Customer Reviews:
 Don't Let The Title Mislead You August 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is NOT a fluff book. This is not steamy women's romantic fiction. This book is a witty, hilarious travelogue and from the line "red-arsed Llamas" I found myself laughing aloud. From the author's various descriptions of the setting's waste management challenges to the constant agonizing playing of the song "Macarena," to a diet composed entirely of fish and expired canned goods from Australia, you'll appreciate all you have by the time you finish this entertaining read.
 Hilarious & Brilliant! July 31, 2008
J. Maarten Troost is the best author! I love his work. He writes how I think. Witty, intellectually sarcastic and insightful!
See Hilarious and Poignant... Scroll down... July 14, 2008
Fun read, a little repetitious but he made the point, unfortunately points out that tropical bliss has its significant drawbacks; love the writing style - tongue-in-cheek, irreverent.
Will definitely search out other books by this author.
Will add sunshine to your day...without all the heat May 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It's rare to find a book that is so amusing you're giggling every chapter or so. This is one of those books. The title is ridiculous, as the book has nothing at all to do with the sex lives of cannibals. This is the adventures of Troost and his girlfriend who go to live on the atoll Tarawa in the Pacific. He tells of his adventures--fishing for shark, boogie boarding on 25ft waves, trying to find fresh water to drink and preserving each drop, looking for something other than fish to eat. He tells of his thoughts--comparing this life (which is desolate to the nth degree) to that of Europe (his native land) and the U.S. Not only funny, but insightful. I hated for their journey--this book-- to end.
 alternate title: funny stories from life as an ex-pat on a tiny Pacific island May 13, 2008
Having finished graduate studies in International Relations, Troost (he's Dutch) finds himself unclear on the next career step, so he accompanies his girlfriend who takes a job as an aid worker in Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas), where he tries to write a novel and has funny experiences.
Troost is funny, sarcastic, and self-deprecating. I enjoyed much of the book. If I were reading the stories periodically (e.g., on a blog or in an occasional email), I would have found it even more funny, but in rapid sequence the style got tiresome (especially in the middle of the book). At times the humor felt unpleasantly smug (although I give him credit for being as deprecating to himself as to others).
He also sheds some light on a part of the world that I know very little about: life on a tiny atoll in the middle of the Pacific? It's a whole different world, one very different from other poor countries. When he includes history, he succeeds in making it entertaining. Ultimately, though, most of the book felt like a trifle: I enjoyed it on net but considered stopping halfway and am not rushing out to read his two more recent books (about life in Vanuatu and travels in China). Sort of like he says himself: "I like my entertainment not too serious, not too stupid, sort of like this book" (p84).
I listened to the unabridged audiobook narrated by Simon Vance (British accent) and published by Blackstone Audio (7 CDs). The narration was good.
[Note on content: This book is not about anyone's sex life, has very little sexual content, very little violence, but a significant amount of strong language.]
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