Good compilation of information (as you can probably judge from the 5-page bibliography), but not much of a leisurely read. Discusses possible origin of the polynesians, ancient ruins found on the said islands, as well as legends and artifacts passed on through generations. The author manages to touch alot of topics, but as a general interest book, it just doesn't work.

Childress has uncovered a deep Pacific base for ancient navigators,
who were much more likely the ancestors of American megalithic
builders than the posited but unlikely survivors of a Berengia
migration to the New World -- even though academic texts still fondly
describe ice-age hunters following wandering caribou over thousands of
miles of thick icesheets where neither the hunters nor the hunted
would have had anything to eat.

This book takes the reader into the maritime realm of the first seafarers of the Pacific Ocean. Most fascinating of the ancient cith of Mu where the first pan-Pacific maritime university trained sailing fleets to discover and chart this very ancient part of the world. Delves a little bit into possible ties with Lemuria and other lost lands of the Pacific.

I picked up this book because I'm planning a long trip to West Africa and need a good travel guide. I found Jon Haggins' book to be VERY informative on preparations to West Africa and other places, but not on the actual destinations.

This book is excellent for tour groups and for people who strictly want to stick with the tourist sites. However, since I'm traveling off the beaten path and doing the "backpacker" thing, I'm afraid I have to find another travel guide since there's no help in that area.

I must say that the travels the author has done to South America, South Pacific, and Africa have encouraged me to do more traveling to exotic places.

I want to study why Fiji's conflict happened.

As a master diver who has dived over 40 years and has visited many of Fiji's dive sites, I would advise any potential diving visitor to save their money here and buy the newer and much more complete Lonely Planet "Diving and Snorkeling Fiji" by renowned dive guides Casey Mahaney and Astrid Witte (also available on Amanzon). Just be aware- Fiji has so many and varied dive sites visited by day operations and liveaboards NO book can really do justice comprehensively. Nope, no connections with LP or Mahaney, I just want to save other divers the trouble... and if you love diving, you will LOVE Fiji diving!

This book gives limited information on approximately 20 dive sites in Fiji. The descriptions and photos are adequate, but are relatively brief. The book makes few recommendations, but provides a decent place to start rough planning of an independent dive vacation.