Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com
Summary:
Few in the Western world can resist the lure of pristine beaches, endless coral reefs, and blazing tropical suns. As the world shrinks and troubles of various sorts have struck some of the more distant destinations, the islands of the South Pacific endure as a beacon of both the unfamiliar and the familiar. Not only is the South Pacific safe to travel in, it is still largely unspoiled for travelers willing to stray a little off the beaten path. Not far from most of the celebrated islands are those less discovered places, where Bali Hai lingers just around the corner, and beaches of white sand spell out escape and eternal summer. Thirty Days in the South Pacific gives readers a birds-eye view of the many island groups that make up this incomparably beautiful area and opens up new possibilities for experienced and novice travelers alike.
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
As The Palm Tree Sways
Customer Rating:
I find it interesting that nobody has posted a review of this book. Perhaps they finish the book and immediatly leave for the South Pacific, they are all nibbling on lobster somewhere in the Marquesas, waiting for global warming to wash them to higher ground. Well, the South Pacific certainly conjurs up a picture in most minds of palm trees, scantily clad natives and warm tropical breezes. These stories will enforce some of these beliefs and dispel some of the others. Paradise is fairly elusive and the lack of civilization that is much of the draw of paradise can turn around and bite you in the posterior.
I admit that I hand picked the stories initially reading some of my favorite island commentators, so I started with Laurence Shames, Thurston Clarke, Eugene Burdick, J. Maarten Troost and P.F Kluge. My favorite story was Eugene Burdick's "The Black & The White" an engaging tale of lessons learned in paradise. I will reveal nothing of the story, but it is a surprising tale from a different perspective.
All in all the book relies on Islands magazine for a lot of the stories, so if you are a long time reader of the magazine, you will have read the majority of the stories. The stories are engaging and well constructed, hopefully your interest will be aroused and you will further investigate the region. The South Pacific is a wonderful place, much of it has changed very little in the last fifty years. My hope as a travelwriter that covers this region, is that the stories work as kindling, wetting your appetite to read more and eventually visit the region.
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