Oceania Books

The Lonely Planet guidebook series is known for combining travel tips with cultural and historical education, and the Falkland Islands guide is no exception. The detail of this book is outstanding, and the stories it describes are very interesting as well - these little islands have played a larger role in world affairs than the uninformed would ever expect.

If you are buying this in conjunction with the Antarctica book, please note that this book is much smaller - but given the relative size of each landmass, the difference makes sense.

We are planning a trip to the Falklands soon, and I have searched every available publication for information. Suffice to say, such information is in short supply. I was ecstatic when I found this book. If you are planning a trip to the Falklands and/or South Georgia, this is the only book you need. Its information is both varied and comprehensive. Of special interest to us was the section detailing every location to view each type of penguin found in the Falklands.

An interesting, if brief, guided tour of what has to be one of the most remote tourist destinations on the planet. The Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)are a British Colony in the South Atlantic, a few hundred miles off the South American coast, that are also claimed by Argentina---in 1982 the two countries fought a war over the islands. Points of interest are noted, and an overview of the land, the people (population only 2500, with about 80% living in the capital city of Port Stanley), the history, and the wildlife is provided. Included are about 30 pages on South Georgia, a remarkably picturesque, but largely uninhabited island even further out in the Atlantic. My only complaint was the lack of photographs of the Falkland countryside. It would have been nice to get a feel for the terrain---m.p.

I'm a fan of the Lonely Planet (LP) series, both for armchair travel and for actual travel. This is one of the most obscure destinations covered by LP, and has the added distinction of being written by LP founder Tony Wheeler. However, it is a mystery to me why a successful entrepreneur would want to go back to the drudgery of collecting information for this book.

These 200 pages cover the Falklands in infinite detail. Every remote sheep farm that has a room for rent is described in detail, most of which are accessible only by non-scheduled plane. Keep in mind that the Falklands have only 3500 people, and only one place that could be described as a town or village, which means that this guide has a greater pages-per-capita ratio than any other LP guide (except perhaps Antarctica). There is a large emphasis on wildlife, with 17 pages describing varieties of birds. Also, 18 pages are dedicated to the even more remote South Georgia Island (pop. 10), accessible only by ship. As in all LP guides, there is background on the history and economy, excellent maps, and (in these more recent guides) many color photos.

Very detailed and informative. I have purchased and read many of Hammel's books. Whether it be WWII, VietNam or the Beirut "police action" Hammel has a unique way of presenting factual history in a fresh, readable fashion. I found his history of the First Marine Division and General Vandegrift to be informative and enjoyable. Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Guadalcanal campaign.

Eric Hammel is a splendid writer, and this book is a splendid account of the Guadalcanal campaign. Part of a trilogy which included volumes about the naval aspects of the Guadalcanal battle, "Starvation Island" focuses on the land and land-based air phases of this far-flung struggle. Well-written and entertaining, this is history at its best. Along with the other fine volumes about the Guadalcanal campaign, such as Richard B. Frank's excellent work ("Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle") this book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in this crucial turning point in the war in the Pacific.

Guadalcanal is the most interesting battle of American history. It was the first American offensive of World War II and victory hung in a seesaw balance for three months as Americans slowly and painfully gained land, sea, and air superiority over their Japanese opponents. The costs were enormous. Japan and America lost 26 ships each. Most of them were sunk in "Iron Bottom Sound" in the "Slot." The 18 pilots of one fighter wing of the "Cactus" air force were reduced to four in less than three months -- but they shot down 83 Japanese planes. Hammel estimates that 35,000 Japanese died in the battle -- about one third of them of disease and starvation. U.S. losses of Army, Navy, and Marines totalled about 3,000 dead.

Eric Hammel has written a competent and readable book on the battle of Guadalcanal from August 7, 1942 when the first Marines stepped on shore until mid-November when the battle was won -- although three months of bloody mop-up operations remained. Hammel covers land, sea, and air operations, and his descriptions range from the strategy sessions of the Brass to the battle experiences of 18-year old Marine privates. My enthusiasm for this book is restrained however as there are many other accounts in books and on the web which are equally good.

