The Sex Lives of Cannibals
Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific
by J. Maarten Troost
Overview
From the Book Jacket
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 was restless and lacked direction, and the idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the Earth was irresistibly romantic. 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. Falling into one amusing misadventure after another, Troost struggles through relentless, stifling heat, a variety of deadly bacteria, polluted seas, toxic fish, and worst of all, no television or coffee. 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. He contends with a cast of bizarre 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), and eventually settles into the ebb and flow of island life, just before his return to the culture shock of civilization.
My thoughts
BUY IT!!!
I don't need to say anything else, do I? This book is hilarious! It's informative, it's delightful, it's addictive, and you'll laugh till you cry! I absolutely love it!
I bought this audiobook because I got a new iPod iTouch for Christmas and it has enough memory for some audiobooks. I wanted an audio book (1) because I like books, and (2) because I can! Does one need better reasons?! I just wanted a book on the thing so that when I show off my new iPod, I can say, "And look! It's got an audiobook right here!" OK, my reasons for buying the book may not have been noble, but the fact of the matter is it's one of the best books I've ever read! (It is good to note that I have reviewed 191 books since I started this site so I've got a bit of experience under my belt.)
I downloaded the book, spent a few minutes trying to figure out where the book went when I synched my iPod, and then headed to the kitchen to start dinner with the iPod attached to my jeans and the ear buds firmly in place. I intended to listen for about 15 minutes. I got dinner in the oven and wasn't ready to quit listening, so I started putting away Christmas decorations. Got that done and still wasn't ready to quit listening, so I sat down to play Bejeweled on the computer while I listened. I stopped briefly for dinner and started back up with Bejeweled and the audiobook. I was laughing out loud and having a very good time. The next thing I knew, it was 1am. I don't know HOW that happened, but it was with much disappointment that I decided to turn it off and go to bed. I had to ban the book from my morning routine because I knew once I got started, I'd never stop! Yes. The book is that good! And the reader is simply fantastic.
I thought this was my first audiobook but then I remembered that I listened to one a couple of years ago when I was doing some wallpapering and painting in a house that was going to be for sale soon. Although that book was good, it didn't spur me to purchase more audiobooks. With the advent of the iTouch and the ease of downloading, I will most definitely be getting more audiobooks in the future. And if I ever get bored, I can listen to this one again because it's truly delightful!
Favorite Passage
Since it's an audiobook and I don't have the transcript, I don't have a passage to share with you. However one of the funniest stories in the book is about diapers and burning baby bums. If that doesn't entice you to pick up the book, pick it up anyway! You won't be disappointed!
