Oceania Books

Everything you need to know about Micronesia and then some. And the proof will be in the pudding when I visit.

If what you're looking for is a concise yet very useful guide to the Western Pacific Islands, here is it. I used it in conjunction with other guides and found that it stands on its own as a comprehensive refernce source. Good buy.

I got this book for an upcoming trip to Guam and Saipan. This book barely makes mention of the various sites and attractions, especially the WW II sites. With the War in the Pacific Museum still shut down, it's more important than ever to have a good accounting of what's there and how to get to it. The older 2000 edition Lonely Planet Micronesia has more information than this.

As the author of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions of this handbook, I'm very familiar with the subject matter and am pleased to see how Neil Levy has developed and improved the guide. All 70 maps are now computer-generated and printed in two colors. Neil has broadened the scope to include more information on the upscale facilities, while expanding the ecological discussions. As a companion to my own guide Moon Handbooks South Pacific it's unmatched, and I recommend it to both travelers and serious students of Micronesia.

Great overview for the traveler to Micronesia. I changed my travel plans on which islands to visit based on the information in this book. The only drawback is, and this is true for all travel books, information becomes outdated quickly and so this one needs an update.

Not much "hidden" stuff in here. Most of the places they call hidden, is also written in every other tourist guide. The only things this book has that the others don't in a more comprehensive guide to local restaurants. But as for hiking, beaches, etc. their suggestions won't be so hidden because every tourist with any guide will know about them.

The first 75 pages are the normal travel guide stock. In the succeeding pages the only thing hidden seem to be some boutique hotels, curiosity shops and small restaurants focusing on specific cuisine.

This book should be extremely helpful to anyone who, like myself, is planning a first trip to Oahu. Hidden Oahu is packed with information, in a highly readable, highly usable format. I like the way it lists attractions off the beaten path (hence the "Hidden" Oahu of the title), as well as the usual well-trod tourist attractions. Travelers who are adventurous and love to explore their destinations should love this book. I also like the way the author highlights the attractions you won't want to miss (in shaded boxes entitled "Check These Out"): the best of Oahu's restaurants, shopping (including specialty shops, such as local craft shops), museums and tourist attractions, resorts, beaches, etc. Most of all, I like the easy-to-use format of this book. Rather than lumping each type of attraction together ("beaches," "museums," "botanical gardens," etc.), this book sets out directions for a variety of driving tours and describes the attractions you will find along each route. Thus, you can easily preplan your driving adventures and make certain not to miss any of the island's attractions that fall along your way.

I might add that this book contains all the usual "before you go" warnings and advice that is standard fare in travel guides, as well as information on the history and culture of the island and some very useful information on Oahu's many outdoor sports and activities.

These books by Riegert are great; I have used them for 20 years. I would not dream of going to the islands without them. But you have to be adventurous, if you are not going to go past the NO TRESPASSING sign, you probably should not buy this book. (I only do it when Ray says it's OK). Stick to something more sedate. But if you will follow advice these books will show you da kine parts of Hawai'i you will not hear about anywhere else.

My tip: Buy this book months before your trip. Plan to stay at least one night in one of the funky hotels he finds in the backcountry. You won't regret it! Most of our favorite Hawaii moments have been due to this book.

Buy this book and go to the islands while they are still no ka oi!

I thought that the title of this book was a little misleading. I had bought several guides to Oahu and the Honolulu area in preparation for a recent trip, and this guide seemed to contain most of the same information as the rest of the books I'd read. A few of the restaurant recommendations and night life spots were new, but most other things were the same. I ended up using Frommer's Honolulu, Waikiki, and Oahu guide much more than this one.

And one has to wonder - with a destination such as Oahu, which is so popular with travelers all over the world; which is the subject of countless tour books, television shows, and other visitor information pieces - how much of the island's treasures can truly remain "hidden?"

The basic concept of this book of focusing less on the key people and events of history and more on the environmental, social and cultural impacts is not new and could have produced an interesting and insightful analysis of a country that is still a mystery to most Westerners. However, Totman fails to achieve this. His writing style can be tedious and he seems intent in showing off his impressive vocabulary - he certainly must get the prize for the most use of the word "adumbrate" in a book.

