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- Micronesia a "Spy" Guide
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- The Bottoms Up of International Development
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- Globalism: The New Market Ideology
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- Glass Ceilings and Asian Americans: The New Face of Workplace Barriers (Critical Perspectives)
- Modern Tribal Development: Paths to Self-Sufficency and Cultural Integrity in Indian Country (Contemporary Native American Communities Series)
- Pacific Asia?: Prospects for Security and Cooperation in East Asia (Asia in World Politics S.)
- Globalization on the Ground: Post-Bellum Guatemalan Democracy and Development
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- Market Reforms in Mexico: Coalitions, Institutions, and the Politics of Policy Changes
- Three in One: Essays on Democratic Capitalism, 1977-2000
Average customer rating:
- Nest in the Wind - worth reading
- Personal touch
- Adventures on a Tropical Island
- A great read that captures the essence of Pohnpei!
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Nest in the Wind: Adventures in Anthropology on a Tropical Island, Second Edition
Martha C. Ward
Manufacturer: Waveland Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1577663683 |
Book Description
During her first visit to the beautiful island of Pohnpei in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, anthropologist Martha Ward discovered people who grew quarter-ton yams in secret and ritually shared a powerful drink called kava. She managed a medical research project, ate dog, became pregnant, and responded to spells placed on her. Thirty years later she returned to Pohnpei to learn what had happened there since her first visit. Were islanders still relaxed and casual about sex? Were they still obsessed with titles and social rank? Was the island still lush and beautiful? Had the inhabitants remained healthy? This second edition of Ward's best-selling account is a rare, longitudinal study that tracks people, processes, and a place through decades of change. It is also an intimate record of doing fieldwork that immerses readers in the sights, smells, tastes, sounds, and the sensory richness of Pohnpei. Ward addresses the ageless ethnographic questions about family life, politics, religion, traditional medicine, magic, and death together with contemporary concerns about postcolonial survival, the discontinuities of culture, and adaptation to the demands of a global age. Her insightful discoveries illuminate the evolution of a culture possibly distant from yet important to people living in other parts of the world.
Customer Reviews:
Nest in the Wind - worth reading.......2005-10-14
Novel type account of femal antho, well written, easy read.
Personal touch.......2004-08-28
This book is an ethnography of the people of Pohnpei. The author accompanied her husband to Pohnpei during the 1970s and they lived there together for several years. In the 1940s, army doctors had noted that the people of Pohnpei all had quite low blood pressure. Ward and her husband were the anthropologist components of a team that was trying to determine whether the initial blood pressure observations were accurate, and if so, whether societal influences seemed to be playing a role. Although the blood pressure study was the impetus for going to Pohnpei, and provides much of the framework for Ward's time on Pohnpei, this book isn't about that project. Instead, the book describes how Ward gradually integrated herself into the culture to the greatest extent that she could during her limited stay.
As a trained anthropologist, Ward was primed to observe the culture on Pohnpei. She notes that the society was matriarchal and that ceremonial titles were highly important. Personal names were impermanent, and many people, including study subjects, changed their names frequently. She struggles to learn the language, noting that it makes use of dual number in addition to singular and plural, and makes a distinction in personal pronouns between inclusive and exclusive "we". She discusses diet, gender roles, politics, education, courting behavior, and funeral rites. All of this is done, however, informally, almost in the manner of a travelogue. Indeed, many of the chapters close with letters that she wrote home to family or friends, many with humorous touches as she struggles with culture shock. As the time on the island passes, Ward relates to us the challenges that she faced in finding housing, a local research assistant, and conducting research related to the blood pressure project. She describes feasts that she attended, and feasts that she gave, and how a ceremonial title came to be bestowed on her. She also tells us of her decision to have child, and how her pregnancy was greeted by the local Pohnpeians.
One initial theory about why the Pohnpeians had low blood pressure was that this was a tropical paradise, where everyone had low-stress lives. Ward noted that this was, of course, a baseless assumption, since people on Pohnpei certainly did have problems and stress. Unfortunately, the results of the blood pressure project were never published in detail. However, in the epilogue, Ward notes that the study found some people with high blood pressure, especially among the sedentary and obese. The book closes with an annotated list of additional readings. It does not have an index. It has maps and a few black and white sketches, but no photographs.
