It held my attention and loved reading about New Guinea and the local people and ...
584488
It held my attention and loved reading about New Guinea and the local people and customs.  The relationship was lovely between Bankson and Nell but not so much between Nell and her husband.
1710025
I don't necessarily think the writing here is fabulous, but the content was very compelling. It opened my eyes to a lot of things about the culture of Ghana, some wonderful, some leaving much to be desired. I would love a sequel updating where things are in her village now.
3279290
I couldn't put it down, because I thoroughly enjoy reading about other cultures, especially the Islamic culture.
4432304
This is a great page-turner! I read it on my kindle in two days. It includes photos, too, of the natives and the survivors of the plane crash in the treacherous mountains of New Guinea during WW II (1945). I learned more about the planet (the island of New Guinea) plus some history that included bits about the war in the Pacific theater, bits about aircraft at the time, about the natives living in this isolated valley, about the living conditions of WACs living in camp in Hollandia, etc. I highly recommend it.
2260722
I've been to New Zealand only twice--not nearly enough.  I've met Maories and regretted that my tourist schedule couldn't let me spend any more time than a few light conversations.  Christina Thompson has devoted subtantially more time then that and committed to far more when she married a Maori named Seven.

Such a move compromises her objectivity as a cultural anthropologist, but so what?  How many of them get the closeness and inside scoop that she has?  Her research, going back to the orginal Dutch landing is all about the cultural clashes between Europeans and the first peoples of New Zealand.  This is written in an entertaining and informative style, and the personal similarities between her new family and the annals of history are well done.  The history is now relayed by a familiar voice; the personal details are kept sufficiently private--I never felt that her or her various familys' dignity was compromised.

The whole effect is comperable to a Bill Bryson type of memoir, his travel books, his biography.  Ms. Thompson has written a fun and informative book and allowed me to look over her shoulder at a people I'm quite curious over.  Finishing it, I hope that she, her husband, their children and all their realtions--close and distant--are well.
197992
What I like about this book is that it is different to anything I have ever read. Courtenays writing style combined with the historical setting grabbed me from the first paragraph and held me throughout the tale. I loved that it is set in both Australia and New Zealand (and in-between), giving us glimpses of what life might have been like 150 years ago for indigenous peoples and pioneer settlers alike. The story is fast moving, compelling and at times disturbing, leaving me with the feeling that while I ought to appreciate the times in which I live, I also need to consider the hurts and injustices suffered by so many in the name of progress.
4825208
When I was a child of 8 years and  Nelson Rockefeller was Governor of my home state, I heard about the disappearance of Michael in New Guinea. It was hard to imagine that this young man disappeared without a trace and harder still to contemplate what may have been the sinister crime of murder and cannibalism. Carl Hoffman writes of a similar fascination on his part. This book chronicles his extensive research, both documentary and two trips to the scene living with the native people. He offers a new depth of insight to indigenous folk, their history, their spirituality and their way of living. Though no one can prove that Michael died in the waters surrounding the New Guinea or in a more horrific way at the hands of the Asmat tribesmen, Hoffman describes a quest for truth that takes the reader to a new level of understanding.
2055187
Remembering Babylon is the story of Gemmy - washed up on the Australian coast as a boy after a life of harshness that is hard to imagine, he is taken in by group of Aborigines. Sixteen years later, he makes himself known to the white community of northern Queensland, where he causes the community to examine not only it's attitude towards what is `civilised', but also causes them to look inwards upon themselves.
This is a story about frontiers - the physical frontier of the small community that Gemmy joins; the frontier of the new state of Queensland; and the frontier between civilised and primitive.  There is some beautiful work in this book, especially in its examination of small community dynamics, and coming of age. But I feel that Malouf starts threads that he doesn't bother to finish - the ambiguous characters of Mrs. Hutchence and Leona are introduced with promises of an exotic past, yet we never get to know them. George the school teacher is developed, only to be left out of the second half of the story. While Malouf manages to pack a lot of punch into a short tale, I feel that perhaps just a little be of expansion would have made this an even better book. But I will admit that I got a kick out of reading a story set in my home state of Queensland - it is nice to see that there is some Australian historical fiction set somewhere other than the Southern States!
616676
The Lieutenant by Australian author Kate Grenville is the story of a gifted and socially awkward young British man name Daniel Rooke, who, in the late 1780's travels to New South Wales in Australia.  As a Lieutenant in the Royal Marines and an astronomer, he is to help his countrymen and a shipload of convicts create a foothold and a colony of the strange new world they've landed one.