Hammel's technical discussions of battles and strategies are very good; his description of the conditions the marines faced in Guadalcanal -- abandonment by the navy, malaria and dengue, shortages of everything, a shrieking, suicidal enemy who hardly seemed human, a dark, menacing jungle -- is less good. The marines called Guadalcanal "Operation Shoestring" and it deserves the name. For the Japanese it was even worse.

The best book I've read on Guadalcanal. Helps one understand the professionalism of the Marines. A dedicated group of men trying to survive a very tough situation. I was really impressed by their ability to keep their weapons operating in that jungle environment for months with almost no resupply help from the Navy. - Robert Merritt Edson

Not only is Tilman's book brillantly written, but his chapter on "Two Mountains and a River," which focuses on the Swiss/British expedition to Rakaposhi and the Kukuay Glacier illustrates all the problems and hardships my uncle, Hans Gyr experienced during his quest for conquering the Rakaposhi in the Karakorum. Thanks to Tilman, I know now so much more about these few trying weeks in snow and ice. I recommend this book to all who like not only mountains, but solitude and the ultimate challenge.

In this anthology Tilman's pioneering travels through central Asia are recounted in his wonderfully laconic voice. This is a great addition to any exploration or mountaineering collection, particularly because Tilman was the first European to visit many of the peaks and places described. The portrait of Nepal he presents I will always treasure.

An avid collector of Himalayan subject matter, I have also been lucky enough to have wandered around the upper Langtang Valley on several occasions in the last few years. Not only is Tilmans book still accurate in many respects, but it is also highly amusing at the same time. Fact, folklore and quotations are fantastically woven into a single, almost epic tale of discovery. It is, at times, laugh-out-loud funny, and yet one might feel a certain sense of guilt at particular comic moments. Where Tilman describes one of his porters as "slow in mind and weak in leg, and not, one suspects, long down from his tree", it is an hilarious turn of phrase, but in our modern standardised and easily-scandalised society one feels the need to look over one's shoulder to make sure the PC police aren't looking.
I would heartily recommend anyone to read the book, particularly if it is available, the Nepal Himalaya single edition, - great, great books for travelling minds (and soles..) so long as you can cope with the mountain of salt required to see some of Tilmans less emphatic points.

Tilman and Shipton were the first humans to enter the Nanda Devi sanctuary, a valley surrounded by some of the greatest Himalayan peaks. They were indelibly marked by the experience.

Learn about "things Hawaiian" while treating yourself to photos of Hawaiian models on every other page! ALOHA!

I travel to the Islands at least once a year and appreciate it when the locals open their hearts and offer an insightful glimpse of the life one can expect to see. In a way, this helps set expectations and guides one's unfoldment of that which makes the aloha experience so special. My only suggestion would be to offer a geographical gem to the enticing cover to complement the obvious human beauty. In truth, Hawaii is more beautiful in person than the pictures portray, which is a very welcome surprise, given how wonderful the pictures are.

I was impressed with the quality of the photos and the useful information about Hawaii ranging from the beaches to the history of Hawaiian icons, such as the Hawaiian shirt. I was especially intrigued by a description of a traditional Hawaiian instrument. I called a friend in Hawaii and he found one for me. Anyone looking for a good descriptive book about the modern Hawaiian culture will find this book helpful. The diversity of the Hawaiian people shows in the faces of the beautiful local girls pictured in this edition.

This piece is beautifully written with many photos that capture the essence of the Hawaiian Islands. The breathtaking photos really make this a wonderful keepsake for not only visitors to the islands but for the local people, as well. The interesting articles provided me with sufficient information and background that allowed me to visualize the uniqueness of Hawaii. I have enjoyed this book tremendously and recommend it to anyone that enjoys the Islands as much as I do.

Down under, in Australia, there is a creature who doesn't know who he is or where he belongs. His friends, Bushtail Possum, Wallaby, Blue-Tongued Skink, and Kookaburra kindly try to help him, but he just keeps falling "KERSPLAT!" Old Bandicoot says he's a Platypus, but where does he belong? Young readers will enjoy following Kersplatypus' adventures as he searches the Australian landscape for his identity.

