There was a problem loading your book clubs. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Life on a remote tropical island is not always quite as romantic as you might imagine.... Not even close. I honestly can say I enjoyed the book - and yes, (although incredibly rare for the dust jacket reviews to be accurate) I found this book to actually be funny! Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip. Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2016. Rate this book. Etc. This is his first book and I think he did a great job with it. Troost is a sharp, funny writer, richly evoking the strange, day-by-day wonder that became his life in the islands. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. I spent 3 years on the island of Kiritimati, which is part of the Republic of Kiribati. But it is a charming account of remote island life - realistic, quirky, disease-ridden, lively. At the age of twenty-six, Maarten Troost—who had been pushing the snooze button on the alarm clock of life by racking up useless graduate degrees and muddling through a series of temp jobs—decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to Tarawa, a remote South Pacific island in the Republic of Kiribati. He spent two years in Kiribati in the… More about J. Maarten Troost, Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from Penguin Random House, Visit other sites in the Penguin Random House Network. And that?s just the first day.Sunburned, emaciated, and stinging with sea lice, Troost spends the next two years battling incompetent government officials, alarmingly large critters, erratic electricity, and a paucity of food options. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. This book is notorious in the Equatorial Pacific. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. They are a window into a culture not many people are familiar with. Genres. He was restless and lacked direction, and the idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the earth was irresistibly romantic. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. About this Book. All Cannibals - No Sex The Title of this book was obviously selected by the publisher to generate more interest, but nonetheless it doesn't diminish the fact that it's terribly entertaining and funny. Debut Author. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. I also found his way of talking kind of condescending. By clicking SIGN UP, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House’s, Editor's Picks: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Discover Book Picks from the CEO of Penguin Random House US. Tarawa is the capital of Kiribati--a republic of tiny atolls located just above the equator--and the place where Troost's dreams of paradise were shattered. I unfortunately didn't read the books in the order they had been written, I actually started with Getting Stoned With Savages, followed with Headhunters On My Doorstep and only after The Sex Lives Of Cannibals. This item cannot be shipped to your selected delivery location. Please try your request again later. You get the idea. And the Kiribati people seemed excessively hedonistic. - from an outsider's point of view. The Sex Lives of Cannibals is the first in a hilarious trilogy of books about J. Maarten Troost’s life after quitting his corporate job to live in the South Pacific for his wife’s work. But having experienced much of what he writes about, it is all true and then some. The Sex Lives of Cannibals is a memoir/travelogue by J. Maarten Troost. It also has some interesting history about the area that will make you shake your head in shame over the way we treat this planet. The laugh-out-loud true story of a harrowing and hilarious two-year odyssey in the distant South Pacific island nation of Kiribati—possibly The Worst Place on Earth.At the age of twenty-six, Maarten Troost—who had been pushing the snooze button on the alarm clock of life by racking up useless graduate degrees and muddling through a series of temp jobs—decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to Tarawa, a remote South Pacific island in the Republic of Kiribati. 26 October 2018 by Davide Mana Leave a comment. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Crown; Later Printing edition (June 8, 2004). I love this author, I think all his books are amazing. A bit like reading travel lit (if that is your thing), the book is both memoir of the author's time in the Pacific islands, and also Encyclopedia Britannica excerpt that will inform you of the area's brief history, primary exports (none) and imports (everything, but especially beer!). Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu, Headhunters on My Doorstep: A True Treasure Island Ghost Story, Lost on Planet China: One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation, The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World, Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach, King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa, I Am Evelyn Amony: Reclaiming My Life from the Lord's Resistance Army (Women in Africa and the Diaspora). Please try again. All in all, it's a detailed play by play of living on a remote island and all the hardship that entails. Write a Review. | ISBN 9780767915304 Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2019. With "The Sex Lives of Cannibals," Maarten Troost has delivered one of the most original, rip-roaringly funny travelogues in years--one that will leave you thankful for staples of American civilization such as coffee, regular showers, and tabloid news, and that will provide the ultimate vicarious adventure. There's no real plot here, no through line that makes you curious what will happen next. We are experiencing technical difficulties. Summary; Excerpt; Chapter 1. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. I'm thrilled this guy wrote his novel and shared it with the world - but I'd skip this and read something by Barbara Kingsolver instead like The Poisonwood Bible if you're after adventure and a book you can't put down. If someone had told me that even half of it was true I would have said BS. His essays have appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post, and the Prague Post. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. Earn Points, Discover Recommendations, Receive a Birthday Gift, and More! I'm on page 100 - that's right I'm reviewing without finishing it - and will say I've laughed out loud twice so that's something. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2015. Yet after two years, Troost and his wife felt so comfortable, they were reluctant to return home. I will add that for some reason I received a copy with a misprinted cover. J. MAARTEN TROOST’s essays have appeared in the. The topic of finding yourself on a very remote and largely-forgotten island in the Pacific is interesting by itself but the author's sense of humor and tolerant perspective make it informative and fun. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. By clicking Sign Up, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. At the age of twenty-six, Maarten Troost—who had been pushing the snooze button on the alarm clock of life by racking up useless graduate degrees and muddling through a series of temp jobs—decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to Tarawa, a remote South Pacific island in the Republic of Kiribati. Some of the chapters are really awful -- you learn way too much about things you hope are not true. Readers may never long to set foot on Tarawa, but they?ll want to travel with Troost time and time again. