Oceania Books

A superb book, lavishly illustrated in full color, beautifully demonstrating the power and magic of the shields of New Guinea and the surrounding islands.

It is a bit sad that the people living in such an idyllic location as the islands of the South Pacific. But of course there were people there and that means that there was conflict.

Among the many differences in these shields from those commonly seen in European collections is that the South Pacific islands had no iron, no metals of any type. While the Europeans were constantly innovating and improving their weapons, the islanders were still making fighting equipment from organic materials such as animal hide, bark, wood, rattan. That means, among other things that these shelds were made relatively recently when compared with European exhibits.

Surprisingly, although this book is titled Shields of Melanesia, many of the areas of what is now called Melanesia such as Vanuatu and New Caladonia never developed shields at all. This book will represent the definitive work on this class of shields, it is beautifully printed and illustrated.

A great work about the various shield types of Melanesia. The book deals mostly with mainland New Guinea, but also with surrounding Islands and the Solomons. There are beautiful pictures in color of the shields and old b/w field photographs. It includes also many distribution maps of the different shield types. Until now, this is the first reference book about Melanesian shields, and a must for anybody who is interested in that field. Not only the allready well known regions like Sepik-, Asmat and Highlands of P.N.G. are described, it deals also with lesser known areas like Digul or Waropen.
Barry Craig had long-time field expirience at the Min region (see his other book about that region „Art and Decoration of Central New Guinea". The austrian Harry Beran, is an expert about the Massim Art.
It's a pitty, that the book is not available from the original publisher in australia. He is a specialist for books about Melanesia-New Guinea. Without his enthusiasm, many books about that field, would not have been published.

Pinney's account of jungle warfare in New Guinea and Borneo ranks among the finest war novels ever written. It's one minor drawback is that is is written in Australian English, and while the author does provide a glossary of slang terms, he omits common Aussie slang such as "whiteant". Any who have ever had the privilege of serving with Australians will immediately feel at home with the characters. These were a tougher bunch, having grown up in depression era Australia, but that old Digger self-sufficiency, distrust of authority, and biting humor shines through. Their speech will send hackles down the spines of the politically correct, but beneath the multi-hued skins of "boongs, murries, and burries" they see men much like themselves, locked in a struggle for survival, as much against nature as against the strange white and yellow armies fighting on their soil. Pinney's keen eye provides a myriad of details that move the reader from the blinding greens of the jungle, back to the routine of base camp, to a jungle pool covered with phosphorescent butterflies. He catches the wonder, the boredom, the fear, and the fatigue. Probably the best fictional account of war in the Pacific. If Mel Gibson ever wants to make an Australian World War II movie, this is it.

Peter Pinney kept a diary while fighting in New Guinea and Bouganville that would have got him court-martialed if it had been found. Fortunately for all of us, it wasn't, he wasn't, and we have been given an unbelievably realistic view of what it was really like as a private soldier in a commando unit fighting in the jungles of the Pacific.

The is "Survivor" without a TV crew and with very real risks to life and health. Like being in an ambush with enemy soldiers just feet away. If they happened to see you, you are dead. Yet he does this repeatedly and survives.

How does it feel to kill someone? Find out. How does it feel to lose a close friend? Find out. How do you fill the long periods of boredom between action? Find out. This is a truly amazing book.

One of the best books written on the subject, Peter Pinney writes easily and candidly about his experiences as a Signaller with the Australian Imperial Forces in PNG and The Solomons. Creeping through jungles, seeking the feared Japanese 'warrior', Pinney relates the thoughts and fears of his companions, from the pompous officers to the blood thirsty soldier and coward alike, he draws the characters with a simple, life giving ink and paints the steaming jungle backdrop with a magical brush.

Fact and fiction interweave, I suspect, but the resulting story is of high class.

Even if you are not interested in the subject, this is still a fantastic trilogy and one that at least every Australian should read!

Brunes has written a personable, informative account of traveling in the South Pacific useful to any traveler. The book tells you exactly what to expect as an independent traveler, how to find the wonderful local places to stay, and how to settle into the life style of the place. She writes in the uneffected style of a friend, rather than a travel writer, so you feel right at her elbow sharing the experience. She gives information, mood, inflection of the places and people that you won't find in a guide book. Whether your an on-the-road traveler or an arm-chair traveler, this book is a good read.

