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 think it is important to separate the subject matter of a book from the book itself. Fascinating. The part of me that loves Kiribati and the people there as a second home and family were a little bit embarrassed, in the "I can make fun of my family, but no one else better" kind of way, but overall I think the author (whom I think I met one time at dinner at the Otintai Hotel one night) showed appropriate respect. Non-fiction/Man moves to a remote island/Pacific ocean. Refresh and try again. The author of this book was kind of a douche. This book is like a sandwich. I believe this book would be a perfect summer read, but only for those who enjoy a little more substance than really light summer reads about fashion or romance. This is a hard book to rate. J. Maarten Troost has already turned into one of my favorite authors although this is the first I've read of his work. Maarten Troost's Favorite Books About Treasure Hunting. Wait, that's nuts, Hawaii is better than Tarawa. 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. That right there my friends is a dangerous title. 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. 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 tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. This is funny but also a book that looks at life on an atoll, this is not paradise. Memoir-couple moves to tropical island atoll. Jun 08, 2004 In the 1930s a young Thor Heyerdhal spent one year and a half in the Marquesas, as part of a project of what we could call today experimental archaeology. In the end though, before leaving the island, I feel Iike he gained a respect and love for the island and the people. Buy The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J Maarten Troost online at Alibris. Buy. What I particularly liked was that my feelings about the place changed with those of the author: at first it seemed like a hellish place, but in the end I found I really cared for the island and its people, and would have loved to read some more. Critics' Opinion: Readers' Opinion: Paperback: Jun 2004, 288 pages. There were no sexytimes or people eating. Write a Review. He has dreams of what it will be like and it so doesn't live up to them. 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. His Favorite Books About Treasure Hunting: Set sail for the South Seas in this Robert Louis Stevenson-inspired list from the travel writer of... 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. More By and About This Author. The book Sex Lives of Cannibals captures the story of M. Maarten Troost and his partner as they live amongst and experience the lives of the people on the Tarawa atoll in the Pacific island of Kiribati. READ REVIEW. He has dreams of what it will be like and it so doesn't live up to them. The Sex Lives of Cannibals. Mostly I cracked up laughing the whole time, as if it was a book of inside jokes between the author and me, as he described the exact things that I experienced there: everything from the toilet with a unique ocean view on the Martha to Kiribati bureacracy. Earn Points, Discover Recommendations, Receive a Birthday Gift, and More! NOT! Pick up more of his stuff! This is a hard book to rate. It's about a couple, independent in their ideals and beliefs, who move to Kiribati in the Pacific for a 2 year stint for international development efforts. Also, the book's goodreads' synopsis is somewhat misleading; the book's author struggles without the niceties of western civilization, but he also comes to appreciate both the culture of the island and the double-edged sword of industrial society. First of all, this is a very misleading title. 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. His essays have appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post, and the Prague Post. I read this because my friends back in PA decided they wanted to give a book club a shot and I knew I'd be visiting the weekend that they wanted to hold their discussion. There were many times while reading this book that I laughed out loud and thought the author a very funny guy with a very funny sense of humor. I began reading this book around the same time I moved to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, and the hilarious pickles in which the author manages to tangle himself made my transition to island life seem like a breeze. But common - you can't name your book The Sex Lives of Cannibals and have it be this dry and plodding. 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 part of me that loves Kiribati. His writing is intelligently witty, dry, and sarcastic. Ok, maybe not love, but a kinder feeling and respect towards them. 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 author of this book was kind of a douche. He only wrote a few details about Sylvia's work but it sounded really interesting and I wish I knew more. 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. He was restless and lacked direction, and the idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the Earth was irresistibly romantic. “Like many air travelers, I am aware that airplanes fly aided by capricious fairies and invisible strings.”, “Personally I regard idling as a virtue, but civilized society holds otherwise.”, Petra-X has no life so is reading a book a day, Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu, none of whom have ever produced a novel, memoir, or short story collection, SOLVED. There were other times that I felt uncomfortable reading his descriptions of the islands and their people. 