Editorial Review

In 1629, the Dutch merchantman Read more

Reviews (49)

Puts modern serial killers to shame
It says a lot for a story when it begins with a shipwreck and builds in intensity from there.
The Senseless Death of One and All
This is a first rate historical book.Mike Dash has done a wonderful job of writing about a dreadful into the evil of man, in such a way that makes it readable.It is straightforward and unapologetic."Batavia's Graveyard" accounts the action taken by the people who were shipped wrecked in truly desperate conditions, and explains how certain flaws in personalities can feed off each other.This is not a book for the faint of heart, because it is a story about mass killing, committed in most violent means contrived.
Incredible history..mutiny, murder and the revenge of justice.
Author takes us back to Holland in the 1600's, how the Directors of The Dutch East India Company made millions by investing in funding the construction of ships, and paying a crew to sail them to Java, and trade small amounts of jewels etc for spices, which were sold at a huge profit when the ship rturned. The wealthy exploited the poor, who were recruited to sail the ships in a 2-3 year round trip voyage. The book details the first and final voyage of "Batavia", which ran aground on a reef of the West Coast of what is now Australia. The story of mutiny, murder, survival, rescue and the brutal punishment is compelling. The details of the Dutch legal system of the 1600's helps to explain the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. A must read for any history buff; those with an interest in Indonesia, Australia, or the Dutch legal system. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Modern - 17th Century    6. Mutiny    7. Shipwreck victims    8. Shipwrecks    9. History / Modern / 17th Century   

Reviews (5)

A Beautiful Collector's book
This is more of a collector's book than an informative book--what's in the movie is exactly in this book. However, there's an interesting section about making the film--the penguins were very curious about the camera! This has a beautiful cover and beautiful pictures. If you loved this film as much as I do, get it! The only problem is, some of the panoramic shots are grainy, and you have to hold the book out to see a smooth picture. I knocked a star of for that.

Penguins march from the pages in full color
Luc Jacquet's MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (0792261828, $30.00) was a surprise movie hit, attracting many audiences who didn't particularly care about penguins or nature films. Narration written by Jordan Roberts accompanies vivid color photos by Jerome Maison in a movie companion book filled with full-page vivid color. Both are top picks for general-interest libraries.
Amazing
This book brings the movie, and indeed the penguins, to life.It is a pleasure to read and to get lost in the beauty of Anarctica and the amazing feats of the penguins.I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Arctic Islands And Antarctica - History    3. Birds & Birdwatching - General    4. Emperor penguin    5. Individual Species Of Birds    6. Movie / TV Tie-Ins    7. Movie-TV Tie-In - General    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Penguins    11. Pictorial works    12. Polar Regions    13. Antarctica    14. Nature / General    15. Wild animals   

Reviews (1)

Fantastically interesting history book.
This is one of the most comprehensive historical books I have ever read. I don't know how Robert McGhee crammed such a vast history of such an enormous place into 320 pages. Of course, plenty of things were understated (particularly the Peary-Cook controversy) and a few things were drawn out and at times a bit dry (I found the chapter on Siberia to be slightly less interesting than the other chapters). Mostly though, McGhee is ultimately very fair in how he represents the various places he talks about, from Hudson Bay to Alaska to Spitsbergen to Siberia and beyond. No one region is represented as more important than another one, and reading the book, one comes to realize that all regions of the Arctic have very fulfilling histories.
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Subjects:  1. Arctic regions    2. Environmental Science    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Polar Regions    7. World - General    8. History / Polar Regions    9. History, Other | Environmental History   

Editorial Review

The expeditions of Magellan, Columbus, and Lewis and Clark have been well documented and are instantly familiar to anyone with even a passing interest in world history. But the average person is likely unaware of the U.S. Exploring Expedition or its mercurial leader, Charles Wilkes. This despite the numerous accomplishments and lasting legacy of the massive four-year project that involved six ships and hundreds of men. The "Ex. Ex.," as it came to be known, is credited with the discovery of Antarctica, the first accurate charting of what is now Oregon and Washington, the retrieval of thousands of new species of life, and the foundation of the Smithsonian Institution. Yet when Wilkes returned, instead of being hailed as a great man of science or a national hero, he was shunned by the President, ignored by the press, and was the subject of so much ill will on the part of his men that he was ultimately put on trial for a variety of offenses. In the portrayal presented in Nathaniel Philbrick's Read more

Reviews (42)

New History?
I wonder what percentage of the Americans know little or nothing about this expedition? My knowledge of the subject was limited to passing references from other reading.This is a good book about a very interesting subject.Besides the pure adventure of the cruise and the science that it brought home this story provides interesting insight into the lives of the people involved.

