Question: What was the nationality of the author of "Tales of the South Pacific"?
Context: The 2016–17 South Pacific cyclone season was the least active South Pacific cyclone season since the 2011–12 season, with only four tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific Ocean to the east of 160°E. Two of the four systems developed into severe tropical cyclones on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale.  The season officially ran from November 1, 2016 until April 30, 2017.  However, May featured two post-season systems: Donna and Ella, of which the former was the strongest post-season South Pacific tropical cyclone ever recorded in that month.  Overall, 22 tropical disturbances were monitored by a combination of the Fiji Meteorological Service , Australian Bureau of Meteorology and New Zealand's MetService. James Albert Michener ( ; February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American author of more than 40 books, most of which were fictional, lengthy family sagas covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating solid history.  Michener was known for the popularity of his works; he had numerous bestsellers and works selected for Book of the Month Club.  He was also known for his meticulous research behind the books. The 1997–98 South Pacific cyclone season was the most active and longest South Pacific tropical cyclone seasons on record, with 16 tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific basin between 160°E and 120°W.  The season started earlier than normal with 3 systems developing before the official start of the season on November 1, 1997, while the final system of the season dissipated on May 3, 1998, after the season had officially ended on April 30.  During the season 50 people died as a result of tropical cyclones, with the deadliest being Cyclone Martin with 27 known deaths.  The strongest tropical cyclones during the season were Cyclone Ron and Cyclone Susan as both were estimated to have minimum pressures of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg), and were the most intense tropical cyclones on record in the South Pacific Ocean until Cyclone Zoe in 2002–03.  After the season ended, 11 names had their names either removed or retired from the lists of names, after they caused significant impacts to South Pacific islands. The University of the South Pacific (USP) Solomon Islands is a university campus of the University of the South Pacific, based in Honiara, Solomon Islands; apart from the Honiara Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) a university in Honiara; and the Woodford International School.  The University of the South Pacific campus is located near Chinatown, about 75 m to the southwest of Lawson Tama Stadium.  It offers continuing and community education courses to the South Pacific member countries.  Some of the major disciplines in which courses are offered on semester basis are Arts, Law and Education, Business and Economics, Science, Technology and Environment and other disciplines with a gamut of subjects in each discipline.  The duration of courses varies from 10 to 32 hours of teaching spread over a number of weeks.  Subjects taught based on regional requirements could be in the fields of "computer skills, languages, bookkeeping, mathematics, business studies, economics, creative writing, community development skills, literature, handicrafts, floral arts, fabric arts, woodcarving, fine arts, carving, poetry, music, video production, leadership skills, health studies, public speaking, problem-solving and general literacy skills.”  An important programme that is advocated in the USP is to establish an education programme "through distance and flexible learning”, which the relevant texts to learn and teach are prepared in the Laucala Campus in Fiji and adopted in the campuses of all the USP universities across the South Pacific. The 1981–82 South Pacific cyclone season was a near normal South Pacific tropical cyclone season, with 6 tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific Ocean basin between 160°E and 120°W during the season.  After the season ended, the names Gyan and Isaac were removed and retired from the lists of names, after they caused significant impacts to South Pacific island nations. Return to Paradise (1951) is a collection of short stories written by American author James A. Michener.  The collection is a sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning book "Tales of the South Pacific", the collection that launched his career in 1947.  In "Return to Paradise", Michener revisits the islands and cultures of the South Pacific in the late 1940s, combining factual descriptions and tales set in such exotic places as Tahiti, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. A South Pacific tropical cyclone is a non frontal, low pressure system that has developed, within an environment of warm sea surface temperatures and little vertical wind shear aloft in the South Pacific Ocean.  Within the Southern Hemisphere there are officially three areas where tropical cyclones develop on a regular basis, these areas are the South-West Indian Ocean between Africa and 90°E, the Australian region between 90°E and 160°E and the South Pacific basin between 160°E and 120°W.  The South Pacific basin between 160°E and 120°W is officially monitored by the Fiji Meteorological Service and New Zealand's MetService, while others like the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also monitor the basin.  Each tropical cyclone year within this basin starts on July 1 and runs throughout the year, encompassing the tropical cyclone season which runs from November 1 and lasts until April 30 each season.  Within the basin, most tropical cyclones have their origins within the South Pacific Convergence Zone or within the Northern Australian monsoon trough, both of which form an extensive area of cloudiness and are dominant features of the season.  Within this region a tropical disturbance is classified as a tropical cyclone, when it has 10-minute sustained wind speeds of more than 65 km/h (35 mph), that wrap halfway around the low level circulation centre, while a severe tropical cyclone is classified when the maximum 10-minute sustained wind speeds are greater than 120 km/h (75 mph). The 2011–12 South Pacific cyclone season was one of the least active South Pacific tropical cyclone seasons on record, with only three tropical cyclones occurring during the season.  The season ran from November 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012, however, any tropical cyclones that form before June 30, 2012 would have fallen within the 2011–12 tropical cyclone year and would have counted towards the season total.  The strongest and only severe tropical cyclone that occurred during the season was Severe Tropical Cyclone Jasmine, which tracked in from out of the South Pacific basin.  Within the basin, tropical cyclones are monitored by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) in Nadi, Fiji, and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC) in Wellington, New Zealand.  RSMC Nadi attaches an F designation to tropical disturbances that form in or move into the South Pacific.  The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issues unofficial warnings within the South Pacific, designating tropical storm-equivalent or greater tropical cyclones with a number and a P suffix.  RSMC Nadi and TCWC Wellington both use the Australian Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale, and measure windspeeds over a period of ten minutes, while the JTWC measures sustained winds over a period of one minute and uses the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. South Pacific is a 1958 American romantic musical film based on the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific", which in turn based on James A. Michener's short-story collection "Tales of the South Pacific".  The film, directed by Joshua Logan, starred Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr and Ray Walston in the leading roles with Juanita Hall as Bloody Mary, the part that she had played in the original stage production.  The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, winning the Academy Award for Best Sound for Fred Hynes. The 1998–99 South Pacific cyclone season was a near average South Pacific tropical cyclone season, with 8 tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific Ocean basin between 160°E and 120°W.  Despite the season starting on November 1, the first tropical system of the season did not form until December 1, while the final disturbance of the season dissipated on May 27, 1999.  During the season the most intense tropical cyclone was Severe Tropical Cyclone Cora, which had a minimum pressure of 930 hPa .  After the season had ended the names Cora and Dani were retired from the naming lists, after they had caused significant impacts to South Pacific islands.
Answer: American