Author Susan K. Mitchell has brought some of the animals and the geography of Australia alive for children in a most delightful way. The illustrations by Sherry Rogers highlight the story, plus give an extra depth and richness, so that you feel as if your are right there with the animals. The story is not only fun to read, but also informative. The activities in the back give children and classrooms added fun in animal recognition and geography. This book is highly recommended for children ages 3-7.

Sherry Rogers has done it again: another beautifully illustrated children's book that teaches a little about wildlife, this time in a unique ecosystem that not many children are lucky enough to visit: Australia! Her drawings are infused with a joyous energy.

Kersplatypus is a children's picturebook about a young platypus who doesn't know where he belongs. Other Australian wildlife try to introduce him to climbing trees, flying the skies, or bounding along the ground, but the platypus just doesn't take to it. At last he discovers his natural home - in the water with his beloved mother. Additional pages of fun facts about the platypus and other animals native to Australia round out this delightful, enthusiastic, and educational picturebook.

Sylvan Dell Publishing publishes the best in children's literature. Their books are entertaining, tell a grand story, educate children (and adults) and are oh so appealing to the eye with their fun, quirky, colorful and delightful illustrations.

Kersplatypus is the exciting adventure of a strange little creature that suddenly appears after the big rains in Australia. The animals wonder what `he' is (even the little creature doesn't know what `he' is). But the animals do know he has fur, a tail, feet and a duck-like bill. With the clues they have, the animals band together to help the little creature discover who he is and where he belongs.

Sometimes good friends, tenacity and spirit go a long, long way in finding the answers to the questions that don't seem to have answers.

I love Kersplatypus. He's the cutest little platypus. And I love the cozy, caring feel of the story. The illustrations add tremendously to the flavor of the story and are so beautiful that children and adults will be drawn to them.

I also love that the book contains some fun facts about the platypus-and that there are activities for the children.

This book is also a great gift to give those special little ones in your life. I suspect the kids will wear out the book from use. It's that good.

Armchair Interviews says: Kersplatypus is a must have!

I thought I'd buy this to help teach history in school to my middle school ESOL students, I also am a fan of Diane Stanley, the illustrator. I didn't count on how absorbing the story would be and that I would be drawn into a world I barely knew existed. I had never heard of Princess Kaiulani before. I thought I would be reading about Queen Liliuokalani and it took me back a bit when I found out the story was about her niece. Kaiulani has a touching and very short life. I really want to read more about her. What more can an author hope for if they spur an interest in the subject they wrote about?

My daughter and I loved this book, even though the text was challenging for her as a 4-year old. The story of Princess Ka'iulani's childhood, and her bravery, poise, and eloquence in defending Hawaii when the Haoles brought in an army to depose Hawaii's queen, is beautifully told and made a deep impression. Also beautifully illustrated.

Gives children a real look at the history of Hawaii. A beautiful, sad and true story. Would like to buy a bunch more and give to children for gifts.

Fay Stanley's very worthy true story, "The Last Princess," is the tale of the life of Princess Ka'ilulani of Hawaii (or "Hawai'i" as it's more correctly spelled throughout the book). The book is illustrated by Fay Stanley's daughter, Diane Stanley, and this mother-daughter team has come up with a captivating and sad true story about a portion of history little of us know anything about.

Princess Ka'iulani was the niece of the king of Hawaii when she was born towards the coming of the 20th century. Great rejoicing attended her birth, as the king himself had no children. By all accounts, Ka'iulani was cheerful, beautiful, polite, kind, intelligent, and more than worthy of taking over the throne when the time came. Unfortunately, Americans intervened and little by little usurped the king's power. By the time Ka'iulani returned to the island after her schooling in England, the Hawaiian islands were an entirely different place--and not for the better.

Ka'iulani appealed to President Grover Cleveland's better nature and although he did his best to help her, upon leaving the White House after his presidency, Ka'iulani now had no American political friends. It was far more in America's interests to annex Hawaii to America than it was to help this charming, serious princess regain her rightful access to the Hawaiian throne.