The book is quite accessible to general readers, while containing the kinds of information that anthropologists would expect to find in an ethnography. In addition to observations on the local culture of Pohnpei, Ward also tells us a little of the culture of North American researchers and Peace Corps volunteers working on the island. In this book, we can find a window into Pohnpei (albeit the Pohnpei of thirty years ago) that will be interesting to travelers and anthropologists alike.
Adventures on a Tropical Island.......2001-12-06
This book is the best example of pre-modern life on Pohnpei anywhere. Recent visits to websites and stuff have shown me that much of the culture talked about in this book has already disappeared or soon will. If you are taking anthropology, or just interested in the culture of the island, this book will satisfy you. Well written and informative.
A great read that captures the essence of Pohnpei!.......1999-06-17
I lived on Pohnpei for a year in the early '90's. I picked up this book to see how well the author described the island and the customs. I was amazed and continually delighted with how she detailed the rituals, feasts and problems of Pohnpei. She absolutely captures the feelings that are associated with living on Pohnpei, and does a great job incorporating those into the book. I found myself wanting to go back to the island, and wishing that I had taken the time to learn more details of this fascinating place. This easy-to-read book is great for people that are interested in anthropolgy, other cultures, Pohnpei or even Micronesia in general.
Average customer rating:
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Lonely Planet South Pacific Micronesia (Lonely Planet South Pacific)
Geert Cole
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Micronesia
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- Moon Handbooks Micronesia
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ASIN: 1741043042 |
Book Description
Embrace the tyranny of distance. Be it Tuvalu, Tokelau, Tonga, Tutuila or the Tuamotus, our authors have braved paradise to give you the lowdown on island exploration. Get lost among the thousands of beautiful islands in the Earth's largest ocean. Hike to active volcanoes, lush forests and crashing waterfalls. Use this guide to reveal the Pacific's myriad cultures, landscapes and activities. Island hop, or just drop out o TAKE THE PLUNGE - discover delicate reefs, deep lagoons, pristine atolls, shipwrecks and jellyfish lakes with our expert in-depth diving section o STUFF YOUR FACE - our new Food & Drink chapter unlocks the culinary style of each island nation o UNRIVALLED COVERAGE - no other guide takes you to every bit of the Pacific's 'big backyard' o LUXURY OR BUDGET - paradise to suit your pocket, from basic beach huts to radically lush resorts
Average customer rating:
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Perspectives Arts of the Pacific Islands (Perspectives)
Anne D'Alleva
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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- Oceanic Art (World of Art)
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- Native North American Art (Oxford History of Art)
ASIN: 0810927225 |
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Shipwrecks of Truk
Philip Alan Rosenberg
Manufacturer: Philip Rosenberg
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0960705201 |
Average customer rating:
- Really nice
- Sufficient
- Only marginally outdated... still very useful.
- The only name in Travel Guides
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Lonely Planet Micronesia
Kate Galbraith , Glenda Bendure , and Ned Friary
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
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- Franko's Guide Map of Guam USA
ASIN: 1864501049 |
Book Description
This comprehensive guide is the essential resource for independent travellers. Full of the down-to-earth information and reliable advice for every budget, it will lead you to pristine white beaches, ancient stone cities, WW2 relics and some of the most beautiful snorkelling and diving sites in the world. It also has insider advice on where to sample betel nuts, which islands make the best love potions and where to find 500-pound clams.
Covers: Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and US Territories (Howland, Baker, Jarvis, Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Reef, Johnston Atoll, Wake Atoll).
- hundreds of places to stay and eat for every budget
- details on island hopping by air and sea
- tips on diving and snorkelling - where to learn, where to dive and what to avoid
- detailed historical and cultural background
- concise and practical language sections
Customer Reviews:
Really nice.......2007-05-19
This is a nice, concise guide, to micronesia, covering Palua, Kiribati, the Marianas, Nauro, The federated states of Micronesia, and other small islands that stretch between New Zealand and Hawaii. There are a number of recommendations for the best way to travel between islands and how to plan your journey. THis is not a book that is aimed for the specialist, for scuba-divers it needs to be supplimented and the same goes for those intending to travel by boat. However the book is excellent when it comes to history, restaurants hikes and hotels. It is a wonderful guide-book, indispensible for the island hopping traveller.
