The Art of Tonga  •  Keith St. Cartmail ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES A spectacular, comprehensive overview of Tongan material culture, this handsome book features the sculpture, body adornment, canoes, clubs, containers, tools, textiles and other art of Tonga, ancient and modern. Well illustrated throughout with stunning examples. It's a handsome overview of Tongan culture with a focus on art and society. (PAC69, $29.95)
Arts of the Pacific Islands  •  Anne D'Alleva ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES • COMING IN A brief overview of the well known textiles, sculptures, jewelry, paintings, architecture and dance of the Pacific Islands. Definitively written and thoroughly illustrated, this handsomely produced paperback covers the diversity of Polynesian and Micronesian art -- and the cultures that produce it. With color photographs, a timeline and a glossary. (PAC81, $18.95)
Australasia Map  •  Bartholomew Maps MAP A colorful map of the region from Australia to Samoa, including Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and many Pacific Islands. Shows relief on land, as well as ocean depth. Scale 1:8.5 Million. (AUS61, $13.95)
Batavia's Graveyard, The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny  •  Mike Dash HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER A fascinating yet chilling account of a 17th-century shipwreck not for the squeamish. A mutinous heretic and his followers systematically murder over 100 passengers of a Dutch East India Company merchant vessel after it is marooned off the coast of Australia. Besides telling the tale in in gruesome detail, historian Mike Dash treats questions of navigation, religion, medicine, psychology and sociology in their historical context. (PAC132, $15.95)
The Birth and Death of Miracle Man  •  Albert Wendt LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES A collection of 12 short stories by the Samoan-born writer, rich in the atmosphere and particularity of island life. (PAC106, $16.95)
Blue Latitudes, Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before  •  Tony Horwitz TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES A vivid tale of modern adventures, history and fun in the wake of Captain Cook by the author of Confederates in the Attic. Horwitz paints a broad picture of Cook and his time, capturing the places and personalities Cook encountered in his daring voyages around the world. Since he doesn't like the cold, the author (who sailed on a replica of the Endeavor as a crewman) skipped the Antarctic. (EXP31, $16.00)
The Bounty, The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty  •  Caroline Alexander BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2004 •  PAPER  • 491 PAGES We wondered what Caroline Alexander has been up to since her phenomenally successful The Endurance. The Bounty is a brilliant choice. She tackles William Bligh, Christian Fletcher and the story of the Bounty with the same spirit and meticulous research. Hers is a rousing tale of class barriers, the British courts and remarkable seamanship. And her Bligh is a far cry from that portrayed by Charles Laughton. The man may have been prickly (and from working class roots, which she argues was his real crime) but Bligh was a remarkable navigator. With maps and 32 pages of illustrations. (PAC134, $17.00)
Captain Bligh and Mister Christian: The Men and the Mutiny  •  Richard Hough BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 315 PAGES • COMING IN A gripping tale, full of drama, tension and incident, originally published in 1972, of the mutiny and its aftermath, including Lieutenant Bligh's remarkable 3,600-mile voyage to Timor and the fate of the mutineers on Pitcairn. It's a scholarly, beautifully written account. A classic. (PAC135, $19.95)
Coming of Age in Samoa  •  Margaret Mead CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 223 PAGES The original, much-debated account of life and development in America Samoa, originally published in 1928. Written when she was just 23 years old, it launched Meade's long career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Though her conclusions and methods may be in dispute, the book remains a compelling and popular story of the islands. (PAC12, $14.00)
Moon Handbook South Pacific  •  David Stanley GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 976 PAGES A comprehensive guide to the South Pacific from French Polynesia to Tonga, Fiji and Easter Island by a veteran guidebook writer. (PAC100, $24.95)
Desolation Island  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  1994 •  HARD COVER An Aubrey-Maturin adventure, set in the Pacific and Australia. (PAC57, $24.00)
Desolation Island  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 325 PAGES The fifth book in the great Aubrey/Maturin series, set in the Pacific and Australia, with Aubrey on a commission to rescue the William Bligh, later of Bounty fame, from an earlier mutiny. This episode of the series features a chase that takes Aubrey's ship, the Leopard, into the mountainous seas of the Southern Ocean -- perhaps the most exciting scene in all the novels (which is saying something!). (ATL19, $13.95)