This is more than just a travel book. Ms. Brunes digs deep into the culture of the So. Pacific Islands. She does an excellent job of blending people, culture and adventure all while informing the reader of the information necessary to "get around". To stop here would be to do an injustice. Ms. Brunes.
shows fierce determination and courage, a grandmother travelling alone, with little resources but a lot of guts. She is truely an inspiration!

Evangeline Brunes takes us to lands which most of us are not privileged to travel.

As we admire her courage to travel alone to far-off places in the South Pacific, we also share vicariously in her wonderful experiences.

She is an inspiration to all women, but particularly to those with limited incomes, determination, and self-confidence. I hope she will write another book!

It is a shame that Jocelyn's wonderful, dreamy love letter to living in Hawaii is out of print. For starters, the dust jacket is pretty enough, but the book itself is bound in a handsome Hawaiian fabric print. Inside, colors jump off the page as homes ranging from surfers' one-room beach town digs to graceful Nuuanu mansions set you to fantasizing about living in Paradise. Chapters are divided into such themes as paniolo [cowboy] homes, mountain homes, beach homes, contemporary, plantation houses ranging in style from bare bones to elegant...the entire gamut is covered. There are delightful details and tableaux pictured everywhere, showing home dwellers' tabletop arrangements, Hawaiiana collections, hand crafted koa wood furniture, beautiful one of a kind local crafts...I could go on and on about the richness and variety of material in Under The Hula Moon. I write Hawaii guidebooks for a living and spend a lot of time in the islands, looking at the outside of peoples' homes, wondering what's going on inside. Since I'm not the type to just knock on strangers' doors to ask for a tour, Jocelyn has taken me into wonderful places I would otherwise never see.from0AAnyone who has fallen under Hawaii's spell and has ever fantasized about moving to the islands will treasure this book and spend many long hours with it in a favorite reading spot. Few books have given me the years of enjoyment that Jocelyn Fujii's has, and until some publisher has the good sense to bring it back into print, it is worth the seach to find a copy.

If you looking for something that will catch your eye, and that you can just sit down, relax, and browse ... then this is book for you! It's a great book have around for others to look at and see Hawai`i through other people's eyes. It's always great to see how many different people can find the beauty in this paradise.

I am sorry that I generously gave out as many copies of this far out book without saving a single copy for myself, because now I can't find it anywhere except at my friends' homes. And they all want to keep it as a reference for their visitors from the mainland.

People have wondered for centuries how and why the great
statues on Easter Island were constructed and how so many of them were destroyed or damaged after being made. This very appealing book lays out these mysteries and gives background information suitable for grades 3-5. My wife is a pediatrician and this book is a great hit in her waiting room.

Easter Island is one of those places in the world you'd most like to see; but probably never will. Fortunately Deborah Underwood has taken us there in this fascinating book. Her strong writing accompanied by great photographs and illustrations give us a sense of place and help us understand the history, environment, and oddity that is Easter Island.

Adding to the 'Wonders of the World' series is a special focus on the mysterious Easter Island statues, a topic generally not given complete coverage for this grade group of 3-5. 48 pages discuss Easter Island history, the investigations into the statues, and theories about how the islanders moved them into place. An appealing title packed with visual backup.

I discovered an earlier edition of this truly great book in my local book shop and have since walked most of the walks in both the earlier and this current edition. It has to be the bible for anyone wanting to experience the joys the State of Victoria in Australia has to offer. The track notes are concise, yet easy to follow and are accompanied by useful maps for each walk. The publishers would be advised to re-think their layout designs as the book has a decidedly old fashion feel about it, BUT this does not detract from the usefulness of the book. WELL DONE MR THOMAS !

A diverse range of hikes for all grades of walkers from families to hard-core adventurers. Includes contour maps for each hike as well as photographs and illustrations to accompany the comprehensive route descriptions. The destinations include the Australian Alps, the magnificent Grampians, Wilsons Promontory and Gippsland. Sixty of the walks are with 60 miles of Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria. Introductory chapters include advice on equipment, food suggestions, first aid, etc etc.