Seth J. Frantzman
Sufficient.......2003-10-12
This is an OK guidebook for information about culture and hotels. I found that it covered all the basics. It covers all of the island nations in the Micronesia area. The section on Palau and Yap were particularly useful to me. However, I thought that there wasn't enough information about scuba diving. Most of the people visiting this region are interested in scuba diving. There isn't enough information on dive shops or dive sites. In fact, there aren't any maps of dive sites at all. If you're going to go diving, I would try another guidebook. If you're just going to go sightseeing, this is just fine. Also another thing I would like to see in the next edition is a few more photos. Sometimes photos can help you decide whether to go to a place or not. With more photos, I think this guidebook would attract more people to these lovely islands.
Only marginally outdated... still very useful........2000-05-11
I have been to Micronesia twice. The first time I lived there for a couple of years, and the second time I went as a tourist. I purchased this book before returning the second time. It had been seven years since I had been in Micronesia, and some of it had changed drastically while some parts hadn't changed at all. This book was a great guide, and helped me to find some of the better spots that I had somehow managed to miss while I lived there. Here is how the book stacked up. THE GOOD: 1) This book covers all of Micronesia, and that is no small task. It has information about all parts, ranging from Palau to the Marshall Islands. 2) This book gives a lot of information about each island. It explains the history, tells you what you should take, tells you about hotels and restaurants (from the five star establishments to the low end ones), tells you about how to travel to each island as well as how to travel around while on the island and many other bits of useful information to make your stay more enjoyable. 3) The maps are good. They aren't super detailed, but are nice maps of the islands and the villages on them. Quite good enough for any sight seeing or exploring that you might want to do. 4) This book tells you about the popular and good diving spots, hiking spots and historical points. So even though some of the book may be outdated (the nicest hotels in Guam) there are some things that will probably never change (how to hike to a nice hidden waterfall on Pohnpei.) THE BAD: Parts of Micronesia are changing quickly, and this book fails to capture those changes. For example, the list of popular places to stay, eat and shop on Guam wasn't very helpful since the island had changed so much in the past five years (since the book was published). To counteract this information lag, I just picked up tourist publications while I was on Guam, and that updated me enough to fill in all the gaps. OVERALL: It is like a computer that is a couple of years old: sure it is outdated some, but it still works nicely, and it is much better than having nothing at all!
The only name in Travel Guides.......1998-07-13
As a merchant marine, "travel" comes with the job. I have long been a collector of maps and travel guides, always searching for items that are the most user friendly & seeingly written for my budget, not one of the Rockerfeller's. I will tip my hat to Lonely Planet here. They accomplish the impossible with every book. Never did I expect to open a single guide book, not to mention a series of them & find myself so mesmerized by what was written. Their guides are not the commonly found or should I say "forced" "stay at the $$$$ hotel, eat at the $$$$ restaurant"... They give you such a wide, realistic range of places to go, visit, stay & enjoy, that they change you from the prospective dreamer ho-hummingly flipping pages in a book to the traveler that sees his/her goals come to pass. After all, isn't that what we really want out of travel? As for this particular guide book... I have been in Guam 4 months on and 4 months off since February of 1996, visiting Saipan as part of work & Rota & Tinian on my own time... I have used & abused this book (Cover still intact) & I have had many co-workers borrow it, with everyone coming away a satisfied reader. So, whether it be Guam, Saipan or any part of Micronesia, this is one guide book that I strongly recommend & if you are doing an around the world trip with Japan as your next stop... Do the right thing... Get the Japan Guide book, but also shell out a few extra dollars and purchase the Japanese Audio Pack. It is hands down the easiest (& one of the most economical) basic language teachers out there & it even comes with a Phrase Book! My current Lonely Planet Guide library includes: Micronesia, Japan (Book & Audio pack), Korea, Singapore-Brunei-Malaysia, Tonga, Southwest USA (Arizona-New Mexico-Utah), & Maldives & Islands Of The East Indian Ocean. I look to expand as I am planing a trip to Argentina's Andes in 2000. A satisfied ! customer I shall remain... I hope you, the reader of my review, read this & come to realize what wonderful publications Lonely Planet offers us. If you do, step back an use AMAZON.COM for all your travel needs. You will be glad you listened. (You know, I always thought these reviews were written by paid personel somewhere, TRUST me this isn't the case at all
Customer satisfaction is my reward!) Happy Travels to all!
