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Summary: A classic true-life adventure!
Review: I first heard of this book from my father. It was always his favoite, and I remember seeing it in his bookcase when I was a child. I stumbled upon an old first edition, like my Dad's in a bookstore, bought it, and read it in two days. This book is so good -- and so astonishing -- that it reads more exciting than any fiction that I've ever read. This is a great story for anyone yearning for adventure. These six men, alone on a hand-made balsa raft, adrift in the pacific -- by their choice! Just to prove the validity of a theory. What makes this account so astounding is the conviction these men had in their belief and their willingness to risk everything--including their own lives. Highly recommended!
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Summary: Historical Crossing of the Pacific
Review: I first read of Thor Heyerdahl's voyage across the Pacific when I was in high-school and it had left a lasting impression on me. I recently ran across the book and reread it. Kon-Tiki is an amazing story of Heyerdahl's determination to prove a theory that it is possible to sail from Peru to the South Pacific islands by raft. He puts together a successful expedition, and with a lot of luck manages to prove his point. Along the way, you get a history lesson, geography lesson, marine biology lesson, and a wonderful sea-faring adventure story all in a fast-paced book. And with the photographs accompanying the prose, you feel like you too are on the raft with them.
Rating:
Summary: Historical Crossing of the Pacific
Review: I first read of Thor Heyerdahl's voyage across the Pacific when I was in high-school and it had left a lasting impression on me. I recently ran across the book and reread it. Kon-Tiki is an amazing story of Heyerdahl's determination to prove a theory that it is possible to sail from Peru to the South Pacific islands by raft. He puts together a successful expedition, and with a lot of luck manages to prove his point. Along the way, you get a history lesson, geography lesson, marine biology lesson, and a wonderful sea-faring adventure story all in a fast-paced book. And with the photographs accompanying the prose, you feel like you too are on the raft with them.
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Summary: A Voyage Into History and Danger
Review: I first read Thor Heyerdahl's work in the National Geographic. It represents the best of that magazine and best of exploration into ancient technologies -- by emulating and testing long-standing theories. In this case, Thor launches himself into the vast blue waves and has the adventure of a lifetime. Even if you don't study history, this is a great read.
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Summary: Borders on a spiritual experience.
Review: I have just finished reading this book straight through. In and of itself this statement alone is high praise for any book since I have only done that a few times prior. The story grabbed me hopelessly, only to release me upon it's unwelcome finale. Even then my psyche was thoroghly unwilling to release the warm embrace of Kon Tiki's quest into the primitive and yet tranquil oneness with our world's awesome power and beauty. "Whether it was 1947 B.C. or A.D. suddenly became of no significance. We lived, and that we felt with alert intensity. We realized that life had been full for men before the technical age also--in fact, fuller and richer in many ways than the life of modern man. Time and evolution somehow ceased to exist; all that was real and that mattered were the same today as they had always been and would always be. We were swallowed up in the absolute common measure of history--endless unbroken darkness under a swarm of stars." This page was earmarked by the book's previous reader, and I immediately shared his or her affection for the page; specifically, this quote. It, more than any other, summed up the emotions stirred in me by the author's gracious sharing over the years and miles of an adventure that I at once became a part of in my heart and soul. I am a brutish, biker-type dude. Generally speaking, tears are unacceptable in my "Big Twin" thundering realm of machismo. However, upon reaching the stories conclusion I was hard pressed to hold back...STRIKE THAT...I was unable to fight back (hard as I tried) salty tears unexplainable. Feeling an uncontrollable urge to let my girlfriend in on the moment, I struggled desperately to choke out for her the final few paragraphs. I now sense an overpowering need to alter my lifestyle; and will at the very least be haunted by this desire for a very long time! Thank you so much Mr. Heyerdahl, et.al.
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Summary: The Legend of Kon Tiki
Review: I have to admit, Kon Tiki has become something of a legend in my school. All the incoming freshmen have it as required reading, and I have yet to meet someone who passed through the school and actually enjoyed this book. It's tiring and tedious, and honestly, it's just boring, at least to the 3000 students at the local high school.
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Summary: A Great Adventure Book
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It was very interesting (from the historical perspective) and very entertaining (as far as adventure books go). It was well-written. The book was 230 pages long. The author did a great job at describing the adventures of the Kon-Tiki and its crew. This is not your typical "sail around the world alone" book. Best of all, it's a true story!
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Summary: Kon Tiki is the cure for insomnia!
Review: I respect Thor a great deal for his endeavors. However, as a writer, something is surely lacking. The intricate level of detail and horrible sense of writing fluidity make an otherwise grand trip drag at an incredibly slow pace. This text is only for those who need to exercise their eyes.
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Summary: The greatest pure Adventure of the last century.
Review: Immediately after WWII, young Thor Heyerdahl tried to submit a paper to academia outlining his idea that the Polynesian islands were not settled from India and Asia, as was the current wisdom, but rather by people from South America. The problem with this idea, pointed out by a number of people, was that the only boats available to the natives of that area were balsa-wood rafts. It was almost impossible to imagine that such a raft could possibly travel 3,600 miles across open ocean to arrive at the Polynesian Islands intact and with living crew. Some people laughed outright at the idea. Many of them thought the idea was crazy.So, in true mad-scientist form, Heyerdahl said to himself "I'll show them. I'll show them ALL!". Rather than building a mad-scientist deathray, which would not only be cliche but also out of his field (anthropology), he decided to literally show them. He, himself, would build a balsa-wood raft, adhering precisely to the old designs, and he would personally sail that raft from the coast of South America to one of the Polynesian islands a quarter of the world away. The saga of his quest to first find someone to back him on the journey, someone to crew his raft, a way to BUILD the raft, and finally the incredible adventure of actually taking the _Kon Tiki_ across the greatest ocean on Earth, makes fascinating reading. Such a voyage was something of an effort even for modern machines of its era; had Heyerdahl not done it, no one would have believed it. Instead he set sail and brought the future with him. This did not end Heyerdahl's adventures, but instead began them. Later he developed a theory that the Americas themselves were, at least in part, visited by or settled from ancient Egypt. Since the only boats THEY used to cross oceans were made of reeds, no one would believe it was possible...
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Summary: A Fascinating Book Loaded with Scientific Information
Review: In this classic, Heyerdahl constructs a raft to sail 4,300 nautical miles from Peru to the South Pacific Islands in order to prove his theory that the natives of Peru could have migrated to these islands thousands of years ago. This book contains a great deal of information of interest to scientists. These include the appearance of previously little-known fish, the scope of marine bioluminescense, the deployment of ocean currents, etc. It is interesting to note that the Polynesians realized that the Earth was round. A re-examination of the common belief that prescientific peoples invariably believed in a flat Earth is clearly warranted.
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