The White Island (Paperback)

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Product Description
Received wisdom has it that Ibiza is an island of Union Jack-shorted beerboys singing 'Here we go, here we go, here we go' on their way to a 24-hour rave. But the reality of the island today is very different. It is, and always has been, a magnet for hedonists, but la Isla Blanca is actually a sophisticated, cosmopolitan island of enormous natural beauty - far more Jade Jagger than Jordan. The island's history reads like a history of pleasure itself. The Carthaginians established a cult there to Tanit, their goddess of sex, around 650 BC and named the island after Bez, their god of dance. Roman centurions in need of a bit of down time between campaigns would go to Ibiza to get their kicks. And over the centuries virtually every culture around the Mediterranean has used the island either as a playground or as a dump for the kind of people who didn't quite fit in back home, but who you'd probably quite like to meet at a party. Stephen Armstrong tells for the first time the fascinating history of this fantasy island. It is a story of invasions and migrations, of artists and conmen, of drop outs and love-ins. This narrative is framed by Stephen's highly entertaining experiences during one long, golden summer on Ibiza, an island where anything can happen - and it usually does.

From the Back Cover
Received wisdom has it that Ibiza is an island of Union Jack-shorted beerboys singing 'Here we go, here we go, here we go' on their way to a 24-hour rave. But the reality of the island today is very different. It is, and always has been, a magnet for hedonists, but la Isla Blanca is actually a sophisticated, cosmopolitan island of enormous natural beauty - far more Jade Jagger than Jordan.
The island's history reads like a history of pleasure itself. The Carthaginians established a cult there to Tanit, their goddess of sex, around 650 BC and named the island after Bez, their god of dance. Roman centurions in need of a bit of down time between campaigns would go to Ibiza to get their kicks. And over the centuries virtually every culture around the Mediterranean has used the island either as a playground or as a dump for the kind of people who didn't quite fit in back home, but who you'd probably quite like to meet at a party.
Stephen Armstrong tells for the first time the fascinating history of this fantasy island. It is a story of invasions and migrations, of artists and conmen, of drop outs and love-ins. This narrative is framed by Stephen's highly entertaining experiences during one long, golden summer on Ibiza, an island where anything can happen - and it usually does.

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5 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.8 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   6 of 6 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Rave On, 8 Jun 2004 By A Customer I've always enjoyed Stephen Armstrong's lively features in The Sunday Times and Wallpaper, so I was pleased to see that he had got round to writing an entire book - and more importantly, that it's great. The White Island is a personal history of Ibiza, taking the view that it has been a centre of hedonism from the Roman times to acid house. Armstrong intersperses the history with personal anecdotes about his own occasional hedonistic moments. A great travel book. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent perspective, 4 Jul 2004 By A Customer This is a "must" for any first-time or returning visitor to Iiza. Funny, interesting and a dizzy mixture of history, social perspective and personal memories. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5.0 out of 5 stars Great read. Explores the reasons why there is no place quite like Ibiza, 5 April 2008 By  Mr. R. J. Overington "Rick" (Essex , UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: The White Island: the Extraordinary History of the Mediterranean's Capital of Hedonism (Paperback) Stephen's book delves deep into the historical reasons behind why there is no place like Ibiza. Having been there myself, I felt like this was a place far different from any other clubbing holiday destination. There is an underlying feeling of mystery and freedom on the island where, as is noted you can find a millionaire standing on a dancefloor next to a guy who barely scrapes a living. It's a sad fact that many people see Ibiza as a Brits abroad binge drinking destination. This is largely attributable to documentaries like Ibiza uncovered which focused on the West End of San Antonio and its drink till you drop type culture. However there is far more to the island than that small area and this book encompasses that sentiment exactly. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 5 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Great This is a great book for those who know and love Ibiza or those who have not been lucky enough to visit the island. Published on 2 Aug 2006 by Mr. M. R. Wilkinson 5.0 out of 5 stars The White Island - Wish I Was There Despite being an Ibiza veteran I really knew very little about the history of the island. I took this book to read whilst there last year and it inspired me to hire a car, get out... Read more Published on 5 Aug 2005 by Chris Kirby Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 5 customer reviews...

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