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The Sex Lives of Cannibals

Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific

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The Sex Lives of Cannibals

Written by: J. Maarten Troost
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

 At age 26, Maarten Troost decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to a remote South Pacific island. The idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the earth was irresistibly romantic. But he should have known better.

This is the hilarious story of what happens when he discovers that the island is not the paradise he dreamed of. Falling into one amusing misadventure after another, Troost struggles with stifling heat, deadly bacteria, polluted seas, and toxic fish, in a country where the only music to be heard is "La Macarena". He and his stalwart girlfriend, Sylvia, contend with alarmingly large critters, a paucity of food options (including the Great Beer Crisis), and such bizarre local characters as "Half-Dead Fred" and the Poet Laureate of Tarawa, a British drunkard who's never written a poem in his life.

©2004 J. Maarten Troost (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc. Anthropology Australia & Oceania Oceania Travel Writing & Commentary Witty Funny Imperial Japan Nonfiction

What the critics say

"A comic masterwork of travel writing." (Publishers Weekly)
"Troost has a command of place and narrative that puts his debut in company with some of today's best travel writers." (Elle)
"A delightful, self-depreciating, extremely sly account of life in a place so wretched it gives new, terrible meaning to getting away from it all." (National Geographic Adventure)
All stars
Most relevant
I love dry British humour, but still I was considering quitting this book after the first chapter. I am so glad I kept at it because I’ve found myself telling the stories to friends multiple times.

I can’t think of La Macarena without smiling. Troost then does a thorough job convincing you just how ludicrous and grating “La Macarena” would be if it were the only modern music available.

Try out this book for an intelligent and funny portrayal of life on a remote South Pacific island through the eyes of a lazy and quite clever Brit.

Slow start but I got into it and really loved it.

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