My Samoan Chief [Paperback]

Fay G. Calkins (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press; Pacific Classics edition (April 1, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087022932X
• ISBN-13: 978-0870229329
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, funny & insightful in cross-cultural experience, February 18, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: My Samoan Chief (Paperback)

My Samoan Chief tells the experiences of a young American woman who falls in love with a Samoan exchange student, marries him and returns to the Islands. Throughout the book she encounters Faa Samoa (The Samoan Way). Because she is palagi (pa-la-ngee - European) certain concessions are made. Some of the most funny stories for me, like trying to get shoes in the United States for her fiance and his sister - their feet were TOO wide, were funny to me because I'm married to a Samoan myself and had exactly the same experiences Fay Calkins had. If you plan to go overseas to the South Sea Islands, you gotta read this to get the flavour of meeting some of the friendliest and most hospitable people in the world

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Father in book, April 10, 2000

By 

Arnis Pone (Kalamazoo, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Samoan Chief (Paperback)

This was a nostalgic book. I was born in Pago Pago in l952 from East European immigrants escaping Soviet occupation. We now live in the Michigan. The reason this was nostalgic is because my father is mentioned in the book as the kind Latvian physician who helped deliver the authors baby. My father is still alive and just read the book with great interest. He says it is very accurate, entertaining, and a good look at Samoan life. I would love to be able to contact the author and tell her about the wonderful doc that I know that delivered her child.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and insightful, September 1, 2009

By 

D. Atwood (Washington state) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: My Samoan Chief (Paperback)

I was married to a Samoan and I am raising Samoan children... this book was hysterically accurate for day to day living within the culture in my opinion and experience. I would recommend it for any palagi who plans to spend any time in Samoa or to anyone planning on marrying into a Samoan family to get an idea of what to expect and to have some understanding of the thought methods of the "family" culture.