A stranger in a land not his own, Rooke  works to learn the skies of the southern hemisphere under his mission from the Royal Astronomer, and grows to know the aboriginal people of the area amidst the desperate efforts of his countrymen of the colony.  Caught between the two worlds of his duty to the colony and the people native to the land, he is eventually forced to make a moral choice that will define his future.

Review:

I'd never heard of Kate Grenville before this novel. From what I gather, she is quite popular in Australia as one of their premier literature authors.

I must admit that after reading the Lieutenant, I can fully understand why.  She is a beautiful writer, her characters more real than many of those one finds in most literature and she has a great deal of skill in describing landscapes and people without sounding trite or overwrought.

With that is her attention to detail and historical background.  She paints a picture of early Australia, the trials of her natives and the invaders from across the sea, that is quite compelling, from the struggles of the military with the convict colonists to the early interactions of the British with Australia's aboriginal people.

While the story moves slowly, the main character in Daniel Rooke is such a brilliantly portrayed person in her telling that one deeply cares about his fate and empathizes with the moral decisions and impact it makes on his life.  Likewise, such is true with many of the supporting characters he interacts with. There's a great deal of empathy in her writing.

Building her story in part on the real life experiences and research by an 18th century man named William Dawes, she paints a picture of a history that many of her readers will not be familiar with, without being condescending or preachy about the ultimate conclusion of the tale. In a way, she revives a piece of history that is little described and mostly unknown to most audiences.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While others have probably said it more eloquently than I, I'll chime in and throw my unreserved recommendation.  For those who enjoy historical fiction or general literature, the Lieutenant is a compelling and enjoyable read and worth the time.
4176740
Really good- keeps you engaged, loved learning about the culture.
735198
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!
4888971
What a strange and sad story. I found the attention to the plausible speculations as to the end song for Rockefeller well grounded. The photographs and descriptive reporting of the tribes in New Guinea engrossing. I like how the author included the social, economic and political ramifications of the time as well as the high probability of Rockefeller's final demise. A look at what may seem an alien culture to those not from New Guinea nor those with understanding of primitive cultures. I remember when Michael Rockefeller disappeared so I could relate to this historical event.  I could not put the book down!
3873768
This book is a very well written story about the three survivors of a plane crash who are put into the jungles of New Guinea with primitive natives. It is very incredible to hear these people's story throughout the book. Also, I love stories centered around WWII, which is probably a huge reason for me liking this book. It is also very interesting to see the characters grow throughout their time spent in the jungle. The conflict the characters face throughout the story is very gripping and interesting. The only downside I see to this book is that sometimes it can be very long and dragged out which can be hard to read sometimes. Ultimately, I would recommend this book to any reader who loves nonfiction and books about World War II.
3584391
Admittedly, I am fascinated by books about jungles and Africa. I you are the sort of person who wants to learn more about the colonization and state of affairs in Gabon in the 1960s, this is the book for you. The book is  well written. The version that I read is an English translation of a book  originally published in Dutch. The book reads well and thus I assume that  it is well translated. The author manages a long journey down a major river  system in Gabon and meets some interesting people along the way. The  characters in the text, either historical figures or individuals  encountered by Brokken in his travels in Gabon, come alive and capture the  reader's imagination. This is not a book for every reader but if you are  interested in arm chair adventure and equatorial Africa, buy this little  gem. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
4830858
Loved reading about the history of New Zealand, combined with some colorful characters
1323994
The story and characters captured my attention and made me think about so many topics such as life purpose, love, sacrifice, traditions and family. Enjoyable and sad.
3447203
I was attracted to this book probably because I spent a few days in the Western Hebrides some years ago. That, and the fact that I am fascinated by the lifestyles and habits of people in other countries and cultures. I truly enjoyed reading Mary's stories of her years as a nurse in this remote area. They painted a clear picture of the people and life in the Hebrides, and I found them well written and entertaining.