Great listen for the most part
This audio book was one of those "that looks interesting" purchases. I knew nothing about the US Exploring Expedition before this, but after listening to this audiobook I found out that the expedition was more important to US history than most people realize.
A surprisingly gripping tale of adventure
Before reading Sea of Glory I had not heard of the U.S. Exploring Expedition or any of its crew members. Having read Nathaniel Philbrick's wonderful account of the voyage I find its continued obscurity striking. Despite the tremendous controversy that surrounded "the Ex. Ex." and its volatile commander, it made significant and lasting contributions to science, cartography, and the international reputation of the United States. In addition to discovering Antarctica and charting much of its coast, the expedition mapped an incredible number of islands and coastlines and returned a treasure trove of scientific observations and specimens.
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Subjects:  1. Expeditions & Discoveries    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Maritime History    6. Oceania    7. Polar Regions    8. United States - 19th Century    9. United States - Antebellum Era    10. History / United States / General   

Reviews (4)

Way Out of Date
This book is far out of date.On one trail we met several people all trying to use it and all a good mile off the mark.We called the numbers in the book for direction (disconnected) on this trail and even called the town and were told that no one had asked about the trail in years.Try "Maui Revealed" instead.

So good, I just bought another of her books
I've been to Maui twice now packing this book. I highly recommended it. Synopsis at the beginning of each hike allows for easy planning and explicit details throughout the chapters ensure you don't miss a thing. She's also got an interestingly dry sense of humor that makes it fun to read. I just bought her "Kauai Trails" book for an upcoming vacation. I expect it will be just as good.

Terrific Guide
If you have never been to Maui, well you are missing out on Paradise. And if you do make it to Maui, bring this book. You should read Mitchners, "Hawaii" as well for a historical-fictional account of the islands. Also an amazing book. But this guide is a must have for touring the island. Read more

Subjects:  1. Hawaii    2. Hiking    3. Maui    4. Travel    5. United States - West - Pacific (General)   

Reviews (3)

History of 19th Century Hawaii
I bought this book as research for a project that I am doing concerning the life of Liliuokalani. Though the book doesn't add much to her story, it contains a wealth of information on the Hawaiian monarchy and the conspiracies that led to it's downfall. This is not an unslanted book. I think that the authors viewpoint is pretty clear throughout. But it is passionately argued and I think hard to refute. Important Historical Information
I originally chose to read this book because I wanted to learn more about the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.I selected this book because of the title, imagining it would be a passionate work.I imagine it was a work of passion but the information didn't reflect it.I don't regret reading it and treasure the information gained by doing so.However, I would not recommend this book to someone who is new to the Hawaiian sovereignty issues. Most valuable Hawaii book
For anyone interested a critical look into Hawaii's colorful history this book offers a wealth of information about people and places which shape the Hawaii of today. A must read for the visitor and resident alike.If you want to know Hawaii, read this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hawaii    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Oceania    6. To 1893    7. United States - State & Local - General   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Antiquities    3. Archaeology    4. Archaeology / Anthropology    5. Chiefdoms    6. Ethnoarchaeology    7. Oceania    8. Political anthropology    9. Politics and government    10. Polynesia    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Australasian & Pacific archaeology    14. Polynesia - Social conditions    15. Social Science / Archaeology   

Editorial Review

According to many standard histories of the Pacific, when Captain James Cook landed on theisland of Hawaii on January 17, 1779, he was received by the natives as an avatar of the god Lono andfeted accordingly. In Read more

Reviews (6)

