Oceania Books

Wasn't sure what to expect when ordering, but am very happy with the purchase. The maps are great! I have lived in Guam & find that the info in the book is very helpful. I'm still learning my way around the dive world here & now know where some of these places are that people are talking about. It has also helped plan our next dive trip to other islands. Great info on Palau, Chuuk, & Yap. So much to see & so little time!!!

I went back and bought 2 more for my travel companions! We just came back from Truk & Yap and I never saw my book, it was traveling around our group so much! We are planning to return to Palau, so I bought extra copies as self defense! The best dive guide I have found to the islands.

One of the most informative books about diving in the Pacific , next to Tim Rocks lonely planet guides for diving and snorkelling in Micronesia this is the best , only this one accomodates all the islands in one book meanwhile lonely planet is done over three books .
I definately recommend it !

I don't know that I've ever read a better dive book or travel guide. The author covers every minute detail, and somehow, it still reads well--a fascinating and well-treated subject. David Leonard shows great wit and a solid knowledge of his subject.

The photographs are amazing, too.

It's no secret that there are thousands of fantastic unknown children's books out there. I would even go so far as to estimate that over 60% of the best kid books disappear without so much as a ripple under the waves of subsequently published literature. So this is all the more reason to appreciate a well-written unknown book when you find it. That book, such as it is, is Elizabeth Honey's "Don't Pat the Wombat". A fine frolicsome Aussie import, this tale of kids, camp, and canoes is one of the best kept secrets in fiction today. And it's freakin' hilarious.

The plot follows a group of roughly ten year-old boys called The Coconuts. They named themselves that after the narrator(nickname: Exclamation Mark)'s mom drove them around singing, "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts..." The other boys include Wormz, Nicko, Azza, Mitch, and Jonah. Jonah, to be honest, is the real hero of this tale. A calm silent boy, Jonah earns the wrath of the school's most dreaded teacher, The Bomb. When the boys head out for summer camp (an event that included not only the boys but their teachers from school and two parents) it's just their bad luck that The Bomb comes along for the ride.

First of all, this book is undoubtedly one of the funniest I've read in a very long time. Funny books never get any respect, you know. Not adult funny books, nor children's funny books. This is a story where the narrator's mom plays on a basketball team called The Cellulites. The pictures, supposedly drawn by the author, are a hoot and a holler (and frighteningly similar to pictures an actual ten year-old would draw). And the storyline has the boys pulling the kind of innocent pranks you'd expect of them. I was particularly taken with a moment where the boys (after a rousing mud fight) decided to play dead to see what their German counselor Helmut would do:

"Oh, they're dead!" goes Helmut. "What a pity, I'd better bury them," and he started shoveling mud on us.

It's that kind of story. On top of that, there's some interesting Australian language to grapple with. America is the kind of country that takes great pains in changing words in the Harry Potter books that appear "too British" for delicate American children's ears. Apparently, Australian slang is a completely different matter. Initially I was quite taken aback by the amount of words I either couldn't understand or couldn't pronounce. Here's a great example. It describes the teacher nicknamed Chook:

"If something goes right, she says, `Jolly beaut!' and if something goes wrong, she goes, `Blinking heck!' For something amazing, she says, `By jingo!' She wears Daisy Duck shoes".

The book's full of this kind of thing. When a boy calls his teacher a nerd his mother patiently corrects him and says the terms he's looking for is "duffer". Slang includes words like "derr" as well. I mean, I think it's great! More books should be coming into our country with these kinds of words. But if you're not prepared for them, it's a bit of a shock.

If I have any objections with this book it's that it's too darn short. Too short by far. You finally are beginning to get a little more insight into the characters and before you know it, time's up! Story's done. All in all, however, I consider this book one of the lost greats. It'd make a fantastic read-aloud to those students that are reluctant to read. The characters are likable, the plot is quick, and the photos and pictures very funny. For a sure fire crowd pleaser (if they can get past the slang) give this book a try. The funniest Australian children's book I have ever, or may ever, read.

Elizabeth Honey is the author of Don't Pat the Wombat has a great idea for a book. She writes about a kid named Mark and his friends are going to camp with their teachers! One of their teachers nicknamed the Boom, because he hates all kids and tries to drown a kid named Journa! Mark and his friends have to save Jouna from the Boom. This book is funny and exciting. That's why you should read this book.

I am sixteen years old and Australian. Don't Pat The Wombat was my favourite book when I was ten, and I recently reread it. I'd forgotton how funny and accurate it was.

First, some background information about the setting. Despite what it may appear, the kids are not going to summer camp. They are going to school camp. The difference is, it happens during school time, and not during summer. The summer holidays happen over Christmas, and they only last for six weeks, so no summer camp. Edwina and Helmut are not counsellors. They are backpackers how happened to be in the area. Also, the slang is fairly accurate, if I recall primary school correctly.

Don't Pat The Wombat is about a group of boys in year six, who have called themselves the Coconuts. They're the troublemakers of their class. A few weeks before camp, they become friends with a new kid named Jonah, who is from a rural area. Jonah makes enemies with Brian Cromwell, a cruel teacher that the Coconuts have nicknamed the Bomb, because he explodes. They go to camp in the bush, and have fun. Most of the book is taken up with the description of the fun, but towards the end it develops a more serious theme. Jonah starts opening up slightly, and has an encounter with the Bomb.

The book has a very light hearted tone, which is why I think I loved it so much. You could count the serious bits on the fingers of one hand. The characters are believable twelve-year-olds, and act in a believable way. I was never one of the troublemakers myself, but I remember school camp, before popularity became everything and kids still listened to the teachers. And the lollies, who could forget the lollies?

Elizebeth Honey has written a few other novels, of which the Stella Streets are the closest in tone to this one. I'd recomend those as well.

Remember summer camp in all it's wonderful, horrible glory? Elizabeth Honey does and she brings the memories back to life with this outrageous and funny tale about a group of Aussie sixth grade boys (known as the Coconuts and later, the Convicts) off to camp.

Narrated by Mark (or "Exclamation Mark"), he gives us the tell-all tales about his friends and their antics. They befriend newcomer Jonah, who takes on the Convict's ultimate nemesis, teacher Mr. Cromwell, a.k.a. the Bomb. ("Cromwell at camp is like Darth Vader at your birthday party.")

This a frenetic and fun book, documenting the misadventures of outback camplife (complete with mud fights, exploring, an end-of-camp pageant and of course, wombats!

Definately worth a read!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Reviewed by Evan Weldon (age 6) for Reader Views (12/08)

"Kersplatypus" by Susan K. Mitchell is a about a little lost animal who is trying to find out what he is and where he belongs. Brushtail Possum, Kookaburra, Wallaby, and Old Bandicoot all try to help him. Kookaburra says he should fly, Brushtail Possum says he should climb; Wallaby says he should bounce, but each time he tries to do these things he falls flat on his face. Kersplat! Blue Tongued Skink makes fun of him and teases him but when he finds out that the lost creature is a platypus and lives in the water, he tumbles into the water and discovers what it is like to fall flat.

This book will teach people a lot about animals from Australia. I learned about unusual mammals like marsupials and monotremes. There are even some activities about animals in the back of the book. I really like the pictures because they were funny and kind of realistic.

I would recommend "Kersplatypus" by Susan K. Mitchell to people who like animals.

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