Ironically, therein lies the problem. He sketches over some complex issues,cultural themes and whole periods of history that without an existing deep knowledge of Japanese history and society leaves this reader, at least, more confused than enlightened. His approach of laying a lot of emphasis on the geographic and environmental influences, again, could have been very interesting but it finally degenerates into a rant about the war in Iraq and how destructive and corrupt the Industrialized world is. Rather than a diatribe against the Bush administration, it would have been useful to see an analysis of the factors that have caused the Japanese economy to stagnate compared to Europe and particularly the U.S.

In the end this book really does not give either a helpful overview of the history of Japan nor any insight into its future.

Although compact and covering a broad range of subjects, Totman's book carries with it several key flaws which a person should be aware of.

First, the almost complete reliance upon English sources. A quick browse through citations and quotes reveals rather quickly that virtually no Japanese sources have been used (if any) in the making of this book. This doesn't make the book "bad" or one sided so much as it makes it woefully incomplete. Many of the English language sources cited are from around 1997, which makes them very recent, but one further problem lingers. That is, the sources for Totman's sources. Generally speaking research on Japan is generally speaking 20 years behind research in the US. New "breakthroughs" by US researchers don't get much press in Japan simply because the "breakthrough" is already common knowledge by the time it gets here. As result, although the views expressed in the book reflect new thinking in American or European circles they do not neccisarily reflect those in Japan at the present.

Another "flaw", although not as fatal as the one listed above, is the division he seems to employ in (or rather impose upon) Japanese history. This is an old argument (in Japan, anyway), but deserves attention. The book is divided up into 4 major parts: prehistory (Japan up until the Nara period), Classical (Nara-Heian), Medieval (Kamakura-Edo), and Modern (Meiji- ). The modern era is then devided into pre and post-war Japan. The Major problem here comes in this heavy-handed lumping of eras based upon the European version of (European) history. For perhaps the past two or three decades in Japan the validity of this lumping has been debated and challenged, which has led to the breaking down of paradigms associated with the "classical" age or the "medieval" age. What this in effect did inside Totman's work was create an oversimplification of areas of history which deserve far more attention (for example the Kamakura period hardly gets notice, and the split in to the Northern and Southern Courts and the subsequent 70 years of war, are virtually ignored). This, I fear, is a fairly typical bias seen in Western writing regarding Japanese history, with only Sansom breaking the mold over 40 years ago.

To meantion this books strengths, it gives quickly and easily (although at times oversimplified) readable views of the many aspects of Japanese political, cultural, and societal history, and takes a slightly different stance on modern Japanese history which begins to reflect the views developed in Japan by people such as Ito Takashi. A more candid view based on factual rather than ideological of Japanese history on the whole can be seen emerging, however the shortened pen with which things are written can lead to misundertanding of facts and events.

This volume will serve as a good general guide to Japanese history on the whole, but is oversimplified in many important areas. This book may, however, serve as a good springboard in to more detailed histories, such as Cambridge's or Sansoms, and may even serve in the reverse to give new insight into the problems sighted in these older works.

Totman tries ever-so-hard to liberate his history from traditionalist binaries such as East vs. West and industrial vs. pre-industrial. He does this by examining history from an ecological perspective, examining the interaction between man and the environment. At first, this approach seems to work remarkably well. It is possible, it seems, to deduce pre-historic settlement patterns from the environmental record alone.

Yet, the novelty of his approach begins to break down when he tries to fit all of Japanese history into four distinct stages defined by the ability of the society to extract and process resources (e.g. crops, minerals, forests, etc.). This is just old-style development theory dressed in a new suit. Also, Totman conveniently abandons the ecological model when examining such items as culture, even though he vainly tells the reader that he has not forgotten his approach! When the author has to remind the reader that he hasn't strayed from his theme, it's a sure sign that he has!

The result of all this is a highly fragmented account that is difficult to read without prior knowledge of Japanese history. If I were a professor in this field, it would be an agonizing decision to go back to Sansom's venerable 1960's volume instead of turning to the current scholarship used in Totman. And yet, Totman's book is so difficult to digest that it would probably be worth it.

I had the good fortune to use (the first edition of) Conrad Totman's "History of Japan" in a series of introductory Japanese history courses for which I also read large parts of the two works with which it is often compared by other reviewers: George Sansom's three-volume history and the encyclopedic Cambridge history. This let me compare all three works and identify the strengths that each has relative to the others. Although I read the first edition, few major changes seem to have been made in the second edition, the main one being an expansion of the epilogue to discuss pressures associated with the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.