Average customer rating:
- Best dive guide for Micronesia
- Great info, Maps, & Pics
- Excellent Book
- the best dive book ever
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Diving the Pacific: Volume 1: Micronesia and the Western Pacific Islands
David Leonard
Manufacturer: Periplus Editions
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Similar Items:
- Papa Mike's Palau Islands Handbook
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- Lonely Planet South Pacific Micronesia (Lonely Planet South Pacific)
ASIN: 9625934995 |
Customer Reviews:
Best dive guide for Micronesia.......2007-03-10
I went back and bought 2 more for my travel companions! We just came back from Truk & Yap and I never saw my book, it was traveling around our group so much! We are planning to return to Palau, so I bought extra copies as self defense! The best dive guide I have found to the islands.
Great info, Maps, & Pics.......2005-09-18
Wasn't sure what to expect when ordering, but am very happy with the purchase. The maps are great! I have lived in Guam & find that the info in the book is very helpful. I'm still learning my way around the dive world here & now know where some of these places are that people are talking about. It has also helped plan our next dive trip to other islands. Great info on Palau, Chuuk, & Yap. So much to see & so little time!!!
Excellent Book.......2005-07-28
One of the most informative books about diving in the Pacific , next to Tim Rocks lonely planet guides for diving and snorkelling in Micronesia this is the best , only this one accomodates all the islands in one book meanwhile lonely planet is done over three books .
I definately recommend it !
the best dive book ever.......2002-07-31
I don't know that I've ever read a better dive book or travel guide. The author covers every minute detail, and somehow, it still reads well--a fascinating and well-treated subject. David Leonard shows great wit and a solid knowledge of his subject.
The photographs are amazing, too.
Average customer rating:
- Barely mentions the sights
- Micronesia Travel
- The Original Guide to Micronesia
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Moon Handbooks Micronesia
Neil Levy
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Micronesia
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ASIN: 1566915082 |
Book Description
From the mysterious ruins of Pohnpei to Saipan's historic beaches, the islands of Micronesia offer the traveler hundreds of intriguing destinations to explore. Looking for more than the standard itinerary? Explore the sunken Japanese fleet in Chuuk Lagoon or celebrate with the locals at the annual Arts Festival in Palau. Neil Levy, a renowned South Pacific travel expert, brings the islands and atolls of Micronesia within reach of travelers who, on any budget, are looking to experience the full bounty of these incredible islands. This guide covers all four Pacific archipelagos: Guam; the Republics of Palau, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Nauru; the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, including Saipan, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Completely updated and revised, the sixth edition of Moon Handbooks Micronesia, is packed with the most current information on sightseeing options, diving and recreation, accommodations, and restaurants, as well as custom maps, color photographs, fascinating sidebars, and a complete coverage of the area's culture, history, and social issues.
Customer Reviews:
Barely mentions the sights.......2007-05-26
I got this book for an upcoming trip to Guam and Saipan. This book barely makes mention of the various sites and attractions, especially the WW II sites. With the War in the Pacific Museum still shut down, it's more important than ever to have a good accounting of what's there and how to get to it. The older 2000 edition Lonely Planet Micronesia has more information than this.
Micronesia Travel.......2007-01-04
Great overview for the traveler to Micronesia. I changed my travel plans on which islands to visit based on the information in this book. The only drawback is, and this is true for all travel books, information becomes outdated quickly and so this one needs an update.
The Original Guide to Micronesia.......1999-09-21
As the author of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions of this handbook, I'm very familiar with the subject matter and am pleased to see how Neil Levy has developed and improved the guide. All 70 maps are now computer-generated and printed in two colors. Neil has broadened the scope to include more information on the upscale facilities, while expanding the ecological discussions. As a companion to my own guide Moon Handbooks South Pacific it's unmatched, and I recommend it to both travelers and serious students of Micronesia.
Average customer rating:
- Fallout
- An incredibly important work
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Children of the Atomic Bomb: An American Physician's Memoir of Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and the Marshall Islands (Asia-Pacific)
James N. Yamazaki , James N. Yamazaki , and Louis B. Fleming
Manufacturer: Duke University Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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- Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6-September 30, 1945 (Rev)
ASIN: 0822316587 |
Book Description
Despite familiar images of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan and the controversy over its fiftieth anniversary, the human impact of those horrific events often seems lost to view. In this uncommon memoir, Dr. James N. Yamazaki tells us in personal and moving terms of the human toll of nuclear warfare and the specific vulnerability of children to the effects of these weapons. Giving voice to the brutal ironies of racial and cultural conflict, of war and sacrifice, his story creates an inspiring and humbling portrait of events whose lessons remain difficult and troubling fifty years later.