Destiny's Landfall, A History of Guam  •  Robert Rogers HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 380 PAGES This standard comprehensive history of the island of Guam and its Chamorro inhabitants is written with an anthropological focus. (PAC38, $29.00)
The Diver's Handbook  •  Alan Mountain GUIDEBOOK •  1997 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES • COMING IN Designed for beginning divers, this illustrated handbook covers everything from equipment and health to conservation. (DIV26, $24.95)
Diving and Snorkeling Chuuk Lagoon, Pohnpei and Kosrae  •  Tim Rock GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES A nicely illustrated guide to the lagoon, with many excellent color photographs of wrecks, coral, artifacts and fish. The author includes diagrams and a brief history of many important wrecks. (PAC115, $17.95)
Early Tonga, As the Explorers Saw It, 1616-1810  •  Edwin Ferdon ANTHOLOGY •  1987 •  HARD COVER  • 339 PAGES • COMING IN For anyone interested in pre-Christian Tonga, this is an excellent sourcebook. The author presents the island nation as perceived by early literate visitors. (PAC70, $50.00)
The Edge of Paradise, America in Micronesia  •  P. K. Kluge BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 244 PAGES The insightful memoir of a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia in 1967 -- and an account of his journey back a generation later after the death of his good friend (who had become president of Pall). Kluge, a writer and former correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, writes with affection of this then-undeveloped corner of Micronesia, and especially of the people he meets. He includes his impressions of Palau, Turk, Ponape, Tinian, Saipan and the Marshall Islands. By the author of Biggest Elivs. (PAC33, $19.00)
The Far Side of the World  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 366 PAGES This tale, set in 1812, features a trip around Cape Horn, with Stephen Maturin, Patrick O'Brian's wonderful opium-addicted naturalist, exploring the new world with his pal Jack Aubrey. If you haven't yet been introduced to O'Brian's vivid portraits of Nelson's British Navy, here's your chance to dip into this fine series, with a book featuring evocative descriptions of Patagonian wildlife and natural features. A great read (and a great reread for O'Brian fans). (PAC55, $24.00)
Farther Than Any Man, The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook  •  Martin Dugard BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2002 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A fast-paced account of the discoveries of the 18th-century navigator. Dugard, a sailor and adventurer himself, is especially attuned to the demands of long sea voyages under difficult circumstances. (PAC127, $14.00)
The Fateful Hoaxing of Margaret Mead, A Historical Analysis of Her Samoan Research  •  Derek Freeman NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 279 PAGES Freeman continues the de-construction of Margaret Mead in this painstaking follow-up to his controversial biography of the anthropological icon. Apart from the fun of shaking up long held myths and views, Freeman exposes in detail the flaws, misconceptions and tall tales in Mead's 1925-1926 fieldwork supervised by Franz Boas. Freeman, who met Mead in 1964, has worked in Samoa for decades. He thinks she was taken in by tricksters -- and that he training by Boas set up to be fooled by mischievous informants. Read it alongside Mead's Coming of Age in Samoa. (PAC103, $17.00)
Fiji Map  •  HEMA Maps MAP A map of Fiji shown at a scale of 1:625,000. (PAC74, $8.95)
Fiji's Natural Heritage  •  Paddy Ryan NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES A superbly illustrated, comprehensive survey of the natural history of Fiji. With 500 color photos. 2nd edition. (PAC126, $34.95)
Flags of Our Fathers  •  James Bradley HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A compelling portrait of the young men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, five marines and a navy corpsman. The author, whose father was one of the six, tells the story of the brave men in the bloody battle and their subsequent, sometimes tragic fate. Bradley's father died in 1994. (PAC77, $14.00)
France and the South Pacific since 1940  •  Robert Aldrich HISTORY •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 440 PAGES A history of the South Pacific from World War II to the present, focusing on economic, political and social connections to France. Aldrich looks beyond the idyllic tropical setting to examine thwarted attempts to gain independence from France, as well as their role in nuclear weapons testing and political violence. (PAC89, $25.00)
French Polynesia Map  •  IGN MAP Published by the French Geographic Institute, this glossy map covers French Polynesia at a scale of 1:2,500,000. Without much detail on individual islands, it would be a good choice to keep track of a cruise through the islands. We also carry a detailed map of Tahiti and the Society Islands. (PAC32, $16.95)