As a one-volume work, Totman's history can't hope to include as much detail as the other two multi-volume histories. However, it nevertheless manages to present a comprehensive and very accessible history of Japan from prehistoric times to the twenty-first century. Unlike the Cambridge history, it is actually affordable, and unlike Sansom's work it includes events following the Meiji Restoration. Totman also spends considerably more time exploring Japanese society and economy than does Sansom, who focuses mainly on political, military and high-cultural affairs.

Totman's main conceit is taking an 'ecological' approach to Japanese history that governs the book's structure even if it doesn't dominate the narrative as a whole. He divides Japanese history into four rough and somewhat overlapping periods, based on the dominant means of production: pre-agriculture, dispersed agriculture, intensive agriculture, and industrial. Each of these periods, he argues, exhibited an early high-growth phase when the spread of new techniques and technologies led to rapid increases in production and population, followed by longer periods of stasis. As a result of this approach, for instance, Totman considers the Meiji Restoration a less crucial transition than the process of industrialization that followed it later in the nineteenth century.

Totman's interpretation is plausible, and I appreciated how he uses it to provide structure to his account, without forcing all aspects of Japanese history to fit into some overarching model. His writing was also quite accessible, and often a pleasure to read. The supplemental tables, glossary, index, annotated bibliography and limited notes were also helpful. Sansom and the Cambridge history may make more complete references, but of the three I found Totman's "History of Japan" the most interesting, accessible and enjoyable to read.

Conrad Totman's A History Of Japan conceptualizes four major "ages" grounded in the material resources that sustained Japanese society: the age of foragers, dispersed agriculturalists, intensive agriculture, and industrialism. Totman beings with Stone Age society in Japan, and then moves through developments in agriculture, state-building, the blossoming of classical arts and letters, socioeconomic growth and change, domestic and diplomatic politics, social issues of class, gender and ethnicity, cultural production and the environmental effects of agricultural activity. A History Of Japan provides detailed coverage of the twentieth century when Japan grew into a much larger society and its role on the international science became militarily, economically, and culturally influential. A History Of Japan is a highly recommended, informative, scholarly, comprehensive, and "reader friendly" introduction and historical survey that will be much appreciated by students of Japanese history and culture, and has a wealth of material for the non-specialist general reader seeking to understand the Japan of antiquity as well as a contemporary and influential society.

"Kaleku was hurled out. He spun briefly, arms and legs flailing as uselessly as a rag doll's, and plunged, with a crash, into the sea.
Thrashing to the surface, he had time only to see the fins racing toward him.
He screamed only once before he died.
And as he died, a vivid picture flashed across his brain.
A picture of a stone shark, goast-gray under the moon, it's carved mouth open, its white teeth luminous in the cold light.
And on its teeth, a scarlet stain of blood."
I highly encourage you to read this wonderful book called The Shark Callers written and illustrated by Eric Campbell.
This book is about a boating family. The family has a son named Andy, a daughter named Sally, and a mother and father. They know that Quintana, their boat, will look after them. But the island they are banked on, has a volcano ready to erupt. The island was on Purple alert. The next one would be Red alert. Evacuate!!
There is also another story going on at the same time, but only in the past. Fifty years before the Thomsons had arrived at the island, Old Sea Bird and Kaleku were Shark Callers. The top of Old Sea Bird's hut was covered with shark fins from which he had hunted sharks, and growing in the back of it was brus, or tobacco. The Shark Callers made canoes from wood, rattles made of coconut shells called larungs, and floats made for snaring sharks, called kasamans. Their problem was that there was a great tsunami, or tidal wave, coming their way. But you will have to read the book yourself to find out what happens.

The Shark Callers is not only pointless but is also without a message. It is about two boys who lead two different paths. They do not interact at all during the course of the book. At the end of the book when Kaleku is killed, Eric Campbell explains that he was giving his life in order to save Andy's. Kaleku had no knowledge that Andy was near him or that Andy's life was in danger. He was simply doing what he set out to do; hunt sharks. Whats more, it is without an ending. There is an Epilouge in which the writer describes what hapens to the characters. In conclusion, this book just flat out confused me.

This is a pretty good book and I would reccomend it to anyone who likes action and adventure. When I say adventure I mean volcanoes, sharks, tidal waves, earthquakes, the whole 9 yards. It is a great book. It is a fast read. Nothing hard, except that there are some words that are hard that you have to look up in the glossary for. I didn't like that part. It is a really good read though and deserves a lot of credit.