Children of the Atomic Bomb is Dr. Yamazaki’s account of a lifelong effort to understand and document the impact of nuclear explosions on children, particularly the children conceived but not yet born at the time of the explosions. Assigned in 1949 as Physician-in-Charge of the United States Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in Nagasaki, Yamazaki had served as a combat surgeon at the Battle of the Bulge where he had been captured and held as a prisoner of war by the Germans. In Japan he was confronted with violence of another dimension—the devastating impact of a nuclear blast and the particularly insidious effects of radiation on children.
Yamazaki’s story is also one of striking juxtapositions, an account of a Japanese-American’s encounter with racism, the story of a man who fought for his country while his parents were interned in a concentration camp in Arkansas. Once the object of discrimination at home, Yamazaki paradoxically found himself in Japan for the first time as an American, part of the Allied occupation forces, and again an outsider. This experience resonates through his work with the children of Nagasaki and Hiroshima and with the Marshallese people who bore the brunt of America’s postwar testing of nuclear weapons in the Pacific.
Recalling a career that has spanned five decades, Dr. Yamazaki chronicles the discoveries that helped chart the dangers of nuclear radiation and presents powerful observations of both the medical and social effects of the bomb. He offers an indelible picture of human tragedy, a tale of unimaginable suffering, and a dedication to healing that is ultimately an unwavering, impassioned plea for peace.
Customer Reviews:
Fallout.......2005-03-13
"Children of the Atomic Bomb" is a disturbing look into the after effects of the atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War II. In reference to the fallout of radiation, the Marshall Islands incident is also discussed. The author's primary emphasis is placed on the bomb's effects on children, including those still in the womb and those not yet conceived.
There is a great deal of valuable information in this book, though I must admit I found the explanations too short at times. Dr. Yamazaki is an American of Asian descent, who served his country in World War II. Because of his nationality, he endured racism depite being an American. Ironically, even in his research in Japan he endured prejudice because he was seen as an American. This gives an interesting twist to the story.
Dr. Yamazaki's focus began in studying the unborm children of the atomic bomb. While the adults in the fallout tended to develop cancer at high rates later in life, the children had a high motality rate. Cancer and mental retardation were among the primary defects developed in these children. Many were also born with small heads, caused by the soft tissue of the skull solidifing too soon. These "pica babies" or babies of the blinding flash showed an alarming vulnerablity during the eighth and fifteenth weeks of development. Babies in this span of development showed the greatest health problems. Searching for genetic defects is the next goal of the research, though the stigma of being a pica baby makes some reluctant to come forward for research.
One of the things I enjoyed about the book was that Dr. Yamazaki did not choose to argue for or against the use of the bomb. Instead, he chose to pursue the possibility that something like this should never happen again. In American culture, we pay little attention to the after effects of the Atomic Bomb in Japan. Our primary focus in America in studying World War II is the fall of the Nazi regime. This book is an eye-opening experience in the events that unfolded in Japan as the war ended. My only complaint is that the book is often too concise.
An incredibly important work.......2004-01-27
This is the personal and medical memoir of Dr. James Yamazaki, an American of Japanese descent who went to Japan a few years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dr. Yamazaki went to study the effects of radiation exposure on the populace, and particularly its effects on children. Dr. Yamazaki spent several years in Nagasaki before returning to the US to continue research on the effects of radiation on children (as well as having a general pediatric practice.)
In addition to his pioneering medical work, he also talked to government commissions about nuclear disarmament. He told them what he saw in Japan in the aftermath of the atomic bomb. His medical knowledge gave him the authority to speak as a peace activist as well.
A highly recommended, highly moving book. It is short and easy to read and should be essential reading to all human beings about those horrible days in the history of the world.
Average customer rating:
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Namoluk Beyond The Reef (Westview Case Studies in Anthropology)
Mac Marshall
Manufacturer: Westview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Cultural
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ASIN: 0813341620 |
Book Description
This case study examines emigrants from Namoluk Atoll in the Eastern Caroline Islands of Micronesia, in the Western Pacific. Most members of the Namoluk community (chon Namoluk) do not currently live there - some 60% of them have moved to Chuuk, Guam, or the mainland US (such as Honolulu, Hawai'i or Eureka, California). The question is how (and why) those expatriates continue to think of themselves as chon Namoluk, and behave accordingly, despite being a far-flung network of people, with inevitable erosions of shared language and culture.
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