Scan barcode
graciegrace1178's review against another edition
4.0
REVIEW WRITTEN SEPT 22, 2020
4.5 stars.
Dates are estimated. I’m writing this review a year after reading because I’m STILL thinking about this book. My college class is requiring that I read excerpts from Jared Diamond’s Collapse, and chapter three (on Easter island) reminded me SO much of Sea People in style, tone, and delivery. Both are fantastic in all categories.
Notably, I remember sea people inspiring my trip to a museum in Honolulu where I learned of wayfaring techniques. It’s not often that a book resonates with me so deeply that I’m inspired to pursue a similar physical adventure. The Bishop museum was a fantastic supplement to my reading and made me feel more connected to the text because both the museum and the university where I was studying at the time (UHM) were both mentioned in text.
I also remember reading this languidly but with enthusiasm. It was enthralling but I kept my pace slow so I could really absorb the words and the anecdotes. This book is FULL of interesting sea tales that could inspire a slew of Netflix shows and certainly did inspire my imagination. Christina is a gifted writer. She made history truly entertaining and engaging, which is a rarity.
4.5 stars.
Dates are estimated. I’m writing this review a year after reading because I’m STILL thinking about this book. My college class is requiring that I read excerpts from Jared Diamond’s Collapse, and chapter three (on Easter island) reminded me SO much of Sea People in style, tone, and delivery. Both are fantastic in all categories.
Notably, I remember sea people inspiring my trip to a museum in Honolulu where I learned of wayfaring techniques. It’s not often that a book resonates with me so deeply that I’m inspired to pursue a similar physical adventure. The Bishop museum was a fantastic supplement to my reading and made me feel more connected to the text because both the museum and the university where I was studying at the time (UHM) were both mentioned in text.
I also remember reading this languidly but with enthusiasm. It was enthralling but I kept my pace slow so I could really absorb the words and the anecdotes. This book is FULL of interesting sea tales that could inspire a slew of Netflix shows and certainly did inspire my imagination. Christina is a gifted writer. She made history truly entertaining and engaging, which is a rarity.
penguin_emperor_of_the_north's review against another edition
3.0
This was really interesting. Rather than a direct history of the Polynesian people, it's more of a history of the investigation into the history of the Polynesian people.
So, it starts with initial contact between the Europeans and the Polynesians and moves through the different scientific approaches like racial theory, linguistics, carbon dating and experimental archeology.
The experimental part was quite interesting because these people built rafts and canoes and tried to recreate the Polynesian voyages from the canoe to using rowers and sails to using wayfinding to navigate instead of modern techniques. Which is a pretty darn cool idea.
I still wonder about what caused people to just set out in search of a new island, in the modern day the folks knew that Tahiti was on the other end of the trip. The first Polynesian explorers would not have known that so I get the impression that people just set out looking for new islands. How often would have somebody done that and not found an island?
So, it starts with initial contact between the Europeans and the Polynesians and moves through the different scientific approaches like racial theory, linguistics, carbon dating and experimental archeology.
The experimental part was quite interesting because these people built rafts and canoes and tried to recreate the Polynesian voyages from the canoe to using rowers and sails to using wayfinding to navigate instead of modern techniques. Which is a pretty darn cool idea.
I still wonder about what caused people to just set out in search of a new island, in the modern day the folks knew that Tahiti was on the other end of the trip. The first Polynesian explorers would not have known that so I get the impression that people just set out looking for new islands. How often would have somebody done that and not found an island?
djorgenson112358's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this. It's a very approachable, detailed telling of Polynesia.
vvonbiel's review against another edition
5.0
This history of the Polynesian people is fascinating. They were badasses, exploring a vast ocean in canoes and navigating by the stars, while setting an immense area. Highly recommend.
themeadowofashtrees's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0