Only a writer like Michener could create with such, power and poignancy this bitter-sweet drama of a boy's perilous journey into man-hood. David Harper was au orphan; his legacy, lonliness and poverty. But his longing to embrace the world which abandoned him was stronger than the harsh realities. Even his experiences as an adolescent con man and petty thief at a carnival did not destroy his dreams. For it was there at the amusement park that David also learned about love and about women. First with the vulnerable young prostitute, Nora, who gave him her heart as well as her body. Then with others. all of whom taught him the riches of himself. The Fires os spring is more than a novel. It is a rich segment of American life - a magie hlend of longing and wisdom; saltiness, simplicity, and compassion.