Reviews (9)

Review of A History of the People of Bikini and their Islands (Second Edition)
The book is fine but you sent it to my cousin in Los Angeles and I haven't received it from him yet!I had previously sent him a book ordered through Amazon.I am sure you will think this is my fault, but I do not agree.I said to send it to the same address as the card holder who is me.I give Amazon an F for this one.Jack Derby

quite a story
I found my teenaged daughter reading this book one day, so when she was finished I picked it up...
a breath of very fresh air
This book was an eye opener.It makes you wonder why this event that happened so many years ago in the middle of the Pacific has been buried for so long.This is not a cut and dry history, this book is a very readable journey through a culture that is unique.The author lets us know who he is, so it enables the reader to understand the person who is doing the interviews.That was a nice and unexpected touch.I found the book to be thought provoking and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in studying the history of the Pacific. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania    2. Bikini Atoll    3. Bikini Atoll (Marshall Islands)    4. History    5. History / Australia & Oceania    6. Marshall Islands    7. Nuclear weapons   

Reviews (1)

A contemporary selection of works from native peoples of New Zealand and the Northwest coast
If it's a contemporary selection of works from native peoples of New Zealand and the Northwest coast which is needed, MANAWA: PACIFIC HEARTBEAT fits the bill perfectly: it presents modern Maori and Northwest Coast art, covering the history of major exposure of modern young artists to the world and including an excellent representative sampling of their achievements in striking color photos. 31 Maori and 15 Northwest Coast artists are presented to represent over three decades of works and events around the theme. The gorgeous color photos of over sixty selected pieces created especially for MANAWA make for an exceptional presentation.
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Subjects:  1. 21st century    2. American - Native American    3. Art    4. Art & Art Instruction    5. Art, American    6. Art, Maori    7. Australian & Oceanian    8. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    9. Contemporary Art    10. Exhibition Catalogs    11. Exhibitions    12. History - Contemporary (1945- )    13. History - General    14. New Zealand    15. Northwest, Pacific   

Reviews (1)

Important Contribution to the "Konfrontasi" Literature
The Indonesian Confrontation against Malaysia represents a challenging case study for scholars, historians and political scientists because it takes place at a time when the conduct of international relations was influenced by ideas and interests which may seem alien today. It is hard, for instance, to separate Sukarno's genuine fears of neocolonial encirclement from his desire to exaggerate external threats in order to justify his "Crush Malaysia" campaign, and to separate the internal dynamics of a regional conflict from the broader antagonisms of the Cold War. This book fills in an important gap in the literature by chronicling the conflict from the standpoint of the Western countries, who are the "Nekolim" so feared by Sukarno. It offers important historical lessons about the potential and limits of overlapping multilateral security arrangements (Anglo-Malayan Defence Agreement, ANZUS agreements, Commonwealth, SEATO etc) in guaranteeing peace and security. The extensive network of alliances could act as a deterrent to aggressors, yet once deterrence fails (which it has and very well might again), the next development is always one of two evils: conflicts become escalated and involve many players, or someone must renege on a security obligation. The U.S., for instance, had distanced itself from its SEATO and ANZUS commitments for fear of being embroiled in the Konfrontasi crisis. This book describes diplomatic developments between the Western countries in useful detail. J.A.C. Mackie's "Konfrontasi" is still the best book on the subject from the M'sian and Indonesian angle. Djiwandono's "Konfrontasi Revisited" offers a view from the other side of the fence i.e. relations between Indonesia and the Soviet Union (as well as China). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1950-1966    2. Asia - General    3. Boundaries    4. Boundaries And Frontiers    5. Cold War    6. History    7. History: World    8. Indonesia    9. International Relations - General    10. Malaysia    11. Political History    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics and government    14. Southeast Asia - History    15. ASIA    16. Asian / Middle Eastern history    17. History / Asia    18. International relations    19. Political geography    20. South East Asia   

Subjects:  1. Australia & New Zealand - Australia    2. Australia & New Zealand - General    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. General    5. Historical - General    6. History    7. History: World    8. Military    9. Political    10. 20th century    11. Australasian & Pacific history: from c 1900 -    12. Biography: general    13. Victoria    14. Academic: Biography/Academic: Australian Studies   

Subjects:  1. History: World    2. Australasian & Pacific history: BCE to c 1750 CE    3. Australasian & Pacific history: c 1750 to c 1900    4. Australia    5. c 1500 to c 1600    6. c 1600 to c 1700    7. c 1700 to c 1800    8. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Australia & New Zealand - General    2. History    3. History: World    4. International Relations - General   

Subjects:  1. Aboriginal Australians    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 People & Places    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. History    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. People & Places - Australia & Oceania    8. Social life and customs    9. Torres Strait Islanders    10. Australasia, Oceania & Other Land Areas    11. Human geography / peoples of the world   

Reviews (6)

The relative importance of East Asia
For many years, Dr. McEvedy has been producing succinct analyses of mankind's achievements, combining wit and devastating attacks on the post-modern academic establishment.
Rounding Out History
I am very interested in history and particulary fond of historical atlases. I own several by Colin McEvedy: The Atlases of Ancient History to Recent History, the Historical Atlas of Africa and that of North America. I particularly enjoy his witty incisive view of history. This particular atlas fills in my knowledge gap about the Pacific area. It was particulary fascinating to view the maps and read the history of this area, to find out how the "other half" of the world has been doing.
Good but not the best in the series.
Following from the excellent, entertaining and informative series of Penguin maps on Europe (Ancient, Middle ages, Modern, Recent Histories) this book attempts to show 10000 years of history in the Pacific in 100 pages using the same geographical map (of the entire Pacific rim), showing the rise and fall of cultures, civilisations and other relevant events in the history of the region.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - History    3. Atlases    4. Atlases - General    5. Atlases - Historical    6. Australia & New Zealand - General    7. Historical Atlases    8. Historical geography    9. History - General History    10. Islands of the Pacific    11. Maps    12. Pacific Ocean    13. Reference    14. Australasian & Pacific history    15. Reference / Atlases   