If you're looking for a historically accurate, but still enjoyable book, you've hit the jackpot. The Shark Callers by Eric Campbell is the book for you! It keeps you on the edge of your seat, but at the same time, you get to know all of the characters, and when something happens to them, it happens to you too. You never know what's coming JUST around the corner, and the pivotal point at the end of the book is awesome. A wonderful book=)

this book was pretty good. it too a while for things to get rolloing but once that happened it took off in a really good book.

"Provides complete information on how to reserve campervan/car in U.S. and on camps and scenic sights in 'Down Under.'"

This is nice little book, but it is not at all what the description led me to believe it was and it is certainly not worth the cost. This is not a true guidebook at all. Rather, it is a very brief (only 128 pages total, with wide margins on all 4 sides of the page) account of the Hostrop's personal travel experiences with little tidbits of advice tossed in.

I have visited Australia twice and am planning a third trip, which is why I purchased this book. It will not be of use to me in planning my next trip, nor do I believe it would have been especially useful in planning my previous trips, even though my last trip was made in part in a campervan.

I also found the repeated urgings to make use of Newmans (a travel agency) a bit disconcerting. Was the Hostrops' trip underwritten by Newmans?

My advice: spend your money on the Frommer's and Lonely Planet guides. They will be much more useful.

I bought this book before our trip to New Zealand to provide detailed/specifc information about using a Campervan to see New Zealand. We took the book with us and referred to it several times during our vacation there and found it to be neither helpful or accurate. Using a campervan to visit New Zealand had many serious considerations that I do not feel were adequately detailed in this very small, non detailed book. One of the funny things was that the book mentioned how patiently and how detailed the instructions would be by the campervan company. To the contrary was our experience, there was minimal information provided, just "You refuel here, the spare tire is here, you turn it on there. Any questions? No?, Well have a good day mate." Once out of the parking lot, the fun begain with trying to drive a stick shift situated on the "wrong" side of the vehicle and driving on the "wrong" side of the road. Had the book specified some of the problems associated with this, and the dangers, we would have had more realistic expectations. Since this book was a "Campervan" book, my expectations would be that the book would spend much more time on how to deal with such a "beast", as we came to consider our campervan.

In addition, the book gushed about the great roads, which were not great once outside of Auckland, and the lack of graffetti and trash, which we saw much of in Auckland and even in the rural settings. Many other details mentioned in the book we found not be be the case. The various sites to see were not discussed in enough detail to be either intriging or edifying.

This is not to discourage anyone from going to NZ, but I felt that the book did not cover the reality that a traveler meets. One would do much better with getting a general travel book of New Zealand, which be did, and use that for planning and executing his or her trip.

Though my wife and I had a general guide to Australia and New Zealand, surprisingly, we felt that the Hostrops' book gave all the sightseeing information needed as most sites also had their own detailed literature. We appreciated the emphasized suggested itinerary given which took us to the most important sites and to the excellent recommended lodgings and campgrounds. We also appreciated the excellent information on the "free" stopover islands. On the way over, we stopped in the Cook Islands and on the way back we stopped in Tahiti. This a gem of a book which goes to the heart of what independent travelers need for a most enjoyable journey to Australia and New Zealand. Highly recommended for independent travelers.

Wow, it's a steal at $6 - I paid about $20 originally. It covers quite a bit of ground, seems to be fairly current, and gives more focus to the touristy things to do (which makes sense). It was definitely the guide I most used while on the vacation but if it was 100 pages lighter I would have been grateful!

This is another guide written in the same sort of format as Lets Go and Lonely Planet. It is a lot thicker than the Lets Go version and believe me, weight and space are important when lugging the thing around a whole continent. Let's Go also has a fair bit more information than Rough Guide in fewer pages. I also don't like the paper the pages are made of in this book as it's not a nice texture, is very thin and the pages stick together when the book's been inside a hot backpack and just don't feel nice turning the pages when it's a bit humid. Rough Guide is also rather opinionated on everything from each hostel to local information booth staff friendliness. I must say I do agree with some comments but a lot I never had the same experiences. That's the thing about travelling one person can have a great experience with a tourism operator and the next not so good. It depends who else is on the tour, in the room, which staff member you get and so on. If this was a constantly updated website that encourages feedback and changed the information regularly than I would see a place for it but not in a guide book. If you follow the author's opinion you'll miss out on some great experiences and even the places he recommends you may still have a bad time at. That's just the way tourism is. I'd recommend Lets Go over this for backpacking around Australia.