From Pearl Harbor to V-J Day, the American Armed Forces in World War II  •  D. Clayton James HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 227 PAGES A clear and concise introduction to the strategy, personalities and campaigns of World War II. (WAR51, $10.95)
Gauguin  •  Robert Goldwater ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A nice series of 116 reproductions of Gauguin's major works, nearly half of which are in color. Paintings, woodcuts and letters by the artist are all represented. (FRN281, $19.95)
Gauguin Tahiti  •  Francoise Cachin ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 372 PAGES This illustrated catalog features gorgeous reproductions and authoritative essays on Gauguin and his time in Tahiti. With 260 color and 80 black-and-white illustrations of paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints and sculptures. (PAC92, $65.00)
Gauguin's Skirt  •  Stephen F. Eisenman HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 232 PAGES A fascinating (if rather academic) look at colonialism, sex and death in colonial and present-day Tahiti, the seat of so many European fantasies. With 110 reproductions (seven in color) of Gauguin's works and of photos circa 1900. (PAC95, $24.95)
Gauguin, The Quest for Paradise  •  Francoise Colchin BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 195 PAGES Concise and beautifully illustrated, this overview of the artist, his work and life features a significant section on his time in Tahiti. The book includes many paintings as well as excerpts from his journals and other writings. Part of the acclaimed "Discoveries" series. (PAC27, $12.95)
Hidden Tahiti & French Polynesia  •  Robert F. Kay GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 520 PAGES An excellent, comprehensive guide to Tahiti and French Polynesia, geared for nature-oriented travelers. With chapters on Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Raitea and Tahaa, Maupiti, the Tuomotos, Marquesas, Australs and Gambier Islands. It includes a survey of culture, history and activities, extensive travel information. Fifth Edition. (PAC22, $18.95)
Houses Far from Home, British Colonial Space in the New Hebrides  •  Margaret Critchlow Rodman ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 264 PAGES Former British and French colonial officers in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) tell stories of their time in the islands in this oral history. The illustrations are all black-and-white photographs of colonial dwellings, and the book is prefaced by Margaret Rodman's academic thesis on colonial architecture. (PAC123, $18.00)
I Married Adventure, The Lives of Osa and Martin Johnson  •  Osa Johnson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1997 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES Sweetly told, homespun and engrossing, Johnson's 1940 memoir chronicles her marriage to explorer and wildlife cinematographer Martin Johnson -- their life on a houseboat in Borneo, their encounters with cannibals, their exploits with wild animals in Kenya and their filming expeditions in the Congo. (PAC110, $19.95)
In Search of Robinson Crusoe  •  Tim Severin TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A quest to find the real seafarer that inspired Defoe's fictional hero is the motivation behind this unusual travelogue. As he follows in the wake of 17th-century pirates and adventures, Severin proves that the travels that Defoe modeled his tale after were in the Caribbean, not the Pacific. He also challenges the long held assumption that Alexander Selkirk was Crusoe's real-life counterpart. A master of retracing old journeys, Severin is also the author of The Brendan Voyage (ARC77) and The Spice Islands (INS82). (PAC130, $16.95)
In the Ring of Fire, A Pacific Basin Journey  •  James Houston CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1997 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A lyrical narrative of the author's journeys through Japan, Indonesia, Micronesia, Hawaii and California. From contemplating the Kilauea crater to watching a Ryukyuan dance at an Okinawa community center, Houston reveals the pan-Pacific identity that has emerged from the mixing of Eastern and Western cultures. From the author of "Farewell to Manzanar." (PAC45, $14.95)
In the South Seas  •  Robert Louis Stevenson TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 283 PAGES A set of personal sketches describing a year (1888-1889) of travels in the Marquesas, Paumotus and the Gilberts, first written as magazine articles and then reworked to incorporate detail on local peoples and history, published posthumously. Stevenson was entranced by his experiences in the Pacific, and decided never to leave. He died in Samoa in 1894. (PAC147, $15.00)
Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide  •  Gerald Allen  •  Roger Steene FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 378 PAGES • COMING IN This comprehensive identification guide to coral reef fishes and invertebrates from Hawaii to the Red Sea features 1,800 color photographs. It also includes chapter on marine mammals, turtles and birds. The authors, Gerald Allen and Roger Steene are the reigning authorities on the region (and fine photographers). Highly recommended. (DIV48, $40.00)