This is a terrifically absorbing tale. Ka'iulani is presented beautifully by the illustrations, which show different aspects of her personality while always emphasizing her dignity and popularity among the Hawaiian people. The two Stanley ladies have taken a little-known subject and presented it to us with power and handsome decoration, and the end result is highly compelling.

I bought this book for my Corrections class. It's not really the most exicting class in the world but the book proved to be a great subjective source of Prision Reform. Aside from random sexual references, this book is a must for Criminology Majors!

"Maconochie's Gentlemen" displays Norval Morris's large gifts as a fine narrative writer and a preeminent social scientist. This is a book that fits Aristotle's directive that fine art should enlighten and entertain. It is, in the first instance, an illuminating story, told through the eyes of Captain Maconochie and the family and colleagues he brought with him to Norfolk Island in 1840, of Western society's first efforts at penal rehabilitation. The fiction is followed by incisive reflections by Morris in his role as one of America's leading criminologists, relating Maconochie's experiment to the circumstances today. The book is engrossing in both modes and is thoughtful, moving, and revealing at all points. My hat is off to Norval Morris."--Scott F. Turow

NORVAL MORRIS
THE MODERN DAY JOHN HOWARD

[The power of political leadership in pursuit of popular support by relentless and unscrupulous means has surely and frequently been demonstrated....a public misled by false statistics, sensational and selective sound bites, and political leaders seeking votes is plain to see....Consequently, a prison regime defines the razor edge between power and freedom, authority and autonomy. NM]

In this compelling "roman a clef" entitled: "Maconochie's Gentlemen: The Story of Norfolk Island and the Roots of Modern Prison Reform," the humanism and the incisive intellect of Norval Morris are beautifully revealed. Published in 2002, the novel gives a vivid portrayal of Alexander Maconochie's heroic achievement of creating a "token economy" for rewarding positive behavior through a convict "Marks System" in the penal colony at Norfolk Island, a thousand miles off the coast of Australia, 1840-44. Moreover, it shares a passionate belief that a virtuous prison is possible in the process of maintaining humane and safe prisons. This belief epitomizes the life and work of Norval Morris.

Why would anyone devote himself to penal reform? If there is a viable alternative, why choose to suffer the chill breath of adverse public opinion, the bemused stares of neighbors, the frustrations and lack of reward? It is a vexing question; a satisfying answer is not easily come by. Yet, down through the history of prisons, penal reformers are legion. In contemplating the extraordinary saga of John Howard (1773) and his narrative, The State of the Prisons in Europe and England, Norval makes note of his own life's journey of penal reform.

In an incomparably lesser way, I have devoted the last five-and-a-half decades to the minutiae of prison regimes in four continents. Yet, a vocation in the academic side of criminal law provided all I needed by way of a comfortable, professional, and personal life. To add myself to the list of prison reformers is not to draw a self-serving comparison. Rather, it is to seek an answer to the troublesome question: Why should anyone of reasonable ability see the conditions of prison life as meriting serious and sustained concern? So, when devising prison conditions, you should devise them for yourself. (NM)

As the nineteenth century American prison reform heroine, Elizabeth Gurney Fry has advised: If thee should build a prison, consider thee and thine children might inhabit it. In tribute to Norval Morris, and at his behest for achieving a better understanding of the dilemma(s) of corrections, I recommend an absorbing read of "Manonochie's Gentlemen." Here one will find the heart and soul of a life committed to penal reform. Here, too, one will discover how we will all continue to benefit from the enduring legacy of Norval Morris.

Jess Maghan
Chester, Connecticut (2/25/04)

Seldom have I read a book with which I agreed more completely.

I read this book for the first and second times last night.

It was my second time, because I had read the book when first published. But because I lived in Hawaii back then, perhaps I could not fully absorb the stunning setting and the author's many insights about island life.

I lived in Hawaii for 25 years, and in my second reading Ms. Nelson captured and returned me to 1970s Hawaii. At the same time, I learned a great deal from her book that I did not discern during my time in Hawaii.

The book is about much more than Hawaii. Anyone who has ever been young will identify with this memoir, and will come away richer for the author's uncanny powers of observation about universal themes.