As with many things Aussie, this book has an outdoorsy bent. There's far less history and social content than some other Rough Guides but that said, this book is typical Rough Guide density with encyclopedic coverage. The best thing about this book is that you're not likely to find a place in this vast country without at least a few words written about it. The chapters about particularly remote sections of the country are well done and fascinating to read. A good guide book should make you more anxious to get on with your trip. This one has that effect on me.

I'd like to see a bit more narrative about significant architecture and important institutions, and the book needs a nice new set of maps. There are few really good ones in here.

This book was a lifesaver for us on our three week vacation to Australia. The maps within it were fantastic especially on our four day drive up the coast. It was very helpful with regard to accommodation, and finding tourist information offices. We didn't leave our room without it on any day of our trip.

Stuart's work is an excellent overview of Australian history from the dreamtime to the present. He captures the major periods and events that shaped the progress of Australia towards federation and beyond, into the current malaise over national identity and the development of a unique and identifiable cultures.

Modern thought increasingly accepts the indigenous problems that were part of Australian colonisation, and Stuart probes these and other contemporary issues by drawing from both sides of the debate. He illustrates research that examines the language of overland explorers, to determine whether they were 'exploring' or 'conquering', and he comments on modern interpretations of the constitution by the high court. Readers not well versed in Australian issues may pass over these slights of hands without understanding their importance in the nature of forging an Australian history, culture and identity.

I would recommend this book as a necessary overview for any person interested in the history of the country, including potential tourists.

I have long wanted to read a general history of Austrailia, and when I read. on April 3, 1988, The Fatal Shore, by Robert Hughes, I said to myself, in my post-reading note: "I am glad I read this book, but maybe I'd've done better to read a plain history of Australia than this long account of this aspect of its beginning." I am shamed to say that it has taken over 12 years to do what I thought I should have done back then. This book goes up to 1999, and portrays very well the current dilemmas facing Australia. If you enjoy the articles in Current History, as I do, this book reminds me of those articles, except it is less bland and neutral. Ordinarily I avoid histories with designations such as "short" or "concise" figuring that I want a fuller treatment. But when one knows as little of a country as I do of Australia, I thought this a good introduction to its history.

According to the author, Australian history is 200 years of racism, sexism, oppression, dominance, exploitation. The victims are aborginal people, women, the early convicts -- and the environment. The villains, of course, are white males. When the Australian economy dips, the fault lies with the U.S., world capitalism and neoliberalism. When the Australian economy thrives, it just means Aussies can waste more money on bourgeois geegaws. The tone is humorless, unrelenting, shrill, one-sided -- a prime example of what one Australian referred to as "black armband history".

The first thing that came to mind as I trudged through Macintyre's wordy book was how could something called "concise" seem so long? This book is informative but entirely humorless, like reading an ingredient list. Macintyre seems more concerned with showcasing his vocabularity then with enticing you with the facinating history of Australia's past. There is plenty of information in this book if you can make it through to the end while maintaining consciousness. If you are about to visit Australia and you are looking for an entertaining and informative book to stimulate your enthusiasm I strongly recommend Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country. If you are looking for a strong sedative then this is the book for you.

Flenley and Bahn have created an incredibly comprehensive reconstruction of Easter Island's history. They cover the origins, flora, fauna, tides, culture, language, stone carving, etc. In fact, for a layman such as myself, the sheer volume of details is a bit overwhelming, and I frequently found myself skimming. (I really didn't want to know that much about Chilean palm tree nuts or pollen samples.)

The authors make their very plausible (and exhaustive) case that the Easter Islanders doomed themselves by invoking an ecological disaster, possibly compounded by drought, which led to starvation and internecine warfare.

The stone giants are the embodiment of some sort of archetypal figure from the human subconscious and have fascinated generations. I came away from the reading most impressed by the fact that every scientist, archaeologist, doctor, engineer, or assorted wing-nut who had seen the stones was compelled to try and figure out how they were carved or moved. The megaliths seem to cast a spell over the most sane and rational people. (I found myself telling my husband we should go there for our next vacation)

While somewhat compelling, this book was really not what I expected. I found it to be basically a reiteration of the first edition published in 1992. Have the authors nothing new to say? I would skip this book- not worth the read- there is so much wonderful material out there on Easter Island. This seemed like a waste of good time. Next!

