Rascals in Paradise (Mass Market Paperback)

by James A. Michener (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Ten adventurers whose stage was the Pacific, and who played their parts over four hundred years (1595 to 1953) have been chosen by the authors as examples of men (and one woman) whose choice for a way of escape lay in the Pacific. Sometimes greed was behind their choice; sometimes a lust for power; sometimes the lure of the unknown, of adventure, of remoteness. There are pirates and buccaneers among them, explorers, a writer, an artist, a politician, a whaleman obsessed with the idea of mutiny. They are Spanish, Chinese, French, English, Americans. They range from off the China coast to Peru, through the islands better known to us since the war than ever before (the Hawaiian Islands, the Marquesas, Samoa, Tahiti, the Solomons, Formosa, etc.) Most of the names are unknown to the average American reader- only Captain Bligh is a familiar figure- and he is drawn in quite different colors. Here is a book for very special tastes, but - combining as it does, research and scholarship (A. Grove Day was a professor at the University of Hawaii) with a gift for spinning a yarn and depicting character (Michener, journalist and novelist, needs no introduction)- those tastes will have a far reach. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
The fascinating stories of adventurous men who sailed the South Seas

Some craved power, some craved peace, others merely surrendered to fate.

Sam Comstock -- A sailor crazed by the South Sea Islands and driven to lead the ruthless mutiny. He envisioned himself a magnificent ruler -- but his dream became a nightmare.

Will Mariner -- A golden-haired youth whose ship was captured by hostile natives. He was the sole survivor and his charm turned his captor into slaves.

Captain Bligh -- Was he the infamous captain of the Bounty, the monster legend had made him? Here is the true story of Captain Bligh.

Rascals In Paradise

They searched for adventure in the most dazzling places on earth.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett; First Edition edition (October 12, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449214591
• ISBN-13: 978-0449214596
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #183,492 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Michener's best, but unknown books., December 28, 1996

By A Customer

I read this book several times and would recommend it to any one interested in the history of the South Pacific. I have read most of his books, and found it to be one of his best. I enjoyed Tales of the South Pacific, but his non-fiction work was very informative.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild collection of amazing true stories, July 7, 2004

By	M. S Swanson (Elkhart, IN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Michener and his partner, South Pacific expert A. Grove Day, tell a wild variety of stories from the horror of the Globe Mutinity to the incredible adventures of Coxinga, pirate of the South Pacific. If you want to know the true story of Captain Bligh, the man of mutinies, you'll find there's much more to the story than in the movies.
The theme here is that for centuries civilized man has dreamed of island life with beautiful willing women and few rules or responsibilities. This book shows the folly and tragedy of many and the luck and fortune of some who made it work. I have read most of these stories multiple times and find this a book that remains interesting. As always, Michener is well researched and quite compelling.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Island Read, November 27, 2000

By A Customer

Great book about the dreamers of the South Pacific. It is a collection of short stories of important and not so important dreamers who have wanted to make a name for themselves in the South Pacific. Stories range from brutal mutiny to the early history of the Hawaiian Islands.