Edited By: K R Howe, Robert Kiste & Brij Val

Published: 1994

Publisher: University Of Hawaii Press

Format: Paperback

Pages: 475

Suitable: Senior Secondary / Pacifica / Reference

In the twentieth century, the Pacific Islands found themselves crunched between centuries of ultra-localized traditions, and the sometimes amazingly sudden encroachment of a more technologically advanced world. The culture shock was immediate and hasn't ended yet.

This book bills itself as the first detailed history of this region in the twentieth century. It includes selections from about 20 different writers, all of them with academic credentials in the subject. The pictures are sparsely placed, and in black and white, and there are no charts or anything. I suppose that it's not meant to be forced down the throats of reluctant learners; rather, this is the only book of its kind and those who use it don't need to be coddled. The writing as a whole seems typically scholarly; in a world in which specialization is the word on everyone's lips, it's nice to see a logical grouping of such a vast region that hasn't yet gotten it's due. If you have an interest in this fascinating region, this is absolutely required reading.