See Sahlins for Rebuttal
In addition to asking some very important theoretical questions relevant to the practice of history and anthropology, Obeyesekere takes aim at Marshall Sahlins in this book.Sahlins went on to write a blow by blow response in the book "How 'Natives' Think: About Captain Cook, For Example"which should probably be read along with Obeyesekere's.
Very interesting
I bought this book because of a general interest in Hawaiian history and Captain Cook.I'm not a professional historian and don't have any comment on such matters as quality of footnotes.However, I thought this was an excellent, very readable book.Mr. Obeyesekere takes historical fragments - diaries, letters, and so forth, and re-constucts the last few days of Cook's life.It's done so cleverly, in such a readable style, that it reminds one of the end of a mystery novel, where Sherlock Holmes explainshis reasoning to Dr. Watson.However, there's the similar suspicion that it's being too clever, and that the author is taking evidence to fit the conclusion, rather than the other way around. The Great "Cook" Book Debate
You have to give Obeyesekere credit for looking beyond the Makahiki festival, which dominates Marshall Sahlins' study of the apotheosis of James Cook.Obeyesekere sparked a minor maelstrom when he challenged the renown scholar's thesis that Cook was personified as a god by the Hawaiians.Obeyesekere looks beyond bicameral minds, and insists that the Hawaiians were fully conscious of their actions.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Cook, James,    3. Discovery And Exploration (General)    4. Earth Sciences - Geography    5. Ethnology    6. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology    7. General    8. Hawaii    9. Hawaii - Local History    10. Historical - General    11. Historiography    12. History    13. Polynesia    14. Science    15. Sociology    16. To 1893    17. Anthropology    18. Australasian & Pacific history    19. Biography: historical    20. Biography: political    21. History / Asia    22. Imperialism    23. Pacific Ocean   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Art    5. Art, Melanesian    6. Exhibitions    7. History - General    8. Material culture    9. Papua New Guinea    10. ASIA    11. Oriental art    12. Social & cultural anthropology   

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Description And Travel    2. Australia & Oceania - South Pacific    3. Canoes and canoeing    4. Cultural And Social Anthropology    5. Description and travel    6. General    7. Hokulea (Canoe)    8. Håokåule°a (Canoe)    9. Navigation    10. Oceania    11. Polynesia    12. Sailing - Narratives    13. Travel - General    14. Anthropology    15. Geographical discovery & exploration    16. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Subjects:  1. 1897-    2. Anthropologists    3. Anthropology (General)    4. Biography    5. Description and travel    6. Emory, Kenneth Pike,    7. Homes and haunts    8. Oceania    9. Sociology    10. United States    11. Biography: general    12. Emory, Kenneth Pike   

Reviews (2)

Indispensible to Readers of the Pacific
If you read only one "South Seas" book from the 1920s back, this should be the one.This Penguin issue corrects a number of inaccuracies from previous editions, including Stevenson's own error in their departure date (!)It is the classic travel and observation book of the Pacific.The early descriptions of the Marquesas are unmatched, as are the accounts of the several islands they visited in Kiribati (Gilbert Islands).The account of Tem Binoka will give you a real eye opening into an absolute ruler and his ways in the late 19th century.Reading this could start a life long interest in Pacific literature.

In the South Seas
In his book, In the South Seas, Stevenson gives an accurate and in depth look into the people and culture of the islands of the South Pacific. The book describes Stevenson's two year journey from the Marqueses Islands, to Tahiti, then Honolulu ,and finally Somoa. Stevenson uses the great adventures he experienced and his masterfully writing skills to paint a breath taking view of the islands and thier many beauties. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1850-1894    2. Australia & Oceania - South Pacific    3. Description and travel    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Literature: Classics    8. Polynesia    9. Stevenson, Robert Louis,    10. Stevenson, Robert Louis, 1850-1894    11. Travel    12. Travel - General    13. Australasia, Oceania & Other Land Areas    14. Classic travel writing    15. Dutch    16. Fiction / Literary    17. Journeys    18. Other prose: 19th century    19. South Pacific    20. Stevenson, Robert Louis   

Reviews (1)

This book is fantastic!
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.Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Easter Island    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Polynesians    5. Prehistoric peoples    6. Travel    7. Voyages And Travels    8. Travel / General   

Reviews (15)

Excellent References
We are planning our first trip to Hawaii with our best friends who live far away.So coordinating day trips was not an easy task.She found your book, and I also purchased it.Now we can coordinate trips and talk about what's on page 237, tag it for future reference, etc.....We definitely think this book will be an excellent reference material for all you who are thinking of a trip....I'm sure Ms. Leas has many other books out there for other places, but we're just excited to get to Hawaii first.

All Puff
Hawaii for Dummies was not usable and light when it came to driving details.We should have splurged and bought a book for each of the islands we visited:Kauai, Oahu and Maui.Now you know.

