Oceania Books

The second volume in the outstanding Scholarly Resources "World Beat" series, Expanding Empires: Cultural Interaction And Exchange In World Societies From Ancient To Early Modern Times is a selection of profoundly insightful, expertly documented, scholarly essays concerning the changes and legacies that various empires contributed to world history ranging from the influence of Alexander the Great, to the first Imperial Unification of India, to the dynasties of China, and more. Collaboratively compiled and edited by historians Wendy F. Kasinec (University of Arizona) and Michael A. Polushin (The Hewlett Foundation), this is a varied yet wide-ranging compendium of sixteen informed and informative essays. Expanding Empires is a welcome and much appreciated contribution to World History and International Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

My son loves all of the Magic School Bus books, I think he has read all of them now. Joanna Coles new Adventures with Ms. Frizzle series is also a big hit with him.

This book gives a good overview of what the Soviet space program learned about the inner planets. One table, showing the pressure and temperature readings of the Venus surface from all the Venera and Vega landers, plus the elevation of each landing site, is alone worth the price of the book. If you want to understand the inner planets of the Solar System, this book is a tremendous help. (Note that the author actually headed the programs in question!)

After 30,000 km of roads I can assure that this book is well made and will not fall apart in the heat and dust of Australia's outback! In addition it is a great route planning guide to both the well known as well as less well known trips around Australia's outback.

A charming book about Queensland. It presents 71 driving or ferry tours for 1 or 2 days. Each tour is described on two pages, together with a chart and about 4 wonderful pictures. The text is well balanced with the pictures, informative and concise. A really fine book to give you a first inspiring view of Queensland.

European kings in the 16th century dreamed of finding spices and gold in a mythical land mass in the Southern Hemisphere called Terra Australia. Incognita, or Unknown South Land. The search for it was only part of the great exploration by white men of the vast 10,000 mile watery expanse that Magellan so incorrectly named Pacific. Primitive canoe wanderers had already found homes in Australia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia, but now came Portuguese explorers seeking the Indies, Spaniards in great galleons that were floating treasure houses of plunder, British privateers, and seamen from all over Europe.

Mendano, who found the Solomons; bold Francis Drake; the Dutch Tasman, who blazed a sea trail to Australia; Selkirk, the original Robinson Crusoe; Captain Bligh of Bounty Fame; and Captain Cook, perhaps the greatest of them all...these are just a few of the names emblazoned across the canvas of this thrilling saga. Here are the shipwrecks and castaways, the cannibals, the coral reefs and lush islands of breadfruit and coconut, the mutineers and Yankee whalers, in an all-inclusive adventure story of epic proportions.

180 pages with index.

I found this book very helpful in planning my Oz holiday. It provides useful recommendations on places and things to visit. The plentiful color pictures add much to the book's appeal.

While the book is good for planning your vacation, it does not provide detailed information on accommodation, transportation, or other essential information. Get another guidebook (such as The Rough Guide) to complement this book.

After an 11 page introduction in which the author's skilfully set the scene, they collectively go on to explain the Great Barrier Reef in the way it should have been explained all along. With chapters on; Evolution, History & Exploration, Marine Life, Nature & Art, Life above, Diving, Fishing and finally Staying & Seeing, these two authors have covered all bases in an interesting a readable way.

Not all visitors to the greatest reef on earth are either divers or fishermen and there are few books which cater for those who are not. This one caters for all tastes.

Superbly supported with colour photographs on every page - some of which will make your eyes pop right out of your head, this is a book to please all those who read it.

Altogether a very exciting book!

NM

I have a large library, but this is the most beautiful collection of photographs I have ever owned. I have owned it for 13 years, and paging through it still thrills me every time. I was stunned to discover that the photo's were in fact not even taken by an Aussie, which just goes to show how refreshing the outlook of a visitor to foreign shores can be.

The stories are so well told, I found it hard to put down the book. They are full of warmth and are rich with authentic detail. This book is hard to categorize because it works equally well as interesting stories of the islands and as a cultural insight into two cultures meeting. Would recommend it to anyone interested in Pacific life, cross-cultural themes, or just warm stories of human sensitivity in a foreign setting.