Oceania Books

Thomas Gladwin introduces the society of the islanders of the Caroline atolls with an indepth look at their society and how it is centered on their sea-faring tradition. These fascinating people roll with the punches as new western ideas and influences confront them, but the tenuously hang on to their traditions and, especially in the case of Puluwat, make some of the finest sialing canoes in the islands.
For a book this size Gladwin thoroughly introduces the sailing tradition of these islanders and enables European minded folks to understand the intricasies of their complex sailing tradition. Even with a limited background in sailing you learn how people can navigate small craft over long distances successfully without using any more modern technology than the compass,and even that being a recent addition.
Using star courses passed down through the generations navigators are able to travel to all the neighboring islands and even some quite far away. In this day of reliance on ever more complex technology much can be learned from these people who can travel long distances entirely without electronic instruments.
This book is pleasant to read and surprisingly free of technical jargon. It is particularly remarkable for its frank portrayal of a culture so different from most people's experience, but in a way that you feel you know them as friends anbd neighbors by the end of the book. Quite fascinating.

This book, published in 1989, is a distillation of Thor Heyerdahl's research on Easter Island. It traces the history of Easter Island's interaction with the outside world, from Roggeveen's visit in 1722 up to the time of the book's writing. Along the way, Mr. Heyerdahl builds his case that two peoples, one from South America and one from Polynesia populated Easter Island.

This book is fantastic! I am not entirely convinced of Mr. Heyerdahl's case, but found his case compelling nonetheless. The book itself has many color pictures and maps, and is visually quite stunning. Now, not all of the book is about Mr. Heyerdahl's proposed history, so if you are merely interested in Easter Island, then you will still enjoy this book. This is a great book, one that you should read!

Edge Of The Diaspora: Two Centuries Of Jewish Settlement In Australia by Suzanne D. Rutland (Senior Lecturer in Jewish Civilization, Department of Semitic Studies, University of Sydney, Australia) is a comprehensive and informative historical survey of Australia's Jewish community, beginning from when Australia was first used as a prison for convicts; through the Holocaust era; and down the modern day -- which has seen an increase in immigration by Jews from the former Soviet Union and South Africa. An extensively researched and thoughtfully detailed examination of a vivacious Jewish community and their enduring legacy in Australia, Suzanne Rutland's Edge Of The Diaspora is a seminal and welcome contribution to Judaic Studies reference collections and history reading lists.

Gives a wonderful colorful representation of Melbourne at the turn of the century.

I wish every city was documented in this way.

Leibowitz's work is unique among the recent works done on Palau in that he is not as condemning of the United States as his predecessors (Sue Roff, Ched Myers, Robert Aldirge, Roger Clark, John Hinck). In fact, he is critical of the "advocates" from the "left" and points out that Roff's work ". . . is [a] very selective, one-sided telling of the tale, omitting, for example, any mention of Salii's death . . ." Leibowitz's work is indeed valuable as it presents a different angle and does include some aspects of the "tale" which shed more light on the happenings of the 80's. Moreover, it is at least a bit more expansive in the sense that, unlike his literary predecessors, his work begins with Palau's earlier history and ends with the independence celebration. Of course, he has the advantage of time since independence celebration was held after Roff, Aldridge, Myers and others had published their works. But what of the United States role? For Leibowitz, the United States did fail in several ways including its delay of self-determination. However, the United States is not solely responsible for the troubles, he asserts, since the Palauans were in on the act as well. Palauans, Leibowitz argues contrarily to Aldridge and Myers "society of people" thesis, were competitive and self-confident people. They have a history of internal competition which explains much of the pro-Compact and pro-Constitution stances which the divergent camps took. Instead of a "society of people" theirs is more like a "society of competitors." Moreover, Leibowitz argues that the pro-Constitution group were not as potent in their opposition if it were not for the liberal press and the legal aid provided by outside groups such as Greenpeace. In other words, the water could have been calmer in the Palau if outside meddling by interest groups was limited. The anti-Compact Palauans, therefore, were merely pawns controlled for the most part by the motives of outside gr! oups from the left. As for American neglect, it is regretful, Leibowitz concedes, but the United States was not necessarily deliberate in its neglect since it "hated its own imperial role and seemed to take out its anger by providing stingy budgets for the islands." Leibowitz makes his case although he too is guilty of the same charge he makes, specifically that of the other writers' omission of other aspects of the "tale." For instance, he fails to explain his views on some specifics such as the shots fired at the home of a staunch anti-Compact legislator (Sen. Olikong) as well as the overprinted ballots. These are just a few and Leibowitz's work is hence sketchy at times, not to mention its unclear or unspecified documentation. His halfhearted defense and sometimes evident admiration for Salii might be explained by the fact that he was the president's attorney at a critical point in the "tale" and when he accounts for some of his tasks under Salii, he seems to be taking on the role of a lobbyist more so than an attorney. Furthermore, and ironically for a lawyer, he seems to disregard or at least treat lightly the leftist legal argument that the Compact was indeed undermining the struggle for self-determination which in turn violates U.S. responsibilities provided in the Trusteeship Agreement. Other omissions can be noted but engaging each would be too tedious and perhaps might be overstepping the constraints of a short review.

