Towards the end of his life in the late 19th century, Robert Louis Stevenson lived in Samoa and traveled widely around the South Pacific. These entertaining tales, set among both real and mythical islands, show Stevenson's keen observations of island life. They stand out among other early western fiction on the area because their heroes are islanders, not westerners, and they extend a critical eye to European influence in the islands. Moreover, they're a lot of fun.  (PAC15, $14.95)