This book fills a gap which has existed for a long time. There just is not much available for the traveller, resident or person with a general interest in the Aboriginal heritage of Australia's first city, as well as modern Aboriginal culture.

The first chapter is an Introduction which gives a very brief, but good overview of pre-European Aboriginal presence in the area now known as Sydney, as well as post 1788 survival and communities.

The rest of the book is arranged according to geographical areas and sites within each. Many are well and truly on the well-beaten tourist path, such as Bennelong Point, where the Opera House sits. Others are a little less known or visited, such as the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre in western Sydney.

Each site has information about getting there, both by private vehicle and public transport, hours, admission, contact phone no, facilities, and location on the most popular Sydney street directory (Gregory's) as well as a brief description and more detailed information. Includes beautiful colour photos by Aboriginal photographer Alana Harris.

Also interspersed in the relevant places, is text relating to a wide range of significant events, people and places.

I think this book has a place in every Sydney-sider's home. It helps non_Aboriginal people to better appreciate the land and places they have come to. It would also be invaluable for any visitor, as this type of info is just not found in this detail in generalist guides books.

Illustrated with breathtaking color photographs by Alana Harris and accessibly written for non-specialist general readers by Melinda Hinkson, Aboriginal Sydney: A Guide To Important Places Of The Past And Present is an informative guide to the cultural heritage of Australia's native aboriginal population. Forty-five historic sites, and the stories behind them, are surveyed in this impressive survey which is as fascinating for the armchair traveler, as it is for on-site Australian travelers wanting to learn about and come to a more coherent understanding of Aboriginal history and its cultural legacy.

The book is great. I love the www references, the personal touches and for me the descriptions and comments make me feel like I am already there.
Richard Hart

An activity guide packed with detail on everything from horseback riding and camping to fishing, cruising, hiking and more. Chapters are organized regionally and make it easy to look up local accommodations and eateries, inland and water adventures, and even small local maps for quick consultation.

Culturegrams is a "must have" for anyone in the travel industry, avid travelers, culture buffs and amateur anthropologist. Culturegrams introduces the reader, in four pages, to the daily customs and lifestyles of 174 societies. The background, the people, custom courtesies, lifestyle, society and "for the traveler" sections are found in each four page breakdown. The two volumes set (The America's & Europe and Africa, Asia & Oceania) cover the world by and large.

High speed travel has shrunk our world and made every other culture our neighbor. Culturgrams is a needed tool for all those in the travel industry and a wonderful reference guide for all who seek to understand their neighbors better. Highly recommended.

I have this book and it is a great to introduce children of all ages to different cultures without going into too much information that may confuse them. I've used mine with my 4 and 5 year olds to study/introduce different culturesand concepts to them. It's great! I recommend it to teachers and parents.

This is a really good piece of work. I'm a maritime history buff and I enjoyed it a lot. If you're at all interested in the early history of the New England states or especially interested in Nantucket and the way people there made their fortunes, I'd give this book a try. It's a good history that reads like a good novel in places. Highly recommended.

Mawer's splendid "Ahab's Trade" tells the incredible story of South Seas (i.e. Pacific) whaling during the 19th and 20th centuries. The principal character in this book does not have a particular name; the names themselves shift from voyage to voyage - but the constant heroic icon that keeps appearing is the longboat's crewman; the sailor who ventures out onto the high seas in little but a glorified rowboat, harpoon in hand, ready to do battle with a beast that could easily smash the boat to bits. Whatever you think of whaling, you can't deny the bravery of these men.

Mawer does not stop with a strict rendition of whaling, however: he takes the opportunity to share with the reader many a story about the Pacific in general during this fateful period, from the discovery of the Bounty mutineers on Pitcairn island, to the "ExEx" expedition of the 1830s (recently given its own entire history), to the exploits of Confederate raiders during the 1860s. The narrative ends with the (comparatively recent) international ban on whaling - a ban that Mawer does not entirely embrace. Immaculately researched and superbly written.