To deliberately wipe out an entire people is what is referred to as 'Genocide'. "Empire, Colony, Genocide: Conquest, Occupation, and Subaltern Resistance in World History" is a meticulously researched and deftly edited scholarly reference by A. Dirk Moses which provides a history of the genocides which have taken place around the world. Writings and commentaries are drawn from scholars, anthropologists, and historians who speak out at how the practices of genocide have turned many nations into mass murderers ranging from Adolph Hitler's Nazi Regime and Holocaust, to such lesser known but still world changing events such as Cambodia The Great Rebellion in the Southern Andes, and so many other tragedies. Offering historical insights into humanity's murderous follies and what causes such harsh actions of repression and attempted extinctions, "Empire, Colony, Genocide" is strongly recommended to community library history collections and any non-specialist general reader with a strong interest in world history.

College-level collections strong in Australian history and early exploration must have Encountering Terra Australis: The Australian Voyages of Nicolas Baudin and Matthew Flinders. It covers the achievements and encounters of these two navigators at the beginning of the 19th century, differing from competitors in examining the voyage of Baudin, rather than Flinders, to provide a different interpretation, reworking facts from the authors' own translation of Baudin's journals and original sources. The contrasting achievements of the two navigators thus receive more of an even analysis here, using both French and Australian sources to authenticate and correct historical facts.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I used this book as a text for my university level Cultures of Oceania class, an introduction to the Pacific and Australia. This was an excellent introduction for students having no knowledge of the area. It gave them a wide, comprehensive view of the many challenges faced by contemporary Pacific and Australian Koori peoples. It provided thought provoking issues that engaged my students and encouraged them to think about communities outside of their locality.

Each chapter is written by a different scholar, introducing the cultural area, the people and their interaction with foreign forces. It frames up the most pertinate issues and the people's reactions and solutions to the foreign influences. Each chapter provides a series of questions to provoke reflective thought, a list of websites and related videos. I plan to use this book again this semester, it is a very useful and informative resource.

Enemies, a Love Story (Yiddish: Sonim, di Geshichte fun a Liebe) is a novel by Isaace Bashevis Singer first published serially in the Jewish Daily Forward in 1966.
The English translation was published in 1972.
Set in New York City in 1949, the novel follows Holocaust survivor Herman Broder.
Throughout the war he survive in a hayloft, taken care of by his non-Jewish, Polish servant, Yadwiga who he later takes as his wife in America.
Meanwhile, he has an affair with another Holocaust survivor, Masha.
To Yadwiga, he poses as a traveling book-salesman despite the fact he is simply a ghost writer for a corrupt rabbi.
He wanders about New York with a constant paranoia and perpetual desperation made more complicated when his first wife from Poland, Tamara, comes to New York.
Enemies, a Love Story is a 1989 film directed by Paul Mazursky, the film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including two nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category for Anjelica Huston (Tamara Broder) and Lena Olin (Masha).

Works By Author:
* Enemies: A Love Story
* Gimpel the Fool
* Henne Fire
* Zlateh the Goat
* The Spinoza of Market Street
* The King of the Fields
* The Slave
* A Day of Pleasure

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I have two copies of this book in paperback.
It is an outstanding story by one of the participants.
I call this event, Australia's Alamo.
The outcome was different but the results were the same.
Basically the small guy fighting for his rights against the big guy.
The fight for Freedom!
This is a must for all such libraries.