The Island of the Colorblind  •  Oliver Sacks TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES At large on Pingelap in the remote Pacific, Oliver Sacks sets up a clinic to look into an unusually high incidence of colorblindness. Sacks is a brilliant, witty writer on neurological conditions (The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat) but these essays also show him to be keen on botany -- and a good travel writer. His chapter on cycads is terrific. (PAC44, $14.95)
Kon-Tiki, Across the Pacific by Raft  •  Thor Heyerdahl  •  F. H. Lyon EXPLORATION •  1995 •  PAPER  • 230 PAGES A hugely popular account of a 1947 raft sailing trip along the Humboldt and Equatorial currents from Peru to Tahiti, where the author set out to prove that early humans could have made the trip. Not just a great adventure story, the voyage and Heyerdahl's theories have been influential in the debate over settlement of the region. With photographs. (PAC10, $5.99)
The Last Navigator: A Young Man, an Ancient Mariner, the Secrets of the Sea  •  Steve Thomas TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES • COMING IN In this travelogue, Thomas (best known as the host of This Old House), sailed by the stars throughout Micronesia with a master "palau" from the Caroline island of Satawal. (PAC39, $15.95)
Leaves of the Banyan Tree  •  Albert Wendt LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES A sprawling multi-generation epic, rich in character and life in Western Samoa. (PAC105, $18.95)
The Life and Strange, Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe  •  Daniel Defoe LITERATURE •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 500 PAGES This edition of the classic story features reproductions of the original wood-cut illustrations and an introduction to the life and times of Defoe. Based on the story of Alexander Selkirk, who was abandoned on the island now named after him. (PAC29, $14.99)
Lonely Planet Rarotonga & the Cook Islands  •  Tony Wheeler GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 168 PAGES A comprehensive, practical guide with background information on history, culture and attractions. (PAC129, $17.99)
Lonely Planet Samoan Islands & Tonga  •  Michelle Bennett GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES A practical, comprehensive guide in the popular series. (PAC136, $21.99)
Lonely Planet South Pacific  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 616 PAGES A comprehensive, detailed practical guide to travel in Micronesia and the South Pacific. (PAC120, $27.99)
Lonely Planet Tahiti and French Polynesia  •  Tony Wheeler  •  Jean-Bernard Carillet GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A practical guide to Tahiti and French Polynesia in the Lonely Planet series, featuring 29 maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature, and much nuts-and-bolts information on excursions, dive sites and Tahitian and French language. With color photographs and excellent travel information, this guide includes all the archipelagos, as well as the outer islands. (PAC86, $22.99)
Lonely Planet Vanuatu & New Caledonia  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 386 PAGES A comprehensive guide book to the region with 47 maps, a good cultural overview and much practical information. (PAC99, $24.99)
MacOnockie's Gentlemen, The Story of Norfolk Island & the Roots of Modern Prison Reform  •  Norval Morris HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES Norfolk Island, a small patch of land off the coast of Australia, uninhabited until discovered by Captain Cook, was once the site of a notorious prison. Using four fictionalized voices, law professor Norval Morris describes the techniques and experiments of superintendent Alexander Maconochie, who transformed it from a chaotic colony of murderers and thieves into an efficient and uncommonly humane place of penal reform. For the rare traveler to Norfolk Island (and for those who loved Hughes's "The Fatal Shore") this is a fascinating narrative history. (PAC119, $19.95)
Moon and Sixpence  •  Somerset Maugham LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 204 PAGES Maugham's well regarded 1919 novel, inspired by the life of Gauguin. It's the powerful story of a man who relinquishes his family to pursue his dream of becoming a painter, eventually moving to the South Pacific. Like Gauguin, his sensual paintings are never appreciated in his lifetime. (PAC16, $12.00)
Moon Handbook Fiji  •  David Stanley GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 321 PAGES A comprehensive, practical guide to Fiji in the Moon series with drawings, black-and-white photos and 42 maps. (PAC73, $19.95)
Moon Handbook Micronesia  •  Neil Levy GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A thorough introduction to the land, history, and culture of Micronesia, including Guam and Palau. It includes good practical detail on getting around, where to go, and where to stay. With maps and a few black-and-white drawings and photographs. (PAC40, $17.95)