This is an excellent, up-to date (2003), fairly easy read of an astounding place, Rapa Nui, the island in the South Pacific better known as Easter Island. This is in fact an updated edition of an earlier 1992 edition, that has been revised to incorporate new ideas and developments in research into a place which has seen quite a deal of academic interest and debate over the last few decades.

It is, as the title suggests, mostly a discussion of some of the more enigmatic and mysterious aspects of this small island at the 'edge of the world', so to speak. Discussions include how the Polynesians got there in the first place (several thousand kilometres from just about anywhere), what happened to the island's original flora and fauna, why there are now virtually no trees on the island, why and how they built and transported the enormous statues, why their culture seemingly underwent several periods of cultural implosion, and how they came to have their own system of rudimentary symbolic writing-no small thing incidentally- since it is only one of a handful of societies where a form of writing is thought to have arisen independently (although this is debated for Easter Island).

Rest assured, once one delves into the detail and human richness of the history and culture on Easter Island, (past what one hears via the grapevine or via populist travel articles), one begins to find things one did not quite expect. Put simply, it becomes a kind of mirror of the human psyche, of humans in close interaction with their primeval environment, with all its ghastliness and beauty, and their myriad inclinations towards both the tragic and the beautiful.

Take for example, the extreme feeling of isolation that a seafaring culture must have felt, of being stranded, once all the original tree species had been cut down and driven to extinction, and they couldn't make any more sea craft (something a number of environmentalists have pointed out). Imagine the keen loss of traditional values that must have been felt, once the statues were thrown down (in a probable revolution of some sort), or the desperate alternative worship of man-like birds, who could fly away into the sea and escape their lonely, now barren, isle. And what about the island's trees in the first place-there was a highly prized native palm on the island, that could be sourced to transport statues, make ropes, make sea craft, and provide an alcoholic sap amongst other things, which was driven to extinction by the islanders-whether by over-exploitation, neglect, or through an inability to adapt and change, or all of them. And there are even suggestions that is was in the making and transporting of the statues themselves which at least partially caused the islander's ultimate cultural downfall-the transport of the statues required the felling of timber, and if one of these two practices had to cease or change, it probably wasn't the felling of timber.

It is difficult to know for certain what variety of factors were responsible for the extinction of the prized trees, but no doubt isolation, neglect, and an inability to change must have been major factors. In addition, the Polynesian rat evidently had a big appetite for native palm nuts (teeth marks in nuts). Without the timber from the trees, soil erosion and degradation set in, and most importantly they couldn't make wooden boats to fish, and so they began to starve. Archaeological evidence also indicates an outbreak of warfare at about the same time as the trees became extinct. There is indeed a myriad of archaeological evidence here to delight anyone interested in the rise and fall of nations and cultures to be sure, scattered in caves, swamps, dwellings, quarries and various other places on the island.

Another interesting discovery is the preserved fossilised roots of native palm trees, which are almost identical to the modern day, very versatile Chilean species. Also of interest to me was the subtle development from religious ritual and symbolism, to depiction of the same on favourable rock outcrops, ultimately to communication of the same on wooden articles-the Rongorongo script. In short-'religious ritual' to 'writing'. Writing originating as art inspired by cultural isolation? There are suggestions here that it was the Spanish who influenced this trend towards writing, but after reading the debate here, I'm not convinced. The extreme isolation to me suggests a kind of inspired artistic innovation or expression. Readers might also be surprised to learn that the origin of the Polynesians themselves is from Taiwan in about 4000 BC-an island nation, that has frequent political troubles, and I presume also may have had, around 4000 BC??.

There are various other discussions on the geology, geography, climate, the infamous Kon Tiki expedition, genetic research into islander origins, Polynesian dispersal and seafaring, archaeological excavations (of course), agriculture, general ecology, statues and ceremonies, food issues, the western human impact from the 18th century onwards, the introduction of smallpox, western religion, slave trading from Peru in the 19th century, and revised views on issues concerning resource sustainability, and ultimate parallels with the rest of the world. It is worth mentioning here that the first edition received some criticism for failing to note differences in resource availability with continental landmasses (which have a larger degree of alternative resources, and further discoveries of eg minerals), and these issues have been incorporated in this revised edition. Comparisons are also made with two other pacific islands, although in somewhat limited detail, Mangaia and Tikopia, which experienced similar ecological and cultural crises, but apparently managed to 'see them through'. There are also a number of black and white and colour plates, and quite a few diagrams which provide good support to the discussions.

