Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft (Mass Market Paperback)

by Thor Heyerdahl (Author) "ONCE IN A WHILE YOU FIND YOURSELF IN AN odd situation..." (more)
Key Phrases: steering watch, bamboo cabin, logs aft, Easter Island, South America, Don Federico (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Kon-Tiki is the record of an astonishing adventure -- a journey of 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the South Sea Islands had been settled by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east, led by a mythical hero, Kon-Tiki. He decided to prove his theory by duplicating the legendary voyage.

On April 28, 1947, Heyerdahl and five other adventurers sailed from Peru on a balsa log raft. After three months on the open sea, encountering raging storms, whales, and sharks, they sighted land -- the Polynesian island of Puka Puka.

Translated into sixty-five languages, Kon-Tiki is a classic, inspiring tale of daring and courage -- a magnificent saga of men against the sea.

Washington Square Press' Enriched Classics present the great works of world literature enhanced for the contemporary reader. This edition of Kon-Tiki has been prepared by an editorial committee headed by Harry Shefter, professor of English at New York University. It includes a foreword by the author, a selection of critical excerpts, notes, an index, and a unique visual essay of the voyage.

Language Notes
Text: English, Norwegian (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (May 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671726528
• ISBN-13: 978-0671726522
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,381 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sharks, ship wrecks, storms, tropical islands..., June 12, 2003

By	vibinc "vibinc" (USA) - See all my reviews

With each passing year, less and less of the world remains to be discovered. With GPS and satellite imagery, our oceans have been charted and the jungles surveyed. Our world is no longer a mystery. No longer do we have maps fringed by threatening pictures of dragons and sea monsters warning sailors and explorers of the unknown that lies out there. But when I picked up this book I was taken back fifty years in time. Back to a time when men ate meat raw and walked around with clubs hunting big game. OK, perhaps I am getting carried away.

Thor Heyerdahl believed the Polynesian islands were inhabited by sea faring travellers from Peru. But his thesis on this topic was ridiculed because no one would believe that the pacific ocean could be crossed by a flimsy raft made of balsa wood and bamboo. So Heyerdahl decides to prove IT IS possible by building a raft using exactly the same materials the ancient Peruvians used and sailing off the coast of Peru hoping to eventually reach Polynesia.

Nearly every step off his journey was filled with nay sayers who said he was crazy and "experts" who variably told him he was going to die, the raft was going to break apart, or the balsa wood would absorb the sea water and sink. He ignored them all. When they told him balsa trees of the size he needed no longer existed along the coast, he took a jeep deep into the jungles through flooded roads and GOT his trees. Which then they floated down to the ocean in a river.

Heyerdahl is keenly aware of his surroundings and describes his voyage vividly and in simple prose. I could smell the sea breeze and feel the spray of the ocean. It was like taking a mini vacation every time I sat down with this book. You'll swim with whale sharks and get caught in ferocious storms. The six men caught sharks with their hands and even had a pet parrot. I suppose all self respecting seamen need to have a parrot.

The ending to this book was surprising but perfect. It brings the story full circle and could not have ended any other way. So prepare yourself a margarita, kick back, and begin a sea adventure.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courage, comrades, an idea, and the ocean, December 30, 2000

By	neurotome "neurotome" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

Kon-Tiki starts with an idea, conceived during Heyerdahl's stay on a South Seas island researching his doctoral thesis: could Polynesia have been colonized by trans-Pacific emigres from the pre-Colombian cultures of South America?

A true scientist, Heyerdahl isn't satisfied with deciding "yes" - he must test the theory! In the hands of a lesser man this would have produced a musty old thesis collecting dust on the back shelf of an anthropology library. Instead, Heyerdahl marshals five friends of heroic spirit, acquires 9 giant balsa wood logs and some other supplies, and within a few months he sets sail from Peru to cross the Pacific. Drinking fresh water stored in hollowed-out bamboo shafts and eating fish that leap aboard the raft, they make their way across the ocean, well knowing that despite the advanced radio technology of 1936, their chance of rescue in the event of mishap is nil.

The only sea book I can think of to rival this for sheer interest and adventure is Verne's "20,000 Leagues under the Sea," - a fantasy. Heyerdahl's work is true, and his heroic heart shines through in every word. His love and reverence for the ocean and the primitive culture he sought to imitate, combined with his scientific clarity of exposition, make it a joy to read and will instill the sea-lust into even the most devoted landlubber.

I think everyone ought to read this book, for sheer pleasure, and as an example of what can be done with stout heart, clear head, and good will. I recommend it to you without any reservation.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kon-Tiki : Across the Pacific by Raft, May 17, 2000

By	pricingPost1 (USA) - See all my reviews

Do you like reading books that have adventure and keep you in suspense? Then Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl is the book for you. Kon-Tiki is about a few explorers that wanted to prove that the inhabitants of a certain island in the Pacific came from Peru. The explorers start off at Peru, build a raft, and set off to prove their theory on their 2000-mile journey. On their trip they discover interesting things about sea life. They encountered whales, dolphins, sharks and other amazing creatures of the sea on their journey and learned a few things about them. One of my favorite parts about this book is when the explorers catch their food and interact with some of the sea creatures. They use the resources around them to catch their food and discover that living at sea is not as boring as it seems. This is one of the best books of its time. It has every thing to make you enjoy the story. Kon-Tiki will make you laugh and make you nervous. It will keep you in suspense and you will discover amazing things about the sea.