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 enjoyed reading about the author's 2 years on Tarawa, one of the Kiribati islands. The Sex Lives of Cannibals is a memoir/travelogue by J. Maarten Troost. Guy and his gal are recent college grads and guy has no idea what to do, so he follows his gal to the end of the world where she gets a job for a year or two on an atoll in the Pacific. His adventures on the South Pacific islands of Kiribati are entertaining. We’d love your help. The first piece of dry bread is Troost smirkingly telling us that he is just too good, clever and unique to have to actually work and pay bills, like the rest of us. He was restless and lacked direction, and the idea of dropping everything. In the final, dry chapter he tells us just how superior he feels to the idiots who over-pay and over-respect him for his newly acquired job that he knows nothing at all about. Despite the title, the book is not a sociological study, but a piece of (often comic) travel writing. Jan Maarten Troost (known professionally as J. Maarten Troost) (born 1969 in The Netherlands) is a Dutch-American travel writer and essayist. I truly wish I had been in a tropical environment while reading this, as it would have made it that much more enjoyable, but alas, I am stuck with cold and foggy San Francisco. It's an entertaining & thoughtful look at the life of an American on the Pacific island of Kiribati. Right? I get a kick out of this guy. Kiribati? I loved it and was a little bit bothered by it at the same time. Be the first to ask a question about The Sex Lives of Cannibals. Troost himself wasn't working, just trying to write a novel and generally idling. 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. So what do I do? Guess I'll have to grab my swimsuit and find out. Looking forward to it (sort of). Buy, Jun 08, 2004 It was a fast and funny read, which mixed the author's experiences with some history about the islands. THE SEX LIVES OF CANNIBALS: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific J. Maarten Troost, Author. 'The Sex Lives of Cannibals' (2004) by J. Maarten Troost is a fun travelogue, well-written too. In the end though, before leaving the island, I feel Iike he gained a respect and love for the island and the people. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published The other books are Getting Stones With Savages and Headhunters on My Doorstep. Ok, maybe not love, but a kinder feeling and res. Why? False Advertisement. I truly wish I had been in a tropical environment while reading this, as it would have made it that much more enjoyable, but alas, I am stuck with cold and foggy San Francisco. I loved it and was a little bit bothered by it at the same time. I'm glad he wrote it, because I don't know that I could have. 'The Sex Lives of Cannibals' (2004) by J. Maarten Troost is a fun travelogue, well-written too. Having lived there longer and being more fluent in the language than the author, I also was in a position to notice a few errors and a few places where I think he doesn't realize that he was treated a certain way because of the culture. Burdened with student loans and crushing credit card debt, the author decides to. Because it's misleading. We are experiencing technical difficulties. I can't remember which one I liked better, this one or. Otherwise, forget it. The guy (author) goes through wonderful details of the people, the climate, culture, and societal oddities, and oooooooohhhhh so much more. Debut Author. Those few things aside, I loved 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. If I could give this book another half star, I would. His adventures on the South Pacific islands of Kiribati are entertaining. The Sex Lives of Cannibals. 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. Perhaps I'll rewrite this review, but for now,... this book is an easy read. Troost himself wasn't working, just trying to write a novel and generally idling. J. Maarten Troost is the author of Getting Stoned with Savages and The Sex Lives of Cannibals. 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. There were many times while reading this book that I laughed out loud and thought the author a very funny guy with a very funny sense of humor. I'm not sure whether he was trying to be sarcastic or ironic or both, but a great bit of this book stopped short of either and just came across as bitchy. We have new and used copies available, in 6 editions - starting at $0.99. 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. Here's how Troost saved me: A very amusing literary journey to the island nation of Kiribati (pronounced "Kee-i-bash"), which most people have never heard of, which isn't even a member of the UN. email; X. To see what your friends thought of this book, This book is like a sandwich. 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 EQUATORIAL PACIFIC. 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