New Zealand Books

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....

Frank Worsley was Ernest Shackleton's captain, so he is a name that is not commonly known. A common mistake for so many biographers of secondary expeditionary characters is that they get caught up in the relationship to the major character and the biography turns out to be about them. That was my main concern when I first picked up this biograpy of Frank Worsley - that his personality and achievements would be overshadowed by those of Shackleton. Not in this biograpy though - Thomson keeps his story firmly about Worsley, and this story is every bit as interesting as Shackleton's.

Worsley, you see, was Shackleton's captain in the Antarctic expedition that almost ended in disaster in 1914/15. A dreadful summer in the south meant that their boat, the Endurance, was trapped inescapably in pack ice and so began one of the most incredible, courageous and stoic journeys in all polar exploration history. Shackleton's story has been told many times - how the men survived on Elephant Island, and how, with Worsley and some others they sailed across the wildest ocean in the world in a tiny boat to South Georgia to get a rescue craft for the rest of the crew. Even then disaster after disaster struck, they were almost smashed on the rocky coast of South Georgia, once ashore they had to cross the mountainous and glacier ridden interior to reach help on the other coast, and then they had to endure several failed attempts to reach the rest of the survivors back on Elephant Island. This story is told again, but teasing out Worsley's perspective and contributions.

Worsley's story isn't solely about this one incident, dramatic as it is. His life from his childhood to his further expeditions to the Arctic with Shackleton and his first and second world war experiences are all here. I think Thomson really gets inside the man in this book. There are numerous photos and illustrations - most of the Endurance and Quest photos of Shackelton's are widely available in other publications though. There is also a good index and a good appendix if you want to read further information on Worsley or his companions.

This book was great. Finally some one has given the credit to Frank Worsley that he deserves. The book tells everything from his days as a boy to the Trans-Arctic Expedition to his death. Read this book, it's great!

This is my favourite book about Antarctic exploration - even surpassing Mawson's 'Home of the Blizzard'. The book captures the humour, insight and stubbornness of Frank Worsley from his upbringing in Akaroa, New Zealand, to his adventures with Shackleton and maritime career.

Worsley's skills as a sailor, navigator and writer made Shackleton's story possible and the book gives a clear insight into the personal qualities of heroic era adventurers 'when ships were made of wood and men were made of steel'.

A facinating and exciting book, well written and researched, with excellent photographs - this is my most frequently loaned book! [Incidentally, Frank Worsley's diaries can be seen at NZ's Canterbury Museum.]

Frank Worsley is best known as the captain of the Endurance on Shackleton's ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914, but he led a full and very interesting life that included searching for treasure and sinking a German U-boat during WWI. Anyone who has read "Shackleton's Boat Journey" will want to know more about Worsley, and this book will fill many of the gaps.

This book has really changed my life. Thanks for the helpful tips, Johnne says I'm much better after having read your book!

I am very happy to say that I have had Dean Hill as my snowboard instructor in Aspen, CO for the past 2 seasons and he is the best! Just got the book and it is very easy to follow and makes sense. Dean really has a great passion for the sport and it shows in his book and in person on the mountain.

Great job Deano! I really enjoyed reading through it and as would be expected from you it's increadible.

Good one!

It is obvious that this book is written by someone who is passionate and has made snowboarding a huge part of their life.

The content is clear, technical and written with a full understanding of all facets of snowboarding.

The writter has a unique talent for relaying technical knowledge to others in a way that is easy to understand and that will expand your mind.

What a fantastic book! I had no idea dogs played a role like this in the war. Whether your interested in war, working dogs or just want to read a great story i would recommend this book. Pete describes perfectly the innocent nature of a dog even in these extreme circumstances. I can't say enough good things about Tracker's so just pick it up and enjoy.....

wonderfully written book of the australian involvement of tracker dog teams in vietnam...thousands of allied lives were saved through the relationship built by the tracker dogs and handlers, together with the scout, sentry, mine, tunnel, booby trap, and other military working dog teams...over 4,000 dogs and in excess of 10,000 handlers kept our troops safe....the lives of our allied military forces depended on the trust built between handler and dog....

I love books written by people who have been in the working dog field with dogs such as Service Dogs of the Police,Military working roles. I personally find books written on the obedience trailling and Schuzhund competitions basically repetitive and in the main, boring.

Service work and associated training to me, is the real world of dog training, I enjoy competition and encourage people to compete.But I get tired of the never ending waffle of the best way to train involving food, toys, clickers, working in drives etc.

This book is excellent taking one into the real world of extreme dangers of the Vietnam war. Well written, reviting, and refreshing after the waffle of other dog books.Well done Peter. ...