The best travel book I've ever owned
I have traveled a lot, and own a lot of travel books, but have never felt compelled to write a review of one-- until now.
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Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. Reference - General    3. Travel    4. Travel - United States    5. United States - Pacific - Hawaii    6. United States - West - Pacific (General)    7. Hawaii    8. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Antarctica    2. Encyclopedias    3. Polar Regions    4. Reference    5. Encyclopaedias & Reference Works    6. Reference / Encyclopedias   

Subjects:  1. Aboriginal Australians    2. Australia    3. Indians of North America    4. Indigenous peoples    5. Law    6. Legal History    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Legal status, laws, etc    9. Legal status, laws, etc.    10. Reference    11. Australasia    12. Civil rights & citizenship    13. Common law    14. Law / Legal History    15. Law | Legal History    16. North America   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Capitals (Cities)    4. City planning    5. Criticism    6. History    7. History - General    8. Planning    9. Political aspects    10. Australian Capital Territory (ACT)    11. City & town planning - architectural aspects    12. District of Columbia (Washington, DC)    13. Germany    14. India    15. Urban & municipal planning    16. c 1900 - c 1914   

Reviews (3)

A Fabulous Dream Book For Hawaii-lovers!
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.

shaka, brah
I am sorry that I generously gave out as many copies of this far out bookwithout saving a single copy for myself, because now I can't find itanywhere except at my friends' homes.And they all want to keep it as areference for their visitors from the mainland.

Excellent Coffee Table Book!
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 agreat book have around for others to look at and see Hawai`i through otherpeople's eyes.It's always great to see how many different people can findthe beauty in this paradise. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Description And Travel    2. Description    3. Description and travel    4. General    5. Hawaii    6. Oceania    7. Photography    8. Pictorial works    9. Social life and customs    10. Travel    11. United States - Pacific - Hawaii    12. United States - West - Pacific (General)    13. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (3)

how do we know?
Although an excellent study if all of this is true, it remains to be seen whether it is in fact true.Herdt admits that the name of the Sambia is a fake name that he gave them to protect their identity.There is therefore no way for other researchers to study this tribe and compare notes.How do we know that this tribe exists at all?All of the other studies of homosexual customs among New Guinea tribesman describe sodomy as their exclusive mode of behaviour.The Sambia are the one and only tribe of this region to practice fellatio.Why is this tribe out of sync with all of the other tribes?It makes me wonder.

An Academic study of the Sambia in PNG
An investigation into the lives of the Sambia people of Papua New Guinea, an isolated and "primative" tribe who believe that boys must ingest semen in order to reach full adulthood. An academic text on male sexual initiation in PNG.
This book describes in detail the initiation of boys in the Sambia of Papua New Guinea, an isolated and "primitive" tribe who believe that masculine characteristics can only by aquired by boys throughingesting the semen of older men. The flutes symbolize the magic of theoral copulation stage through which the boys must go to be considered adultmales. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Customs & Traditions    2. Ethnology And Ethnography    3. General    4. Initiation rites    5. Papua New Guinea    6. Psychology    7. Rites and ceremonies    8. Sambia (Papua New Guinea peopl    9. Sambia (Papua New Guinea people)    10. Sex Relations    11. Sexual behavior    12. Social Science    13. Sociology    14. Cultural studies    15. Ethnography    16. Gay studies (Gay men)    17. Gender studies    18. Social Science / Customs & Traditions   

Reviews (1)

A must-have for anyone interested in our built environment
This book is full of amazing and inspiring photography that is only surpassed by the author's exquisitely written essays.I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in our built environment.Murcutt'sability to synthesize modern architecture with regional and environmentalconcerns is truly remarkable.His buildings contrast with nature in thatthe natural environment's raw and delicate attributes are enhanced throughthe comparison with the finished industrial character of his buldings. Murcutt, however, does not subvert nature to man because his buildings,with their reflective quality, depend upon the environment for their identity with facades that change with the time of day and the colors ofthe foliage.His buildings sit very lightly on their harsh yet delicatesites describing Murcutt's early concern for environmental preservation ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Domestic    3. History - General    4. Individual Architect    5. International Architecture - General    6. Architecture / Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    7. Australia    8. Houses, apartments, flats, etc    9. Postmodernism in art & design