CASTAWAY

Rating:
Summary: The Story of the original "Survivors"
Review: "Castaway" captivated my imagination from the very first page. The story of the constantly evolving relationship between the author Lucy Irvine and Gerald Kingsland touched my heart and soul. Starting in mid 1981 these two people, who met through a personals ad in a newspaper, take on the challenge of recreating a Robinson Crusoe experience on a deserted island. Can modern man/woman survive? Lucy Irvine excellently tracks two symultaneous stories throughout the book - what their day-to-day quest was like and the interpersonal relationship between Lucy and G. The emotions that leap off the pages through Lucy's unique statement and explanation writing style will make you feel like you are in her skin as she runs the gamut of the highs and lows in their adventure. Be sure to obtain a copy of the book that includes the maps AND pictures as they will help clarify statements in the text. I'm surprised this isn't required reading on every college campus as "Castaway" could be the handbook for today's women of great strength, independence and determination. A decade before the "age of women" Lucy Irvine demonstrates how an intelligent, strong and determined woman uses the power of her mind and body to not only keep herself alive but her man as well. She is the ultimate wind beneath his wings. Gerald Kingsland was convinced that a man and woman could find nirvana if they were left alone on a deserted island for at least a year to develop their relationship no matter how different they were to begin with. In 1996 in a newspaper interview while he was in London looking for a partner to accompany him on his 8th or 9th attempt to prove his theory Gerald called himself the "sex pest of the South Seas". Lucy Irvine was the only partner that ever survived an entire year with him. Castaway is the incredible story of how she did it. The only unfortunate thing is that "Castaway" feels like the second book in a trilogy with Lucy's "Runaway" being the first. Sure would like to see the remainder of her life story with a third book focused especially on her transition back to civilization after Tuin and what long-term effect her relationship with Gerald had on her future relationships. Was this the book that inspired "Castaway" on the BBC and "Survivor" on CBS? See what you think. The book is unfortunately out-of-print but more than worth the hassle of finding it wherever you can.

Rating:
Summary: This book is well worth the search
Review: "Castaway" presents itself as a true story, and I suppose it is, whether it actually happened or not, because it is an allegory for the cultural conflicts involved in development. Lucy and G quickly settle into a survival mode on their island. They live quite primitively, making do with the small amount of provision they brought along. They live in a small tent without worries about material things. They eat naturally, wear no clothing, and live each day with the sun being their only clock. But, it was supposed to rain, and it didn't. Rain would have replenished their water supplies and nourished their garden. But it was an unexpectedly dry year. Their water dried up and their garden failed. They lost weight until they were little more than skeletons, lacking the strength to carry out more than the most basic functions of life. They would have doubtless died, except they were discovered by people living on another island a short boat ride away. These saviours brought them food and water. They also brought a couple missionary nurses who provided bandages and medicines.

Their lives were saved, but their lives were also irrevocably changed. The islanders came back, bringing more supplies. The discovered that G knew how to fix things and they began bringing all their broken motors for his repair. Lucy and G were no longer independent on their little island, but became dependent upon the outsiders. They felt obligated to wear clothing when the others were around, and the islanders even built them a shelter to protect them from the expected monsoons. Lucy Irvine successfully crafts a story which demonstrates how hard it is to live in isolation, whether a couple on an island or a tribe previously untouched by civilization. And while the world outside can indeed provide a lifeline, it can also strangle the heart of the culture. Although this book is out of print, it is well worth the searh to find it.

Rating:
Summary: "Real" Survivor
Review: A fastinating book on trying to be a modern Robinson Carusoe, or TV Survivor. Since this is Lucy's book, Robert comes off looking like a total jerk. So its amazing she didn't kill him early on. Also it was Robert's idea, do the island, get the girl and write the book. From reading the book, it's Lucy who plants the garden, learns to fish, talks to the natives, and keeps Robert alive so with Lucy actually writing the book I hope she made a fortune.

The other cool thing was how hard it was to find an unoccupied island to do the test on that you could also survive on. Turns out if you have water and decent soil, people already live there! This shouldn't have been a surprise, but it was to me. I should have figured that in the last 1000 years people of the South Pacific would have looked at all the islands, and stayed on the ones that supported life. So much for the Swiss Family Robinson dream life. It's actually much closer to the Tom Hanks Movie "Castaway" life.

Anyway its a good arm chair adventure read.

Rating:
Summary: Gumption to spare!
Review: Interesting,educational a great read, with insites on survival of the fittest and survival of relationships. Lucy relates her true feelings of an Island that she loves and a husband (of convenience) whom she grows to love. With no rainfall or arrival of a wet season their mere rations soon come to and end . Lucy relates her story of willpower and determination for her and G to now survive. In her search for survival she learns hunting methods by the Thursday Islanders and in turn gives the Islanders a trading system. A true,no frills warts and all account of a tale of two people in their fight for survival of not only themselves but their beloved island in the tropics.

Rating:
Summary: Gumption to spare!
Review: Lucy Irvine is a survivor in the real sense of the word. She survived a year on a tropic island in a "marriage" from a personals ad for a "wife" by a writer who wanted to write a book about the experience. Lucy falls in love with the island. This is a wonderful story of their trials and triumphs. I read it years ago and it still stands in my mind as a great read.

Rating:
Summary: One of my All Time Faves!
Review: Wow...this book is just engrossing from the get-go. I've read it about four times and I still want to read it again. Lucy answered an ad for a "wife" and spent a year on a tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Her story reads like the "Survivor" series should have. It's not only her daily accounts of life and surviving, it's a facinating look at relationships and human nature. You'll root for her long after the book is done!

Rating:
Summary: One of my All Time Faves!
Review: Wow...this book is just engrossing from the get-go. I've read it about four times and I still want to read it again. Lucy answered an ad for a "wife" and spent a year on a tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Her story reads like the "Survivor" series should have. It's not only her daily accounts of life and surviving, it's a facinating look at relationships and human nature. You'll root for her long after the book is done!