Moon Handbook Tahiti  •  David Stanley GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 435 PAGES A practical guide to Tahiti and French Polynesia. It's a no-nonsense book, jam-packed with information on history, culture and tourist necessities. With photographs, maps and charts. (PAC87, $17.95)
Mr. Bligh's Bad Language: Passion, Power and Theatre on the "Bounty"  •  Greg Dening HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 445 PAGES It may have already inspired several movies and any number of books, but the story of Captain Bligh and his mutiny is still fertile ground for scholarship and debate. This book is an insightful, provocative review of events. (PAC42, $43.00)
Mutiny and Romance in the South Seas, A Companion to the Bounty Adventure  •  Sven Wahlroos  •  Rolf Du Rietz HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 639 PAGES • COMING IN A chronicle and gazetteer of the voyage of the Bounty, originally published in 1989. A print-on-demand edition (hence the hefty price). The book includes Bligh's second expedition (PAC109, $36.95)
Mutiny on the Bounty  •  James Norman Hall  •  Charles Nordhoff LITERATURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 379 PAGES The well known fictional account of the famous voyage of the HMS Bounty, ending in mutiny. Apparently Bligh wasn't such a tyrant after all, but this book is still greatly enjoyable. (PAC11, $13.99)
The Mystery of Easter Island  •  Katherine Routledge EXPLORATION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 404 PAGES The record of a 1913 voyage from Southampton to Easter Island, presented here in a facsimile edition with sketch maps, engravings and hundreds of photographs. It's a wonderful look at early impressions of the island, captivating in its period detail. Routledge also includes details of her voyage and a visit to Pitcairn, Tahiti and Hawaii en route home. (EIL10, $16.95)
Native Cultures of the Pacific Islands  •  Douglas L. Oliver CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1989 •  PAPER  • 172 PAGES A digest of the author's scholarly work on the cultures of the Pacific before contact with Europeans. It's a brief and illuminating overview of native cultures, featuring good descriptions of family life, food, travel, and social relations. With line drawings and maps. (PAC08, $20.00)
A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics  •  Marco Lambertini  •  John Venerella NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES A compact guide to the world's tropical zone, organized by biome. It's a good overview of the ecology of forests, mangroves, coral reefs, deserts, and grasslands found between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. A useful companion for travelers to tropical latitudes. With color photographs and color plates illustrating a sampling of the most conspicuous birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and fish. (CON17, $25.00)
Nest in the Wind, Adventures in Anthropology on a Tropical Island  •  Martha C. Ward CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  PAPER  • 178 PAGES A memoir of anthropological research among the peoples of Ponhpei in Micronesia in the 1970s -- an island where people do (or at least did) eat dogs, grow giant yams in secret, share potent bowls of kava, and have a decidedly relaxed attitude about relations between the sexes. It's a witty account, enlivened by the author's good cheer and insight. With illustrations by Nancy Zoder Dawes. (PAC37, $14.95)
New Caledonia Map  •  IGN MAP A clear, nicely detailed map of New Caledonia, at a scale of 1:500,000 published by the IGN in France. (PAC117, $16.95)
Noa Noa, The Tahiti Journal  •  Paul Gauguin  •  John Miller CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 168 PAGES Gauguin's journals from Tahiti, originally published by the author in 1919. His French publishers thought the material was too racy. With gorgeous reproductions of watercolors and etchings alongside the artist's impressions of two years in French Polynesia. (PAC13, $19.95)
The Norton Book of the Sea  •  J.O. Coote ANTHOLOGY •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 406 PAGES A well chosen selection of stories about the sea. (GEN76, $22.50)
Nutmeg of Consolation  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  1991 •  HARD COVER  • 315 PAGES Further adventures of Captain Aubrey & Co., shipwrecked in the Dutch East Indies, and finding their way to the penal colony at Botany Bay in the early 19th Century. The passage on Botany Bay is one of the most evocative (and frightening) descriptions we know of the first European settlements in Australia. If you haven't yet been introduced to O'Brian's vivid portraits of Nelson's British Navy, here's your chance to dip into this fine series. (AUS69, $24.00)
Okinawa, The Last Battle of World War II  •  Ross Leckie HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A fast-paced history of the battle as witnessed by participants on both sides. (PAC60, $15.00)