I read this book for the first and second times last night.

It was my second time, because I had read the book when first published. But because I lived in Hawaii back then, perhaps I could not fully absorb the stunning setting and the author's many insights about island life.

I lived in Hawaii for 25 years, and in my second reading Ms. Nelson captured and returned me to 1970s Hawaii. At the same time, I learned a great deal from her book that I did not discern during my time in Hawaii.

The book is about much more than Hawaii. Anyone who has ever been young will identify with this memoir, and will come away richer for the author's uncanny powers of observation about universal themes.

A great book that captures the feel of Hawaii. Victoria's Hawaii is gone but the 'feel' of the place is timeless. Her description of Hawaiian music,plate lunches and hundreds of other details of island life are right on target. If you've been captivated by the idea of island life...read this book. You'll be on the beach,breathing in plumerias as long as your eyes cross the words.

I was introduced to this book by a writer who had lived in Hawaii for most of the '70s, and she felt that it was one of the best personal memoirs of living in Hawaii that she had read. Nelson taught at the University of Hawaii in the '70s, and traveled throughout the islands. She captures the beauty, the sadness, the cultural tensions and improbable harmonies of a people and a setting that is so much more than a Waikiki Beach tourist-trap destination. Her description of the people of Moloka'i was one my motivations to find the true meaning of **Aloha** and visit what may be the friendliest place in Hawai'i. St. Martin's should at least bring it back in trade paperback - the travel sections of most bookstores are dying for a distinctly different look at one of the most fascinating and spiritual places in the world

Imagine being stranded on a remote small South Pacific tropical island with 20 or so others, with no police, no laws to follow and no food, water or shelter other than that what you have built or can get by yourselves, no means to go anywhere else and little chance of being rescued (indeed being found would mean execution). Add to this the fact that your fellow castaways are a mixture of Europeans (all men) and Tahitians (men and women) and the fact that some of the Tahitians were taken to the island against their wishes. This is the position the Bounty mutineers found themselves in 1789 on Pitcairn island and what follows is a true life (adult) version of lord of the flies ending in the death of all but one of the original mutineers.

The authors style is to tell the story of the settlers of Pitcairn in mainly chronological order from the original mutiny through to settlement, the subsequent murders, rediscovery by the rest of the world, abandonment followed by resettlement o fhte island. The main body of the book is only 150 pages and written in clear and easy to read text - I personally finished it in a couple of days.

The most interesting part of the book is the mystery of what happened to most of the original settlers and why. The only male survivor of the originals who came to Pitcairn was an English sailor called John Adams. He eventually established a little stable community from the descendants and it is version of the events is the one most often told. He retold several different versions of events but always he paints himself as the good guy. On the other hand, the stories of some of the native women who the mutineers took with them differ from Adams'. The author uses logic, his own judgement and circumstantial evidence based on the reports to make his own conclusion. He also points out other possible scenarios for what happened, and at the end we are left with a true whodunit where the reader is left to make up their own mind.

There are few illustrations but the book has no large maps or family trees (of the islanders) which would have made things a little clearer as the story and characters involved is very complex. I personally book marked page 51, which gives the list of main characters and which I needed to refer back to as the book progressed.

This book was written in 1988, well before the recent rape and sex scandals, which have given a higher profile to the island in the last year or so. The book stops around the late 19th century and portrays the society they have created as very moral almost puritanical. Whether this was the reality or the society always has always had unacceptable sexual behaviour commonplace I guess is a matter for another book.

Excellent, exciting story of what happened AFTER the Mutiny on the Bounty. The author, using original source material, did extraordinary detective work to draw conclusions from limited sources about how the mutineers ended up slaughtering one another, as well as a few sympathetic natives who escaped with them to the miniscule island of Pitcairn--not even on the map at that time. Only one of the original white men survived (having killed or watched the killing of all the others).

It's a sordid story of swapping "wives," drunkenness on home brew, murder, rape and the survival of the fittest--here the most devious and cunning. That did not include the famous Mr. Christian who was among the first to go. Gripping story and a good read.

