Customer Reviews

Nest in the Wind: Adventures in Anthropology on a Tropical Island

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This book is an ethnography of the people of Pohnpei. The author accompanied her husband to Pohnpei during the 1970s and they lived there together for several years. In the 1940s, army doctors had noted that the people of Pohnpei all had quite low blood pressure. Ward and her husband were the anthropologist components of a team that was trying to determine whether the initial blood pressure observations were accurate, and if so, whether societal influences seemed to be playing a role. Although the blood pressure study was the impetus for going to Pohnpei, and provides much of the framework for Ward's time on Pohnpei, this book isn't about that project. Instead, the book describes how Ward gradually integrated herself into the culture to the greatest extent that she could during her limited stay.

As a trained anthropologist, Ward was primed to observe the culture on Pohnpei. She notes that the society was matriarchal and that ceremonial titles were highly important. Personal names were impermanent, and many people, including study subjects, changed their names frequently. She struggles to learn the language, noting that it makes use of dual number in addition to singular and plural, and makes a distinction in personal pronouns between inclusive and exclusive "we". She discusses diet, gender roles, politics, education, courting behavior, and funeral rites. All of this is done, however, informally, almost in the manner of a travelogue. Indeed, many of the chapters close with letters that she wrote home to family or friends, many with humorous touches as she struggles with culture shock. As the time on the island passes, Ward relates to us the challenges that she faced in finding housing, a local research assistant, and conducting research related to the blood pressure project. She describes feasts that she attended, and feasts that she gave, and how a ceremonial title came to be bestowed on her. She also tells us of her decision to have child, and how her pregnancy was greeted by the local Pohnpeians.

One initial theory about why the Pohnpeians had low blood pressure was that this was a tropical paradise, where everyone had low-stress lives. Ward noted that this was, of course, a baseless assumption, since people on Pohnpei certainly did have problems and stress. Unfortunately, the results of the blood pressure project were never published in detail. However, in the epilogue, Ward notes that the study found some people with high blood pressure, especially among the sedentary and obese. The book closes with an annotated list of additional readings. It does not have an index. It has maps and a few black and white sketches, but no photographs.

The book is quite accessible to general readers, while containing the kinds of information that anthropologists would expect to find in an ethnography. In addition to observations on the local culture of Pohnpei, Ward also tells us a little of the culture of North American researchers and Peace Corps volunteers working on the island. In this book, we can find a window into Pohnpei (albeit the Pohnpei of thirty years ago) that will be interesting to travelers and anthropologists alike.

I lived on Pohnpei for a year in the early '90's. I picked up this book to see how well the author described the island and the customs. I was amazed and continually delighted with how she detailed the rituals, feasts and problems of Pohnpei. She absolutely captures the feelings that are associated with living on Pohnpei, and does a great job incorporating those into the book. I found myself wanting to go back to the island, and wishing that I had taken the time to learn more details of this fascinating place. This easy-to-read book is great for people that are interested in anthropolgy, other cultures, Pohnpei or even Micronesia in general.

I would like to thank the author for writing this book. I bought this book, because I am from the island of Pohnpei, and would like to know if the project was successful and was published. I was not surprised to learn that it was not a very successful project...the people of my island, then, would have been a skeptical bunch, and would not have provided accurate information to questions asked due to family and cultural secrets that they would've believed "must be protected". On the other hand, the evaluation of culture and the role of both men and women on the island was very accurate. My uncle was in the group that caught the crocodile mentioned in the book. :)

I usually hate text books but I loved this one! Keep it when your course is over or if you aren't even taking a class you HAVE to buy this book for, read it!

The book is still new and all pages are intact. It a good book for Anthropology .

I love the fact that I can get most of my college text books at amazon for a fraction of the cost. the college library is selling this book for twenty dollars and this book cost me four in like new condition. Everything the seller promised was real. I will buy all my books in the future from amazon.

Nest in the Wind gave me a good feeling for the Pomphei people, lay of the land, and culture. It's not the intent of the book to make you familiar with the island, but it is about as good as you will get. Interesting enough of a read to keep you going. Please post any suggestions you have on something better as I hope to relocate there with a family in the near future.

This book is the best example of pre-modern life on Pohnpei anywhere. Recent visits to websites and stuff have shown me that much of the culture talked about in this book has already disappeared or soon will. If you are taking anthropology, or just interested in the culture of the island, this book will satisfy you. Well written and informative.

This book was good, but if the personality of how the author displays themselves and presents material is important for you to enjoy a book, this might not be the best choice unless you are a radical feminist who thinks eating dog is worth bragging about.

I felt the tone was distracting from the ethnographic material she was presenting. The constant feminist undertone and search for female inequality was annoying, and I felt she was molding the people (especially the females) of Pohnpei into what she wanted them to be. The example that most stands out is, she wanted to fight for women's rights, but was in a place where women describe themselves as happy with complementarity and where the sexes are not viewed as equal, but are meant to be parallel. Yet she dismissed their own description of themselves and described them as needing more rights anyways. This seemed ethnocentric by trying to place ideals on another culture where they might not need to be changed.

In the end, each page further I got I found myself rolling my eyes and getting frustrated when I just wanted to focus on the material.

Novel type account of femal antho, well written, easy read.