Omoo  •  Herman Melville LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES Taking up where Melville's "Typee" left off, this novel, partly based on the author's travels in the South Pacific, tells the story of an unsuccessful mutiny, which lands the protagonist in a Tahitian jail. Further adventures ensue on and around the island of Tahiti. The entire trilogy is also available in a single hard cover edition, (PAC62). (PAC93, $14.00)
On the Road of the Winds  •  Patrick Vinton Kirch ARCHAEOLOGY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 424 PAGES An excellent scholarly review of the prehistory of Oceania with much to offer interested travelers. A professor of anthropology at the University of California, Kirch draws on his own research in the region to document the development of human society in the Pacific. With a good selection of maps, halftones and figures. (PAC101, $35.95)
Pacific Ocean Map  •  HEMA Maps MAP A map of the entire Pacific Ocean from the Aleutian and Kuril Islands to Australia and New Zealand at a scale of 1:24 million. The reverse features detailed maps of individual islands and island groups, including French Polynesia, Hawaii and the Solomons. Hema Maps also publishes separate relief maps of the Solomon Islands, Tahiti and the Society Islands, Western Samoa and Vanuatu. (PAC52, $8.95)
Paul Gauguin ,1848-1903: The Primitive Sophisticate  •  Ingo F. Walther ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 95 PAGES In this short, illustrated introduction to Gauguin and his paintings, color reproductions are paired with commentary on the works. (FRN280, $9.99)
Pouliuli  •  Albert Wendt LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 147 PAGES A celebrated novel of village life and power and myth by the noted Samoan writer, a novelist, poet and short story writer from Western Samoa. (PAC19, $10.00)
Reference Map of Oceania, the Pacific Islands of Micronesia, Polynesia, Melanesia  •  James A. Bier 2008 •  MAP • COMING IN NOVEMBER NEW EDITION NOW DELAYED UNTIL NOVEMBER 2008. This outstanding double-sided map shows both a broad view of the western Pacific at a scale of 1:17,460,000 and 52 detailed inset maps of the principal islands and island chains of Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia. It covers the entire region from French Polynesia and Hawaii west to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Second revised edition. (PAC07, $9.95)
Robinson Crusoe  •  Daniel Defoe LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Inspired by the real-life mariner Alexander Selkirk, it's worth revisiting this classic before exploring the island named after him. Not just an adventure story, it reveals much about the life and times of Defoe. (PAC30, $8.00)
Samoa Map  •  HEMA Maps 1999 •  MAP An attractive traveler's map of Samoa at a scale of 1:200,000. (PAC108, $10.95)
Sea of Glory, America's Voyage of Discovery: The U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842  •  Nathaniel Philbrick EXPLORATION •  2004 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES In this accomplished, finely detailed history, Philbrook captures the bravado, adventure and politics of what was, in its day, the largest expedition ever mounted -- six vessels and 346 men on an around-the-world expedition for the United States. The zoological specimens and other booty formed the basis of the collections of the Smithsonian Institution. With excellent chapters on charting the Pacific Northwest, South Pacific and (most memorably) the Antarctic. Philbrook doesn't neglect either the enormous ego (and incompetence) of commander Lieutenant Charles Wilkes. This was the expedition that established the United States as a maritime power. (PAC140, $16.00)
Serpent in Paradise  •  Dea Birkett CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1998 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES Intrigued by legends and romance, journalist Dea Birkett gets herself to three-square-mile Pitcairn Island for a sojourn among the descendents of Captain Bligh's mutinous crew. Interweaving history and observation, Birkett has written a fascinating account of the island and its isolated population (who didn't like her much or appeciate a journalist in their midst). (PAC28, $12.95)
South Sea Islands, A Natural History  •  Alison Balance  •  Rod Morris NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 150 PAGES It's the 150 color photographs that capture the imagination in this handsome survey of the Pacific. The author-photographer duo, both Kiwi filmmakers, cast their lens widely, presenting 13 major island groups, from Fiji, New Guinea and Tasmania to Madagascar, Hawaii and Easter Island. (PAC139, $35.00)
Tahiti and Society Islands Map  •  IGN MAP A handsome French-produced map of Tahiti and the Society Islands, at a scale of 1:100,000. The map shows the topography of the rugged islands in full-color shaded relief, surrounding coral reefs, raods, towns and points of interest. With an inset road map of Papeete. (PAC65, $16.95)
