Book Cover
Book
Author Theroux, Paul.

Title The happy isles of Oceania : paddling the Pacific / by Paul Theroux
Published London : Hamish Hamilton, [1992]
©1992

Copies

Location Call no. Vol. Availability
 W'PONDS  919.504 Therou The/Hio  AVAILABLE
Description 541 pages ; 24 cm
Contents Part one: Meganesia -- 1 New Zealand: the land of the long white cloud -- 2 New Zealand: sloshing through the South Island -- 3 Waffling in white Australia -- 4 Walkabout in Woop Woop -- 5 North of the Never-Never -- Part two: Melanesia -- 6 Bouyant in the peaceful trobriands -- 7 Aground in the troubled trobriands -- 8 The Solomons: down and dirty in Guadalcanal -- 9 The Solomons: in the egg fields of Savo Island -- 10 Vanuatu: cannibals and missionaries -- 11 The oddest island in Vanuatu -- 12 Fiji: the divided island of Viti Levu -- 13 Fiji: Vanua Levu and the islets of Bligh Water -- Part three: Polynesia -- 14 Tonga: the royal island of Tongatapu -- 15 Tonga: alone on the desert islands of Vava'u -- 16 In the backwaters of western Samoa -- 17 American Samoa: the littered lagoon -- 18 Tahiti: the windward shore of the island of love -- 19 A voyage to Marquesas -- 20 The Cook Islands: in the lagoon of Aitutaki -- 21 Easter Island: beyond the surf zone of Rapa Nui -- 22 Easter Island: the old canoe ramp at Tongariki -- Part four: paradise -- 23 Oahu: Open espionage in Honolulu -- 24 Kauai: following the dolphins on the Na Pali coast -- 25 Niihau and Lanai: some men are islands -- 26 The big island: paddling in the state of grace
Summary It began as a publicity tour and ended up in the wilderness. At a time of sadness in his life, Paul Theroux decided to travel through the Pacific from island to island under sunny skies. For once he did not travel light. He brought camping equipment and a collapsible kayak to paddle around the islands he visited, sampling each surfy coast and blue lagoon. In his search for the ultimate refuge he finds some islands as close to paradise as one could hope - a travel agent's utopia of white sand and swaying palm trees. And he finds an extraordinary melting-pot of cultures and contrast. He finds isalnds where former cannibals dine off imported Spam at extrotionate prices; unique coral atolls contaminated by French nuclear testing, and tranquil deserted beaches where he can sleep under the stars, just minutes away from extraordinary luxury at $2,500 a night. (Back cover)
Analysis Oceania
Travel
Subject Theroux, Paul -- Travel -- Polynesia.
Theroux, Paul -- Travel -- Oceania.
Sea kayaking -- Oceania.
SUBJECT Oceania -- Description and travel. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85093911
Oceania http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85093910 -- History, Local. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh00005861
ISBN 0241131847 (hbk.)
0241132703 (paperback)