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific. But Kiribati wasn't quite paradise. All in all, it's a detailed play by play of living … The subtitle read, "Adrift in the Equatorial" and "Pacific" was not printed. He acts like he made this huge sacrifice while he grabbed onto his girlfriend's apron strings and milked her job to have his own adventure. Some are so funny you laugh out loud. You can knock it out in a weekend. I haven't written a book, so I get it. "The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. Very, very funny and yet kinda scary... Like the way foreign aid DOESN'T work... Everyone should know this stuff. I wanted to like this book so much but only made it halfway through. Buy. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. bookshelf 0; THE SEX LIVES OF CANNIBALS ADRIFT IN THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC. At the age of twenty-six, Maarten Troost—who had been pushing the snooze button on the alarm clock of life by racking up useless graduate degrees and muddling through a series of temp jobs—decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to Tarawa, a remote South Pacific island in the Republic of Kiribati. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2020. All three books are amazing, I love everything about them, they are so funny I found myself laughing out loud many times. and the self-proclaimed Poet Laureate of Tarawa (a British drunkard who?s never written a poem in his life), and eventually settles into the ebb and flow of island life, just before his return to the culture shock of civilization. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific is a 2004 travelogue by author J. Maarten Troost describing the two years he and his girlfriend spent living on the Tarawa atoll in the Pacific island … Broadway $12.95 (288p) ISBN 978-0-7679-1530-4. I bought this book with my own money on a whim. The Sex Lives of Cannibals Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (Book) : Troost, J. Maarten : At the age of twenty-six, Maarten Troost--who had been pushing the snooze button on the alarm clock of life by racking up useless graduate degrees and muddling through a series of temp jobs--decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to Tarawa, a remote South Pacific island in the Republic of Kiribati. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Please try again later. The laugh-out-loud true story of a harrowing and hilarious two-year odyssey in the distant South Pacific island nation of Kiribati--possibly The Worst Place on Earth. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. I won't say I disliked this book because I truly did enjoy the author's writing style. Really interesting. Virtually ignored by the rest of humanity (its erstwhile colonial owners, the Brits, left in 1979), Kiribati is the kind of place where dolphins frolic in lagoons, days end with glorious sunsets and airplanes might have to circle overhead because pigs occupy the island's sole runway. READ REVIEW. He should have known better.The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. The Sex Lives of Cannibals. He contends with a cast of bizarre local characters, including ?Half-Dead Fred? Gross habits of the locals. There were one or two vague references to cannibals and maybe sex (I struggle to recall any though) and the "adventures' promised in the summary usually involved whatever happens on the couple of miles comprising their hellish, remote atoll where nothing happened and little changed. I downloaded a sample and it was funny and interesting, so I figure, what the heck. A fascinating book, often hilariously funny, sometimes disgusting and totally gross. Lives up to the billing as “a travel, adventure, humor, memoir kind of book”—and a really good one, at that. But common - you can't name your book The Sex Lives of Cannibals and have it be this dry and plodding. Falling into one amusing misadventure after another, Troost struggles through relentless, stifling heat, a variety of deadly bacteria, polluted seas, toxic fish—all in a country where the only music to be heard for miles around is “La Macarena.” He and his stalwart girlfriend Sylvia spend the next two years battling incompetent government officials, alarmingly large critters, erratic electricity, and a paucity of food options (including the Great Beer Crisis); and contending with a bizarre cast of local characters, including “Half-Dead Fred” and the self-proclaimed Poet Laureate of Tarawa (a British drunkard who’s never written a poem in his life).With The Sex Lives of Cannibals, Maarten Troost has delivered one of the most original, rip-roaringly funny travelogues in years—one that will leave you thankful for staples of American civilization such as coffee, regular showers, and tabloid news, and that will provide the ultimate vicarious adventure. Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2017. Firstly, I want to say that unlike like so many other reviews, I was not paid to write a review, nor did I receive a free copy of the book to write a review. At 26, Troost followed his wife to Kiribati, a tiny island nation in the South Pacific. Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2017. Although accustomed to globe trotting, Troost and his wife, Sylvia, were truly innocents abroad when they moved to the island of Tarawa in the South Pacific, where Sylvia had accepted a government position. Buy This Book. Jun 08, 2004 Fun, interesting and easy read and also informative. But because it is a true account, I find myself citing the book often. The villages overflowed with scavengers and recently introduced, nonbiodegradable trash. The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. The Sex Lives of Cannibals Quotes Showing 1-20 of 20 “Like many air travelers, I am aware that airplanes fly aided by capricious fairies and invisible strings.” ― J. Maarten Troost, The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific 31 likes Synopsis: A lighthearted tale of extreme wanderlust, The Sex Lives of Cannibals chronicles the adventures of Maarten Troost and his fiancé as they abandon their cushy lives in DC for the remote atoll of Tarawa in the equatorial pacific. One night, he's doing his best funky chicken with dancing Kiribati; the next morning, he's on the high seas contemplating a toilet extending off the boat's stern (when the ocean was rough, he learns, it was like using a bidet). Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2016. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific is J. Maarten Troost’s account of his two years spent on the atoll of Tarawa in the Republic of Kiribati, a remote island nation located in the South Pacific.Despite the title, the book is not a sociological study, but a piece of (often comic) travel writing. He started to go into a long history of the people and the island and while I get it, I bought the book to read about his adventures. .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look. Although Tarawa has much to offer, such as stultifying heat, dogged bureaucracy, toxic water. .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}Enjoy features only possible in digital – start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more. He should have known better.The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. However, both the title and summary of the book are wildly misleading. .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration. Something went wrong. The rest of the book's printing was fine and this didn't impact my enjoyment. Listen to a sample Listen to a sample Description; Creators; Details; Reviews; At age twenty-six, Maarten Troost decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to a remote South Pacific island. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Took it for a beach holiday and finished it in 1.5 days. He was restless and lacked direction, and the idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the earth was irresistibly romantic. Bookshelf 0 ; the Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the ''... To Penguin Random House 's Privacy Policy and Terms of use of Kiritimati, which part. Jun 2004, 288 pages November 11, 2017 email address below and 'll! 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