An excellent overview of a thoroughly fascinating, and always surprising place.

This is likely the most comprehensive and authoritative work available on the mysteries of Easter Island, concerning its unique culture and its famous statues. The writing here is rather dry, with only occasional glimmers of personality, though the knowledge presented is robust and is usually entirely readable for the interested layperson. The book gets off to a pretty slow start as Flenley and Bahn unnecessarily debunk the discredited theories of Thor Heyerdahl, while they seem to have a colonialist-style disdain for the memories of the present Easter Islanders. The book eventually improves, presenting a general history of the island and an overview of its isolated brand of Polynesian culture. Utilizing archeology, linguistics, botany, anthropology and other disciplines, we learn here that the Easter Island culture evolved out of a likely total isolation from their Polynesian kin (it's one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth), adapted to specific environmental challenges, and developed a highly unique society focused on building giant statues and monuments. But at some point the closed cultural and environmental system collapsed, probably with deforestation and soil erosion as the root causes, and the rich island culture broke down into mayhem and anarchy. This is a chilling lesson for humankind, though Flenley and Bahn wrap up the book with a pretty weak and predictable environmental message for the world. [~doomsdayer520~]

I bought a Tahiti guide book because I am going on my honeymoon and looking to read up on the islands that I will be visiting on that trip. This book did have some valuable information for me like good hiking trips and sights to see, tours and things of that nature, but the author's taste seems to be different from what mine would be when going on a honeymoon getaway. He never did claim it to be a honeymoon book, but Tahiti is a common destination for honeymooners so you would think that the book would include some of that type of information. When I think of my honeymoon, I don't think of staying in places that are off the beaten path in a foreign country, or in homes of families that take you in and you can stay in instead of a regular hotel (dangerous? I wouldn't do it in my own country). That may be up someone else's alley and if it is yours than this may be the book for you. I would think he were mentioning these places to stay to cover all bases for all types of budgets, but he puts them as "author favorites" and makes them seem as if they are the best on the island and it just seems a little crazy. This author is someone that this type of vacation appeals to. He focuses an awful lot on artifacts and history and those types of things to see in Tahiti, which is fine but a little excessive. He speaks of "well-heeled Americans with money to spend" with a hint of resentment when talking about the nice luxury resorts that are available to stay in or the nice restaurants. You can tell he is almost annoyed by all the tourism that has popped up, especially in Bora Bora. I would say skip this book and get the Open Road Tahiti & French Polynesia Guide, it is way better.

I bought 4 books on the French polynesian islands and this was the best by far. I love his detail, his points of interest and his enthusiasm. After reading this book I couldn't wait to go there! This will be the one book I bring with me, it has everything. Where to stay, where to eat (like what native fruit to try), customs, phrases in polynesian and french, and much more.

I just returned from a trip to Tahiti and Moorea and used this book. So my feedback is specifically for those two islands. I must say the book was very spotty in terms of the quality of recommendations and its comprehensiveness. First, many of the locations that were recommended(restaurants/sights) were hit or miss. Second, I was so frustrated with the book that I went to restaurants that were unlisted and found them to be 100 times better that the author's recommendations. Which raised serious questions, "why weren't these restaurants listed in the book?" Moorea has a very limited number of restaurants and thus no restaurant should be excluded (Note: The restaurant was not new and the owner said it had been around for many years - just in case you were wondering).

In addition, the book is not well organized when you're trying to look for things.

I suggest you find another book if you're headed to French Polynesia.

The excellent and detailed information helped me plan our stay on the Tahitian islands thoroughly. Especially the comments on the accomodation offerings were very valuable.

I picked up her book on bicycling in Spain at the library and liked it so much I bought Fried Eggs and Chopsticks and eagarly awaited the release of Kiwis Might Fly. Her books are written for the arm-chair traveler to laugh over but not emulate. Her personal experiences plus brief forays into history make a very enjoyable read.

