Books about Polynesia from Amazon.com

Mafatu has been afraid of the sea for as long as he can remember Though his father is the Great Chief of Hikueru - an island whose seafaring people worship courage - Mafatu feels like an outsider All his life he has been teased, taunted, and even blamed for storms on the sea.

Then at age fifteen, no longer willing to put up with the ridicule and jibes, Mafatu decides to take his fate into his own hands. With his dog, Uri, as his companion, Mafatu paddles out to sea, ready to face his fears. What he learns on his lonesome adventure will change him forever and make him a hero in the eyes of his people..
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Kon-Tiki is the record of an astonishing adventure -- a journey of 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the South Sea Islands had been settled by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east, led by a mythical hero, Kon-Tiki. He decided to prove his theory by duplicating the legendary voyage.

On April 28, 1947, Heyerdahl and five other adventurers sailed from Peru on a balsa log raft. After three months on the open sea, encountering raging storms, whales, and sharks, they sighted land -- the Polynesian island of Puka Puka.

Translated into sixty-five languages, Kon-Tiki is a classic, inspiring tale of daring and courage -- a magnificent saga of men against the sea.

Washington Square Press' Enriched Classics present the great works of world literature enhanced for the contemporary reader. This edition of Kon-Tiki has been prepared by an editorial committee headed by Harry Shefter, professor of English at New York University. It includes a foreword by the author, a selection of critical excerpts, notes, an index, and a unique visual essay of the voyage..
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The new book by the Author of The Grog Log, Intoxica and Taboo Table. Beach Bum Berry as he is better known is America s leading authority on tropical drinks and polynesian pop-culture. In this all new book, Berry not only offers up tantilizing new drink recipes, but tells stories about some of the most famous figures of their time. The Bum applies the same dogged research to the untold stories of the people behind the drinks. Stories culled from over 100 interviews with those who actually created the mid-century Tiki scene -- people as colorful as the drinks they invented, or served, or simply drank. People like... Leon Lontoc, the Don The Beachcomber's waiter who served Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando by night, and acted in their movies by day...; Henry Riddle, the Malibu Seacomber bartender who fed items about his famous customers to infamous gossip columnist Louella Parsons, till the day Howard Hughes found him out...; and Duke Kamanamoku, whose manager turned him from Olympic champion into reluctant restaurateur..
Price: $19.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Typee is the first "romance" of the South Seas, a semi-autobiographical account of life in the Marquesas Islands in the 1840s. A blend of personal experience and the narratives of explorers and missionaries, it influenced many later writers on the Pacific, including Robert Louis Stevenson and Jack London. This edition offers an Introduction that considers the book from a post-colonial perspective, and detailed annotation of Melville's allusions..
Price: $6.90 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Open Road's best-selling travel guide is fully updated with new hotels, restaurants, cruises and activities We've trimmed down where necessary but added all new maps, plus a beautiful new color photo insert section. Readers will find complete coverage of Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Tetiaroa, Maupiti, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Tahaa, Tikehau, Manihi, and the Outer Islands. Find out which cruise option is best, where the great scuba diving is, whale and dolphin watching, where to go for the tastiest Tahitian feasts, unique places to stay, and much more!.
Price: $11.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Tiki bar mixology is a lost art--but the Grog Log rescues it. A twenty-page introduction traces the history of Polynesian Pop, then teaches you everything you need to know about how to make the Grog Log's eighty tropical drink recipies. Many of these recipies have never before been published anywhere--including vintage "lost" recipies by Don the Beachcomber, Trader Vic, and long-gone Polynesian restaurants from the island of Manhattan to the islands of Hawaii. Profusely illustrated with vintage tiki menu graphics from the '50 and '60s, with cover art by famed Exotica artist Bosko..
Price: $9.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

• Download a free companion podcast about Tahiti and French Polynesia at Frommers com

You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go--they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!

Our expert author has been covering these exotic islands for years, and he's personally checked out every hotel, every restaurant, every beach, and every activity he recommends. He gives you a feel for the islanders' way of life, and offers a wonderful introduction to the region's unique blend of cultures.

Tahiti is only the gateway to French Polynesia, there are many islands and hundreds of accommodations to choose from, so the first edition of Frommer's Tahiti & French Polynesia compares all the options, helping you find the tropical getaway that's right for you. We've included web addresses for every hotel, so you can check out pictures as you make your decision. Rely on us for in-depth, honest reviews of lavish honeymoon resorts, intimate inns, simple bungalows, family-friendly motels, and more, with selections in every price category.

We'll point you to the loveliest secluded beaches, and send you to the best places for snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, deep-sea fishing, and more. You'll also get the latest trip-planning information, including tips on finding the best airfare or package deal..
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Comprising thousands of islands and hundreds of cultural groups, Polynesia and Micronesia cover a large part of the vast Pacific Ocean, from the dramatic mountains of Hawaii to the small, flat coral islands of Kiribati. This new volume in the acclaimed Oxford History of Art series offers a superb introduction to the rich artistic traditions of these two regions, traditions that have had a considerable impact on modern western art through the influence of artists such as Gauguin. After an introduction to Polynesian and Micronesian art separately, the book focuses on the artistic types, styles, and concepts shared by the two island groups, thereby placing each in its wider cultural context. From the textiles of Tonga to the canoes of Tahiti, Adrienne Kaeppler sheds light on religious and sacred rituals and objects, carving, architecture, tattooing, personal ornaments, basket-making, clothing, textiles, fashion, the oral arts, dance, music and musical instruments--even canoe-construction--to provide the ultimate introduction to these rich and vibrant cultures. Each chapter begins with a quote from an indigenous person from one of the island areas covered in the book and features both historic and contemporary works of art. A timeline for migration into the Pacific includes the latest information from archaeology, as well as the influx of explorers and missionaries and important exhibitions and other artistic events. With more than one hundred illustrations--most in full color--this volume offers a stimulating and insightful account of two dynamic artistic cultures..
Price: $16.83 [Notify me when price goes down.]