I have read numerous books about war dogs. This is by far my favorite. I was totally engrossed from beginning to end. The book will make you laugh and a few pages later make you cry. Mr. Haran's accounts of his experiences in training tracker dogs for Vietnam, and doing two tours as a dog handler in the "J" (jungle), really bring home the effectiveness of man-dog teams and illustrate the deep bonds that develop between the two forged under fire. I can't say enough good things about this book. If you are a dog lover, or if you're interested in war dogs at all, you should read this book. You won't be disappointed.

Baxter's story is inspiring. He maintains hope and committment in the face of huge opposition from the State. I first read it 30 years ago and it really made an impact on my thinking and outlook on life.

I am not good enough at writing to put together a review that does this book justice. All I can say is that Archibald Baxter was a true hero, the bravest man I know of, and this is the saddest book I have ever read.

This is an amazing book written by an amazing man. As powerful as "All Quiet On The Western Front" ,it points out the extremes of human nature as well as the vulnerability of every person to persecution by even "democratic" governments. Unfortunatly, the hard reality revealed in this book is that the majority of humans are only capable of blind allegience to a state, and too few willing to resist whatever the cost. I don't think I could have done what Archie Baxter did, and I pray I never have to find out!

This autobiographical story is of a New Zealand potato farmer whose absolute resolution and commitment to belief is both unique and extraordinary. A pacifist forcibly taken to the first world war by his government, this story is one of a man with immense conviction in his belief and of the military force intent on forcing him into submission.

Throughout the book Archibald Baxters' confidence in the righteousness of his own belief and the lack of ill will he shows to those who punished and brutalised him is really quite remarkable. Despite the immense suffering Baxter endured, the book is remarkably balanced and honest in its description of all the people involved.

This book was first written in the 1930's I believe, on events from 1916-1918. Despite this We Will Not Cease is even today a moving and profound account of a man who not only held strong beliefs but when these beliefs were tested he defended them to such an extraordinary degree.

We Will Not Ce! ase is a very readable account of man's moral courage being tested to the extreme, and against all odds, of succeeding.

Great book. Not only does it provide over 700 full size colour photos of the insignia worn but has a very useful historical coverage for those interested in Australasian special forces. I have not found another book that covers this subject as well. A bonus is that the book is on excellent paper and a very nice addition to ones library.

While I do not collect insignia, I found this book to be very interesting reading. The bulk of the text provides useful information about the historical background and roles of Australian & Kiwi Special Operations units, some of which I served in. The photos of the insignia included some troop symbols that I had not seen for many years and brought back some fond memories. It is good to see that the current generation are carrying on the traditions. Well done.

I personally do not collect military insignia of any type; I bought this title to read more information on the ELITE organizations of Australia and New Zealand, In particular their Special Air Service (SAS) outfits. The book does and outstanding job at illustrating all the units insignias with hundreds of pictures and descriptions, as for this is what the book was intended for, What I enjoyed the most was the text and descriptions of units and unit lineage and history which really rounded out this text. If you want to know about ANZAC Elites this is a great start for there is no one book that I know of which discusses them all.

While short (I read the book in about an hour.), this gem contains enough wisdom for a lifetime.

The book's insight is challenging, and it can be read at levels ranging from the "feel good" to the profound: you either need a strong spirit to take it all in, or you will grow to have a strong spirit if you follow its wisdom.

The edition I read (Australian) was titled, Advanced Souls, Bag of Jewels.
It offers wisdom to those who would see things as they really are, who would find their true nature, and who would live life to the fullest in this, the supreme adventure.

I felt the need to write this review and sing my praises about this collection after receiving other books in this genre by a different author which proved to be greatly disappointing.

I own many books of this type used for divination through bibliomancy and practice this magick daily.

This book has an attractive cover with its inside text written in calligraphy script. It also has a fabric tassel/bookmark attached from the binding which makes a nice touch. The quote on each page credits the origin from which the quote came which is nice to have available for when I go searching for other motivational quotes. It has also steered me in a good direction on purchasing other meaningful books because of the references to the author and/or book titles.

For the purpose of divination through bibilomancy, the collection of Susan Haywards books has my top recommendations. They are easy to communicate with and have a very nice reciprocating energy. The quotes have depth, dimension, and a good loving energy within them.

I have bought several of them as gifts. The books of this collection will most likely remain on my gift-giving list for many years to come.

Your life is a jewel awaiting your divine expression. This beautiful book brings you the wisdom, guidance, and support you may need at any time, simply by opening to any page when you hold a thought or question in mind. I have had this book for many years, and each time I open it, I do receive a jewel in wisdom.

The timeless quotes are provided by loving souls who have each made wonderful contributions to humanity, so that we may each embrace the jewels we hold within.

During the most difficult time of my life, the quote I kept opening up to came from Thomas Crum: "Instead of seeing the rug being pulled out from under us, we can learn to dance on a shifting carpet." There are many jewels of wisdom, each as profound as the other.

