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"A spellbinding, richly descriptive, and deeply thought-provoking account of late 18th-century Tahitian life and cultural conflict." STARRED REVIEW--Library Journal "A gripping multidisciplinary history ... Salmond has mined an immense archive to create a brilliant picture of Tahiti, and also the Europe it fascinated."--Foreword "Anabsorbing history of the European engagement with Tahiti." --Scotsman
"There is awe to be had in reading this blockbuster of a book....It is a complex pleasure, too, with the recounting of a profound historical record enlivened by exotic tales of the Pacific and the postcolonial twist of hearing at least something of both sides, European and Tahitian. Although I use the word "blockbuster" to express the impressive extent of the research, there are no authorial garnishes and there is no cliched salaciousness, just assured guidance through diverse sources and a narrative that glides effortlessly through hundreds of pages." --Katrina Schlunke, Times Higher Education
"There is awe to be had in reading this blockbuster of a book....It is a complex pleasure, too, with the recounting of a profound historical record enlivened by exotic tales of the Pacific and the postcolonial twist of hearing at least something of both sides, European and Tahitian. Although I use the word "blockbuster" to express the impressive extent of the research, there are no authorial garnishes and there is no cliched salaciousness, just assured guidance through diverse sources and a narrative that glides effortlessly through hundreds of pages." --Katrina Schlunke, Times Higher Education
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"Aphrodite's Island" is a bold new account of the European discovery of Tahiti, the Pacific island of mythic status that has figured so powerfully in European imaginings about sexuality, the exotic, and the nobility or bestiality of 'savages.' In this groundbreaking book, Anne Salmond takes readers to the center of the shared history to furnish rich insights into Tahitian perceptions of the visitors while illuminating the full extent of European fascination with Tahiti. As she discerns the impact and meaning of the European effect on the islands, she demonstrates how, during the early contact period, the mythologies of Europe and Tahiti intersected and became entwined. Drawing on Tahitian oral histories, European manuscripts and artworks, collections of Tahitian artifacts, and illustrated with contemporary sketches, paintings, and engravings from the voyages, "Aphrodite's Island" provides a vivid account of the Europeans' Tahitian adventures. At the same time, the book's compelling insights into Tahitian life significantly change the way we view the history of this small island during a period when it became a crossroads for Europe.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Rich and fresh,
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This review is from: Aphrodite's Island: The European Discovery of Tahiti (Hardcover)
Another sun rises over the Pacific and out of the east come sailing Wallis, Bougainville, Cook and the rest to encounter the enchanted isles. Salmond takes us there, on board the smelly, oaken castles; there, at the first sight of land; there, as European and Polynesian negotiate their encounters; there, as the dream turns sour; and there, as the first Polynesian navigators and ambassadors to the West make their presence felt on the world stage. This extraordinary book is a synthesis of the latest anthropological research and speculations woven into a beautifully paced, sparkling narrative. You would swear, at times, that you were on the beach with them, watching the events unfold. The assurance of Salmond's prose and her judicious use of background information to buttress the day by day account of these explorations place her among the best contemporary writers on Pacific history. See her 'The Trial of the Cannibal Dog' for a wonderful scholarly account of James Cook's adventures. There is a great deal of anthropological detail in this account. It may seem too much for some readers, put off by unfamiliar names and ideas. But this should not deter; skim these passages if necessary. The sum of the remainder is just too good to miss.
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