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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Fascinating true story of 5 Norwegians and 1 Swede to cross the pacific in an Inca raft. I found the general milieu (late 1940's, post WWII) very interesting and apparent. And of course the mere fact that they CROSSED the pacific ocean in an open raft in 101 days. The amazing descriptions of the sea life and the "easy" with which they adapted to life at sea (better than behind Nazi lines) - very interesting. Of course, you have to read a bit between the lines to parse anything "personal" out this fact filled adventure tale.
My favorite anecdote is that they managed to DEVELOP FILM at sea (inches off the surface of the ocean) by rigging up a refrigeration circuit with some misc chemicals. *sigh* There is nothing NEARLY as practical in my skill set. I look at the skills they had and again reflect on my own uselessness.
My favorite anecdote is that they managed to DEVELOP FILM at sea (inches off the surface of the ocean) by rigging up a refrigeration circuit with some misc chemicals. *sigh* There is nothing NEARLY as practical in my skill set. I look at the skills they had and again reflect on my own uselessness.
My weakness for expedition journals..... It is large. I love a good real-world adventure. And this might be the grandest I've read yet. Crossing the Pacific in three months over nine balsa logs, in the 1940s. It doesn't seem like it could've really happened. Besides the content, the writing is nostalgic and lovely, and I savored this book, reading only when I could be alone and outdoors and imagining seeing dorados accompanying a raft in the middle of the giant ocean.
The one thing that sours the book is the unsurprising racism of the author. While Heyerdahl does seem to respect the Polynesian people (with whom he lived for quite some time), there's still the fact that at least part of his reasoned theory that they could have descended from people coming from Peru comes from his obsession with a "vanished white race", that he believes provided the Aztecs, Incas and people of Rapa Nui with any "advanced civilization" that of course they could not have come up with themselves. He even ends the book implying that Tiki, the Polynesian ancestor-god who may have crossed the ocean and namesake for their beloved raft, could have himself been white. Because obviously.
Yet I'm still leaving this with five stars which is a puzzle I don't quite feel like solving at this moment and probably something I'll think a lot about in the future...
The one thing that sours the book is the unsurprising racism of the author. While Heyerdahl does seem to respect the Polynesian people (with whom he lived for quite some time), there's still the fact that at least part of his reasoned theory that they could have descended from people coming from Peru comes from his obsession with a "vanished white race", that he believes provided the Aztecs, Incas and people of Rapa Nui with any "advanced civilization" that of course they could not have come up with themselves. He even ends the book implying that Tiki, the Polynesian ancestor-god who may have crossed the ocean and namesake for their beloved raft, could have himself been white. Because obviously.
Yet I'm still leaving this with five stars which is a puzzle I don't quite feel like solving at this moment and probably something I'll think a lot about in the future...
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
Adventure journeys is one of my favorite book genres. Any lover of a good tale will appreciate the story of Kon-Tiki, one I realize I didn't really know until now. I liked the anthropology and first hand accounts, and Heyerdahl is a pretty decent writer. There's a good mix of history, adventure - catching sharks with their bare hands! -, sea life detail, and getting to know the crew. One criticism is that it seemed so easy! Not a lot of peril or hardships. Almost like they were going on an easy breezy sail across the Pacific. Maybe a testament to their preparation. Or just plain good luck.
adventurous
medium-paced
A fun adventure book. The author suspects the Polynesian Islands were inhabited by people from Peru who traveled there in rafts. He builds a raft and proves it is possible with 5 other men. An interesting adventure story.
Even after all these years this is a fascinating journey. The language and the ‘prejudice’ of the time just after WWII adds an odd, but interesting, flavor to this book. You get a great story of the trip itself along with a look into the early 1950s. You can almost smell the sea salt and here the South Sea breezes. You are transported back in time and across the Pacific.