Most readers would have a reasonably good knowledge of the events that took place on HMS Bounty in 1789 and they might even know the details of why the Bounty sailed and what happened to Bligh after he and those of the crew that didn't mutiny were set adrift in the Bounty's long boat. I would guess however that only a handful of people anywhere in the world would have an idea of what happened to the mutineers after they landed on Pitcairn and burnt their only means of escape-the Bounty herself. Trevor Lummis has done a tremendous job of research by stringing together all the odd bits of scattered information in order to present the whole bloody, sordid story of the events that ultimately left only one male alive on the island plus a number of Polynesian women who were part of the original group. What happened to the mutineers and the Polynesian men that went with them to Pitcairn is the subject of this book and what an extraordinary story it is! Hollywood missed it by building a movie around the mutiny-they should have filmed the story of the events after the mutiny. Anybody with even a miniscule curiosity about the incidents on Pitcairn owe it to themselves to savor this wonderfuly readable story.

Funnily enough the really interesting story of the Bounty begins after most movies have 'faded into the sunset' and the credits start to roll. This is what Lummis has picked up - and this book "Pitcairn Island, Life and Death in Eden" is the story of just that. What happened to the Bounty mutineers. It is an awful lot more interesting, bloodthirsty and downright fascinating than the story of the Bounty mutiny itself.

Lummis seems to have done his research too. He has tracked down all the accounts available, and compared them with one another. He clearly points out the strengths and weaknesses in each account and how he has reached his own conclusions about the actual story. In this way he makes his deductions, and the story far more transparent for us - and makes it all the more believable.

As most people know the mutiny on the bounty as about the uprising of a group of sailors led by acting Lieutenant, Fletcher Christian against their captain, Bligh. Lummis discusses the mutiny and the events which lead up to it, putting it perspective of the times and the problems which Bligh had had to deal with before hand (especially through the incompetency of the admiralty in delaying his sailing to Tahiti in the first place.) There is also a brief history of the English encounters in Tahiti prior to the arrival of the Bounty.

The most interesting part is really what happened to the Bounty muntineers once they sailed away from the Bligh. Some went reluctantly and stayed in Tahiti when the Bounty returned there. However Christian and a few others knew that they would never be safe unless they stayed out of range of the long arm of the British Navy. They therefore found the most remote island possible - Pitcairn - and settled there.

Then followed almost 20 years in which there was no contact with the outside world, just a handful of bounty mutineers, 6 tahitian men and a handful of Tahitian women. At the end of those 20 years just one of the men was left, John Adams. His story of what happened to the other men was at first straightforward. However as more people visited the Island his story started to become more complicated and even contradicted itself. It seemed that there must have been at least one catastrophic massacre of some sort. Yet they were all living in this peaceful and ideal society.

Lummis gleans the truth of the fate of the men of Pitcairn through the various accounts Adam's gave, as well as accounts given by one of the women, Jenny, and one of the eldest sons after Adam's died. In fact it seemed that Adam's himself had triggered the entire debacle. This I found the most fascinating part of the book - the careful unravelling of various stories by comparing them with others, and with logical progression.

Lummis completes the book with the fate of the islanders up until recent years. The gradual deterioration of the island, the move to Norfolk and the return of some of them to Pitcairn.

This book is well worth reading if you enjoy the story of the mutineers. It is also an interesting insight into pre-European Pacific culture, and it proves to be a darn good mystery as well....

What is relegion? Why do we believe what we believe? These are important questions since all of us look for meaning within our existence. This book offers valuable insight into those issues. Not just a travel book.

This well written book takes you deep into the South Pacific like no other book I have read before. In many ways this book transcends the travel category and takes you into the relm of relegion and theology as well as anthropology and a little political science thrown in too just for good measure. I was very pleasantly surprised.

I also like the way this book helps to educate us on a part of the world that is so far off the beaten path, at the edge of our existence, that we ignore it. Huge mistake. Read this book, ponder the issues it brings up, and you will learn a lot.