Inspiring and makes for a beautiful gift.
Barbara Rose, author of, `Individual Power' and `If God Was Like Man'

Honestly? I can say, without any hesitation: this is the most extraordinary work of literature I have ever read. The prose is breathtaking, the characters are like relatives to me now, and the experiences within the book will be familliar to any Native person who reads it.

How this woman missed out on the Nobel Prize (or the Booker, at *least*) is an utter mystery to me.

If you are an Indigenous person of any stripe, do yourself a favor and buy this book. Patricia Grace is a literary kaumaatua, and I thank her for her words.

this is a great book to rea

Although I read this book some time ago, I will try to make a review for some other readers passing by this page. It is about the different lifes and happenings of the members of a Maori family, mainly three women of the family, and the story spins around in time, in past and present. This is the second book I have read written by Patricia Grace and I'm lokking forward to reading some more of her work. I like her style so much, the way she can express so many feelings; you get into the story and the main caracters as you read the book, and you wish it didn't come to an end.

This marvellous book is a must-read for anyone interested in this subject.

This book is a story of comradeship and fighting spirit among ordinary people in the face of tyranny and the most acute evil. The Summer of 1944, when Allied forces were sweeping towards Paris, was the beginning of the end for Hitler's Third Reich. However for a group of downed airmen evacuated from Fresnes Prison ahead of the advancing troops, the worst of the war was about to begin. 168 Allied airmen (including several from Australia and New Zealand) were transported illegally to the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp where they experienced first-hand the black heart of Nazism. Miraculously they survived the order for their mass execution, but not before members of their group had died through starvation, brutality and neglect. The author, Colin Burgess, has interviewed many of the survivors and carried out extensive research to create this gripping account of the full story.

This book is a story of comradeship and fighting spirit among ordinary people in the face of tyranny and the most acute evil. The Summer of 1944, when Allied forces were sweeping towards Paris, was the beginning of the end for Hitler's Third Reich. However for a group of downed airmen evacuated from Fresnes Prison ahead of the advancing troops, the worst of the war was about to begin. 168 Allied airmen (including several from Australia and New Zealand) were transported illegally to the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp where they experienced first-hand the black heart of Nazism. Miraculously they survived the order for their mass execution, but not before members of their group had died through starvation, brutality and neglect. The author, Colin Burgess, has interviewed many of the survivors and carried out extensive research to create this gripping account of the full story - from tense days in the care of the French Underground through to the only recently resolved fight for proper compensation.

It isn't too often that you find a book covering Australia and New Zealand primeval life, and especially a Harvard publication, for that matter. Some excellent visuals and examples of fauna, with a chart of genus.

As specified in the book title, it focuses on dinosaurs, so no flora representation, nor elaborate info on geologic time. It really is a book aimed at curious individuals, perhaps early to late teens, and something that is uncommon to find now days in subject matter. This was published following the time period of Jurassic park, where curiosity about genetic involvement with amber were all the rage. Such things are relegated to sci-fi, though it doesn't mean such intrigue about the dinosaurs must end in the 1990s. It's an excellent book, and one that I wish I knew of earlier on. Perhaps supplement this book alongside the first Dinotopia book? :)

RMP

DINOSAURS OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZELAND (ISBN 0-674-20767-X) by John A. Long, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Western Australian Museum, Perth, may at first glance seem primarily a beautiful picture book, because of the many fine photos and illustrations. BUT EXAMINE THE TEXT! The book is imbued with reader-friendly scientific insight and description. Not just dinophiles, but all lovers of ancient vertebrates will find a book to celebrate, one beautifully filling a hitherto serious void. Here is an admirable synthesis of quality information, technical data, and easily comprehended explanations that will prove a joy to both amateur and professional paleontologists. Furthermore, magnificent color photos of Australian dinosaur tracks, along with detailed descriptions, and photos of opalized dinosaur bones add a welcome dimension to this exciting 'journey' around the Land of Oz (as Australia is often called)during Mesozoic times. John A. Long, the well-known author of The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution, can add one more feather to his hat. Meanwhile, we dinophiles should tip ours to him!

DINOSAURS OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZELAND (ISBN 0-674-20767-X) by John A. Long, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Western Australian Museum, Perth, may at first glance seem primarily a beautiful picture book, because of the many fine photos and illustrations. BUT EXAMINE THE TEXT! The book is imbued with reader-friendly scientific insight and description. Not just dinophiles, but all lovers of ancient vertebrates will find a book to celebrate, one beautifully filling a hitherto serious void. Here is an admirable synthesis of quality information, technical data, and easily comprehended explanations that will prove a joy to both amateur and professional paleontologists. Furthermore, magnificent color photos of Australian dinosaur tracks, along with detailed descriptions, and photos of opalized dinosaur bones add a welcome dimension to this exciting 'journey' around the Land of Oz (as Australia is often called)during Mesozoic times. John A. Long, the well-known author of The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution, can add one more feather to his hat. Meanwhile, we dinophiles should tip ours to him!