I, of course, did nothing to dissuade them.
As an added bonus, the lurid title of the book seems to excite some interest, particularly when reading it on crowded subway trains... again, 'nuff said. All in all a throughly enjoyable, highly funny read.
For more on Tarawa and Kiribati, visit Lonely Planet. Also recommended is Jane's Kiribati page and this Kiribati site.
Tarawa was the site of a particular nasty battle in World War II. Find out more at Eyewitness to History and Tarawa on the Web. Visit Tarawa's namesake here.
Want a look at the Republic of Kiribati ? Here is Kiribati and Christmas Island from space....
As always, tell your friends about BookLinker, and drop by for more reviews! Comments are alwys welcome. Thanks for reading.
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Article comments
1 - DrPat
I remember the shocked discovery of two couples, friends of ours, who took a week-long vacation on a legendary South Sea island (which shall remain nameless) - for the next three months, every time we met any of the four, we heard again about the strange sexual practices of the natives.
Specifically, the gender of children had nothing to do with their innate sex, but was instead assigned by a combination of birth order and chiromancy. One of the husbands was especially shocked by this; I suspect he "chatted up" a lovely young thing who turned out to have male sex organs...
2 - Pat Cummings
This book review has been selected for Advance.net. You’ll be able to find this and other Blog Critics reviews at such places as Cleveland.com’s Book Reviews column.
3 - heather
Loved this book, esp. because my sister has been in Kiribati (N. Tarawa first, then South) for the past 3 years as a PCV. I'm dying to get in touch with J. Maarten Troost just to tell him how much I appreciated being a little closer to understanding where my sis is living- and, as a fellow divergent and procrastinating writer, how much i love his style! any ideas how to get in touch?
4 - Kelly
Hello. Having found Troost's first book I am a huge fan. I absolutely loved the book and am anxiously awaiting the inevitable bellyaches I will suffer as a result of laughing to hard as I read "Getting Stoned with Savages."
Anyone interested in promoting this fantastic author come join our myspace group called "J Maarten Troost." You can find it at
Cheers!
5 - Taoati Tooki
I was born in Kiribati and lived there for many years. I now live in Australia at Tennant Creek where I teach high school. I read Maarten's book and enjoyed it but it made me a little sad to think how Tarawa has deteriorated. It once was a clean and very pleasant place to be. But unfortunately what Maarten wrote in his book, sad to say, is an accurate picture. It seemed that the two years he spent in Kiribati touched his heart a little and I hope he still remembers my island with fondness.
6 - Etan
Hi my name is Etan, just heard about the Maarteen Troost "sex live of cannibals" and its sad to read about a place you love so dearly being told in such a way....Troost to my opinion is one of the many typical westerners to visit our islands and one who has no appreciation and respect for cultures such as ours. To even talk about corrupt bureaucrats...is sad because, you need to fully understand the culture and the way of doing things in such small communities...I hope this country would never ever receive the likes of Troost...unless they are here to do something constructive to improve the lifes of locals...ps..I wouldn't mind a book written by a peace corp volunteer as it will paint a more accurate picture of my Island than some flashy husband of a cosultant.
7 - Teaiaki
I have not read this book but from the reviews, I am really saddened by the way Kiribati is being portrayed. If Maarteen is really concerned, genuine and truthful about the state of affairs on Tarawa, he should consider donating the proceeds from the sale of his book to address the problems that he has highlighted. Making money out of the misery of poor people is just not moral!
8 - Dick Smith
I loved the book and would love to contact the author.(Does anyone know how) Nearly fifty years ago I lived for a year and a half on Manihiki, an atoll in the Cook Islands and many of the things the author wrote about brought back memories of atoll life. Manihiki,of course was very unpolluted and the overall governance of the island and indeed of all the Cooks at the time was not corrupt in any way. It was also very very remote having no airstrip at all and in fact being host to the first flying boat during the time I lived there. However the problems with food were the same and the beer did run out from time to time.
Troost's book was written with a fine sense of humour and at times that approach tends to please readers rather than a more strict attention to chronological fact. This is probably why a couple of the above comments are a bit negative.
Possibly the name of the book is a little too non descriptive of the content and it certainly drew a strong note of disapproval from "she who must always be listened to"
In summary I loved it and will look for his other books in the library.
9 - PCV Mom
I visited my dtr for 2 weeks - 1 on Tarawa and 1 on an outer island. While there, I told my dtr's host father my dad's WWII coconut story. It was a story my family considered hilarious. It involves Dad getting bonked on the head by a coconut. The humor didn't translate. It was pointed out that getting hit on the head with a coconut hurts. True. I think it's a case of cultural views of humor. I'm so sorry the I Kiribati were in any way offended by the book. I suspect that part of offense is due to a different approach to humor in the West - the Dilbert cartoons are another case in point, they show the idiocy of corporate and office behavior in a manner we interpret as amusing, but which could be taken otherwise. Please, let me for one assure the I Kiribati, that although the author's tone is irreverent, and his topics sometimes describe less than the best the islands offer, in total, it does not at all lessen Westerners general wonderful overall affection for the islands and the people.
10 - Rosa Muller Norman
I am an I-Kiribati girl living now in Australia. I have been given the book as presents TWICE but as I told my friends (Imatangs - expats) I have not read the book because I cannot get past the title as it is an outrageous, attention-grabbing, greedy way to make a quick buck. These imatangs have no consideration of the feelins of the locals. When I do get around to reading it I shall make more informed comments!
11 - May Muller Lai
I absolutely love the book. I have read it several times. I am from Kiribati but has lived in Sydney, Australia for more than 20 years. It is an accurate account and it is nice that it is written with great sense of humour and that is what I like about it.
12 - Tongareiti
May Mullar Lai, you are bad for saying you from kiribati and liking the book. Sadly this book is over-exaggerated and an irrelevant source since its not totally true of kirbati, now this author could make money out of this rubbish of a book and does he need to over-exaggerate it? so that the Kiribati people look stupid and extremely uncivilized? bad book!!!
13 - Color
Every review I've read of this one loved it, but I didn't. I read it prior to blogging so there is no review. His "voice" annoyed me and I couldn't enjoy it. The one part that sticks out in my mind though is his swim in the bay.
14 - Morten
I hate this book, I have been to Kiribati and I know the author is bullshitting, nothing but lies, sadly he's making money out of it