener could be said to represent the classic "rags-to-riches" story. He was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on February 3, 1907, and abadoned by his parents. Mabel Michener, a poor widow, took him in. His foster mother made a scant living by taking in laundry and sewing. As Michener told Steve Wartenberg of the Intelligencer-Record, "We never had a sled, a baseball glove, or a bicycle." In the same article his boyhood friend Lester Trauch noted that "he was the poorest boy in school, but the brightest boy. He was the only boy who wore sneakers; the rest wore shoes. They were so worn his toes stuck out of the holes at the end, and the laces were so knotted you wondered how he ever got them on in the morning." At times, Michener was even sent to the local poorhouse to live temporarily while his foster mother struggled to make ends meet.
