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Islanders
The Pacific in the Age of Empire
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See moreExplores the lived experience of empire in the Pacific, the last region to be contacted and colonized by Europeans following the great voyages of Captain Cook. This title reveals that there was gain as well as loss, survival as well as suffering, and invention as well as exploitation.
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Description
An incisive, evocative history of the experience of empire in the Oceanic world
This compelling book explores the lived experience of empire in the Pacific, the last region to be contacted and colonised by Europeans following the great voyages of Captain Cook. Unlike conventional accounts that emphasise confrontation and the destruction of indigenous cultures, Islanders reveals there was gain as well as loss, survival as well as suffering, and invention as well as exploitation.
Empowered by imaginative research in obscure archives and collections, Thomas rediscovers a rich and surprising history of encounters, not only between Islanders and Europeans, but among Islanders, brought together in new ways by explorers, missionaries, and colonists. He tells the story of the making of empire, not through an impersonal survey, but through vivid stories of the lives of men and women—some visionary, some vicious, and some just eccentric—and through sensuous evocation of seascapes and landscapes of the Pacific.
A fascinating re-creation of an Oceanic world, Islanders offers a new paradigm, not only for histories of the Pacific, but for understandings of cultural contact everywhere.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Nicholas Thomas' Islanders is praised for its engaging narrative and comprehensive exploration of Oceania's history and the impact of Western colonisation. Reviewers highlight its intellectual sophistication and vivid prose, bringing to life the dynamic interactions between Pacific islanders and European explorers. It captures the remarkable adaptability and resilience of islanders, offering an inversion of traditional narratives about the region.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300180565
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 15 March 2012
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Illustration: 50 b-w illus.
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 454g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Nicholas Thomas is director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and professor of historical anthropology, at Cambridge University, and has traveled widely in the Pacific. Among his books is Discoveries: The Voyages of Captain Cook.
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