Tahitians, Mind and Experience in the Society Islands  •  Robert I. Levy  •  Pierre Heyman CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1991 •  PAPER  • 576 PAGES With a focus on cultural anthropology, this scholarly book explores the peoples of Tahiti, their culture, traditions, and history. (PAC84, $43.00)
Tales from the Medicine Trail, Tracking Down the Health Secrets of Shamans, Herbalists, Mystics, Yogis, and Other Healers  •  Christopher Kilham TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 291 PAGES • COMING IN An account of journeys on the trail of medical herbs and botanicals with chapters on the author's travels in Amazonia, Peru and the Andes (maca), India (Ayurveda) and the Pacific (Kava). With notes and recipes for each herbal remedy. (GEN246, $19.95)
Tales of the South Pacific  •  James A. Michener LITERATURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES This first of the big Michener novels, set in World War II Polynesia, won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1948. It's dated, certainly, but still a lot of fun. It was the basis for the Rogers & Hammerstein musical "South Pacific." (PAC18, $7.99)
Tides of History, The Pacific Islands in the Twentieth Century  •  K.R. Howe HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 500 PAGES A collection of scholarly review articles. (PAC133, $28.00)
Treasure Island  •  Robert Louis Stevenson LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES The famous and fabulous adventure story of a boy who finds himself among pirates while searching for buried treasure. Inspired by the Isla de Coco. (PAC25, $8.95)
The Trial of the Cannibal Dog, The Remarkable Story of Captain Cook's Encounters in the South Seas  •  Anne Salmond HISTORY •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 536 PAGES An intriguing history of the voyages of Captain Cook with a focus on the relationship between the Pacific islanders and seafaring Englishmen. Salmond describes how mutual curiosity turned into animosity, culminating in the death of Captain Cook in Hawaii. (PAC138, $30.00)
The Truelove  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Another fine installment, the 15th, in the Aubrey-Maturin series. This one finds Captain Aubrey and Stephen Maturin is deep trouble in the South Pacific, where they are sent to charm a Polynesian Queen. (PAC142, $13.95)
The Truelove  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  1992 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES More terrific Aubrey & Maturin, set in the Pacific. (PAC53, $24.00)
Typee, A Peep at Polynesian Life  •  Herman Melville LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES The most popular of Melville's books during his lifetime, this partly autobiographical work first published in 1846 tells the story of Tommo, a Yankee sailor who jumps ship and enters the flawed Pacific paradise of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas. Controversial when first published because of its criticism of missionaries and its erotic content, the book holds up today both as a fine example of Melville's glorious prose, and as early quasi-anthropology in the Pacific Islands. (PAC14, $12.95)
Typee, Omoo, Mardi  •  Herman Melville LITERATURE •  1982 •  HARD COVER  • 1333 PAGES One of this trilogy, "Typee," was the most popular of Melville's books during his lifetime. It's a partly autobiographical work first published in 1846 which tells the story of Tommo, a Yankee sailor who jumps ship and enters the flawed Pacific paradise of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas. Controversial when first published because of its criticism of missionaries and its erotic content, the book holds up today both as a fine example of Melville's glorious prose, and as early quasi-anthropology in the Pacific Islands. (PAC62, $40.00)
Vanuatu Map  •  HEMA Maps MAP At a scale of 1:1,200,000, this folded road map covers the whole island group, with more detailed insets of Espiritu Santo, Efate and Tanna. (PAC121, $9.95)
We, the Navigators, The Ancient Art of Landfinding in the Pacific  •  David Lewis EXPLORATION •  1994 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A classic, this engaging book examines how Stone Age Polynesians may have navigated the Pacific. The scholarly volume, now in its second edition, will appeal to seafarers and modern Pacific travelers. More than just a history, it provides enough information that a reader could practically build a canoe and navigate the oceans using the stars as a guide. It includes a glossary of Polynesian terms, latitude and longitude of main island groups and a fairly mathematical essay on variation of star position with latitude. (PAC35, $29.95)
Where to Watch Birds in Australasia and Oceania  •  Nadia Wheatley REFERENCE •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 464 PAGES A guide to 200 destinations throughout Australasia including checklists and descriptions of the avifauna. (PAC54, $62.50)
The Wine-Dark Sea  •  Patrick O'Brian LITERATURE •  1993 •  HARD COVER  • 261 PAGES Further adventures of Captain Aubrey and his friend Maturin, set in the Pacific. (PAC56, $24.00)