I was given this book from a friend as a vague taster of NZ before I headed down there for a year and they seriously recommended reading it. I didnt know much about New Zealand and didnt really feel like I needed to know much about its history or landscape. But as I started reading this book I was suddenly fuelled with intregue and curiosity about the beauty of NZ and how it came to be. Based on a personal perspective of Polly Evans who decided one day that she's bored of Rainy England and feels it a good idea to ride around NZ on a 600cc on a mission to find out if the modern Kiwi bloke really is on the verge of extinction, this extremely funny book boasts educational references, drama, personal reflection and a fairly decent overview of NZ as a whole. Despite the strange theme, the book delves into personal experiences of many of the sights and attractions around NZ, clear and detailed references to the history different places and events, lots of good clean British humour and an engrosing writing style of adventure. I really enjoyed this book and found it to be inspiring and and exteremly interesting. Plus there arent many books that make me laugh out loud, and this one did, a lot! I've also used this book as a good reference to many trips out so far, handy!

This book is less about The Kiwi Man (its ostensible theme) than it is about Polly Evans and her newfound love of motorcycling. If you want a sometimes entertining overview of things to do and see in New Zealand, this isn't a bad choice, but a cursory overview is all it is. I read it in an afternoon. Deep, it's not: some of the background info sounds as if she pulled it off of a tourist brochure. And it could use a good editor (why, or why, does she get paid to write books when she doesn't know the difference between further and farther?) I got none of that Bill Bryson I-love-these guys feeling for the people of New Zealand, nor did I get that (often entertaining) sense of grumpy irritation that so many travel writers affect (though she sometmes seems to attempt it, it just comes off as mean and off-point, as with the minister's wife and the potato peeler...very odd). Come to think of it, I learned very little about New Zealand at all, other than it's very pretty, has a wide range of weather and topography, offers some nice roads for motorcycling, and is filled with mostly nice people who are happy to help tourists. I knew all of this. Oh, I did learn that it's frighteningly easy for a novice to rent an oversized motorcycle there.

Ms. Evans has to reach way too hard to incorporate her "theme" through most of the book (her attempt to tie it all together in the last pages is laughable). She occasionally tries out an overly arch tone that is intensely irritating -- I found myself skimming those parts -- and she sometimes falls into the "and then I went here and turned around and went there" style of a boring blog. Perhaps this would have been better if she'd been honest about her real subjects -- her motorcycle and herself. Presumably, the meaningless title for this book was chosen by the publishing house, as it has nothing to do with the text. Maybe there are too many chick-motorcycle-travel books for yet another, but a more honest tile for this book would have been something like _Kawasaki Kiwi: How I Got My Groove On and Learned to Fly_. After all, what really happened is that this gal had an affair with a bike. It just happened to have happened in New Zealand. The search for The Kiwi Man had sod all to do with it.

It's difficult to write travel books with a "twist" but Polly Evans has a pretty good try here in a book that has two on the go at the same time. First, a lady with no previous motorbiking experience passes her test in the UK and, only a couple of weeks later, hires a 500cc road bike to circumnavigate the whole of New Zealand. Brave or stupid, her gradual mastery of this "monster" provides an engaging backdrop to the journey and results in a series of hilarious problems. Second, she sets out not only to see the country but to discover whether the traditional Kiwi male - the pioneer who could mend a clapped out tractor with a rubber band - still exists. A quest which allows her to include some fascinating facts about New Zealand's development, takes her to places that most tourists miss, and gives her the opportunity to ruminate on the issues facing a traditionally male dominated society in the process of change.

All good stuff but the problem is that, as with many "I'm off to see the country in a few weeks" travel books, she can only scratch the surface of the place. For example, in Christchurch she takes an immediate dislike to its "faux" Englishness, with its boatered punters and its school children in 1950's uniform, without having the time or inclination to get behind why these things exist. As a result, her conclusion that the city is in some form of ridiculously nostalgic time warp completely misses the point that this need to replicate the safety & security of "home" was an integral part of the male "pioneering spirit" she is in fact seeking, and that Christchurch with its strong links to rural farming communities still embodies, more than any other of New Zealand's major cities, this particular aspect of its history and life.

Truth is that it's virtually impossible to draw objective conclusions about a country or its people without immersing yourself in it and, with only a couple of days in each place, what she in fact ends up with is a series of intriguing snapshots rather than any real answers to the question she sets herself. But, no matter, because, in the end, it's an enjoyable ramble which, on the way, provides an excellent "primer" into New Zealand's history, captures a great deal of what a tourist can expect to see when there, and includes some wonderfully entertaining incidents as you follow her round its beautiful landscapes on her huge machine.