Subjects:  1. Aerial Operations    2. Aerial operations, American    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. History    5. Military    6. Military - Veterans    7. Military - Vietnam War    8. Military History - Vietnam Conflict    9. Military Science    10. Personal narratives, Australian    11. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    12. History / Military / Vietnam War   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Cosmopolitanism    3. Europe    4. Europe - General    5. Europeans    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Travel    10. Travelers    11. World - General    12. History / World    13. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Australian & Oceanian    4. General    5. Art of indigenous peoples    6. Australia    7. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    8. Painting & paintings   

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - South Pacific    2. History - General History    3. Australasian & Pacific history    4. South Pacific   

Subjects:  1. Australia    2. Australia.    3. History    4. Parliament    5. Political History   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Artists, Architects, Photographers    3. Australia    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Cubism    7. Dangar, Anne,    8. France    9. History - General    10. Potters    11. Sablons    12. d. 1951    13. Biography & Autobiography / Artists, Architects, Photographers   

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Criminals & Outlaws    4. History    5. Rockhampton (Qld.)   

Reviews (1)

More than just about 'The Breaker'
More than a biography of Harry 'Breaker' Morant, which it is, this book is a fairly good history of a little written about aspect of the Boer War.Most of the British command were fresh from their India campaign where the enemy was comparatively under equipped and poorly lead.The British were not really up to the reality of well lead, well organized, well equipped and highly motivated Boer guerrilla fighters.It was unfortunate that many of the British failures were blamed on the Australian volunteers.That said it is fairly easily understood why and how it was that Morrant and Handcock were courts marshalled and executed.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Warfare & Defence    3. Australasian & Pacific history: from c 1900 -    4. Australia    5. Biography: historical   

Reviews (11)

There are no emus in New Guinea
I am no native English speaker, but I spent some time in New Guinea. And I know that there are no emus in New Guinea, but cassowaries. Apart from that, a rather good account of contemporary New Guinea, although too superficial for my taste.

Uninformed tripe
From the very start of the book, this author has gone out of his way to slam the missionaries working in Papua New Guinea.In doing so, he has thrown out some "facts", startling mostly in their complete inaccuracy.For the record, the Summer Institute of Linguistics does NOT forbid all books but the Bible; there are no books.The whole point is that they are working to create a written language where one did not previously exist.There ARE no written texts in the languages with which SIL work.
I couldn' put it down
This was a great book, it read like a novel.It was fascinating and honest, Edward Marriott weaves a mystical story of the indigenous tribespeople of New Guinea, the Liawep.It at times seems too fantastic to be true, but the amazing thing about it is, that it is true.I hope he will write a follow up if he ever goes back!He's a great writer, never lingering too long on any episode, just enough to keep the reader interested.I read a lot of non-fiction and I must say that I recommend this one highly!An amazing book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americas (North Central South West Indies)    2. Australia & Oceania - General    3. Australia & Oceania - South Pacific    4. Australia/Oceania - South Pacific    5. Essays & Travelogues    6. History    7. History: American    8. Primitive Society    9. Special Interest - Adventure    10. Travel - General    11. Travel / Adventure   

Reviews (1)

The End of a Unique Way of Life
This book tells the story of the an elderly Aboriginal Australian couple, the very last of their tribe (and quite probably of all Aboriginals) to pursue the traditional nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life in the remote central deserts of Western Australia.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Australia & New Zealand - General    3. Social Science    4. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art, Aboriginal Australian    4. Art, Australian    5. Australia & New Zealand - General    6. Criticism    7. History - General    8. Special Subjects In Art    9. Art & Architecture | History | Non-Western    10. Art / History / General    11. Art of indigenous peoples    12. Australia    13. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    14. Reference works   

Reviews (16)

Your Place, Our Place, My Place
I find My Place to be a powerful story about a passionate person trying to find more about their past. The book gripped me and gave an amazing feeling; It was like being suffocated but breathing air fresher than you have ever breathed. I have grown an admiration for Sally Morgan. She had courage, curiousity and she managed to explain feelings never explained before and to introduce new ones.
Poorly written but interesting
Reading the other reviews on here, I find it interesting to note that just about everyone gives it either 5 stars or 1 star, but there's almost nothing in between. It's quite true that it is a poorly written book - the writing is dull and prosaic, and there's little to recommend it from a literary point of view. Had I not had to read it for a class, I doubt I would have bothered finishing it. The narrative of searching and redemption which runs throughout is so predictable and clich� that I have the feeling that if this had been an American story it would have been snatched up by Oprah's Book Club long ago. Having said that, however, I think there are some important things about this book that probably need consideration. fails the basic test of literature
Stories about the historical oppression and continual discrimination against Aborigines should be told, but it is unfortunate that Morgan is one of those to do it. The book fails as literature simply because it is boring and very poorly written. As such, it does nothing to advance the Aboriginal cause here in Australia, and unfortunately, plays right into the hands of the redneck Hansonites and their views of white racial superiority. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia - History    2. History    3. History: World    4. Reference