As a correspondent I was in the Solomons for most of the key moments - and many of the darker moments of the civil war on Guadalcanal. Montgomery, whose original motivation was plainly to write some kind of family travel account, was deeply changed by what he saw and felt. As were we all. I never met him during the dramas, suggesting he kept away from the media events linked with it all. For this we all owe a very deep debt of thanks; he has bought a powerful light to parts of the story that needed to be illuminated. The horrors of Harold Keke and his gang, off set by the glories of the Melanesian Brothers. This is a major Pacific work; something to be celebrated and cherished.

We're all interested in God. (Even atheists make a theological statement when saying there is no god; and presumably, they've said so based on an informed consideration of some sort.) Montgomery takes us on an extra-ordinary quest in pursuit of God-knowledge. And he does so in the footsteps of his great grandfather, who was a missionary to the people of the south sea islands. He starts as a well-studied skeptic on a grand adventure. Along the way we encounter history and myth surrounding magic, cannibal stories, hallucination, faith, and genuine self-sacrifice. And we see our stalwart tour guide grow as a result of his quest. His appreciation for the power of myth expands to reveal the truth that it can convey. And his spirituality makes a significant transition from that of someone inquiring into the basis of religion -- to observing its significant influence on the human family, in practice.

There are occasional sentences written in a creole which might require a bit of a stretch for some readers -- but it really is English if you sound them out carefully. (Let your eye and ear work together to parse those words, out loud, if necessary.) The editors would have done well to include a glossary for those who are intimidated by foreign-looking words. But please don't let this discourage you from this very enjoyable book which tracks a coming of age from spiritual infancy into a dawning maturity.

~eric.

Having a missionary ancestor is a fine prompt for travel. Most early missionaries, to justify their existence and purpose, were dogged journal keepers. Montgomery's grandfather was no exception. Rev. H.H. Montgomery had not only kept extensive notes, but much of that collection and other thoughts were produced in a book, "The Light of Melanesia". Discovering that account led Vancouver-born Charles to light out to the Pacific to see the results of his grandfather's and other missionaries' endeavours. In keeping his own records, Charles has produced a 21st Century adventure yarn of captivating interest.

If there is a pivotal point in this book, it is the 1871 "murder" of Bishop John C. Patteson. The bishop seems to have died happy - martyrdom has an appeal to some religious folk. The century following may have justified his bizarre view, since his death has become a symbol to the local people. For one thing, they are able to brag that "we don't kill white folks any more". The author has some reason to doubt this claim as he travels through Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. He has trouble separating the various Christianities spread throughout the islands. A good many of them are still practising various forms of ancient witchcraft as part of their new religious activities.

Montgomery sets himself a quest to find Melanesian witchcraft in its pure form. This is easier told than accomplished, since today's missionaries, and many of their converts, hunt down the practitioners. Sometimes with violence. The islanders, however, have a long warrior tradition supporting their activities and working out winners and losers is challenging. Still, for him to unearth the ancient practices, he must trek deep into mountain hideaways, convince those claiming to hold special powers that he won't reveal them to Christian authorities, and come away unscathed. If the Melanesians don't do him in, the weather is always waiting for its own chance. "Getting there is half the fun" as the author haunts docks and ships seeking elusive transport. Ships run weekly, monthly, or when fuel money is produced. His persistence ought to be worth some kind of award.

His luck might be due to some recognition, as well. In the islands, the witchcraft Montgomery seeks is based on "mana". Mana is the life force and may be transferred from one human to another - by head hunting [cognitive scientists take note]. The more exalted the victim, the greater the mana. The missionaries, and the military forces they frequently called in to support them, sought to quell the practice. Their substitution was "Christian love", which often took a beating when the islanders objected to their land being taken or their wives and daughters raped. Montgomery laces the history of missionary work with his personal account seamlessly. Daily confronting the results of what the missionaries imposed [this book was originally titled: "The Last Heathen"] Montgomery's scepticism of their work can only be enhanced. Belief, however, is an immense force among humans. Montgomery realises he cannot dismiss it thoughtlessly. The result of his quest results in a fascinating essay on what "religion" has come to mean to the Pacific Islanders. It's far from what the missionaries intended - and intend - but it's demonstrably real. The book is a valuable social commentary, both about the Pacific islands and our own culture. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]