Publishes the book the mystery of easter island in 1919. Easter island has always interested me so ive read a lot of nonfiction books about it. Easter island, chilean dependency in the eastern pacific ocean. Easter island was so named by jacob roggeveen, a dutch explorer who on april 5, 1722, easter sunday, was the first european to visit the island. Im particularly interested in books that will give me the sort of info id get if i went on a guided tour. This source was also helpful as it contained primary source pictures of easter island like the moi and other artifacts scavenged. By the time dutch explorersthe first europeans to reach the remote islandarrived on easter day in 1722, the land was nearly barren. Strong cultural coverage gets under the skin of this skinny country including a special feature on wine. A thorough read of this always complex and sometimes dissatisfying book reveals that vanderbes chose that title carefully. While at yale, she began writing for the yale daily news and was featured on cbs evening news for her investigation into a suspicious egg donor agency that was then closed down due to her reporting.
Jun 5, 2018 how easter islands mysterious statues got their 12ton hats. It was perfect because not only does it tell you history and legend, but also things you need to know day to day, plus fun stuff like the passport stamp. Easter island has a unique history that outlines key theories of how man can have detrimental effects on nature. Scientists and historians have since solved the mystery. Unlike other sources focusing on one topic, this gave a brief but helpful description of easter island. It is thoughtful and intelligent, yet totally captivating. The statues, or moai, were built over hundreds of years by easter islanders themselves. To its original inhabitants the island is known as rapa nui, and its population is predominantly of polynesian descent. The name easter island evokes a sense of mystery and romanticism. On this day in 1722which was easter sundaythe littleknown dutch explorer jacob roggeveen became the first european to visit rapa nui, or easter island. It details routledges journey by yacht from england to south america, around patagonia to chile and on to easter island, giving an account of its life, history and folklore. About half of the inhabitants are of polynesian stock.
The world monuments fund on easter island opposite. My selfguided tour plan leads me to another question. Easter island has an interesting history since it was discovered on easter by jacob roggoeveen, a dutch captain with approximately 3000 inhabitants with the presence of many statues that were all in the same position and shape with long unsmiling faces that appear as alienating creatures. There is also a small thread of a german world war i naval squadron present in the book. The grim history of easter island may have taken place over 300 years ago but its tragic fate has wider implications. He had, of course, been beaten to the discovery of the island by the polynesians, surely the most impressive open ocean explorers in history. Using rib bones from five easter island individuals from 1445 to 1945 that had been excavated in the 1980s and stored in the kontiki museum. Its inhabitants, the rapa nui, have endured famines, epidemics of disease and cannibalism, civil war, environmental collapse, slave raids, various colonial contacts, and have seen their population crash on more than one occasion. Chapter 1 the decisive moment for germanys fleet in the great war was, indisputably, its illtimed arrival at the falkland islands. Restrained passion and conflicted loyalties drive this sweeping debut novel, in which two women of different eras experience the mysteries of easter island.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of easter island by jennifer vanderbes. First published in 1919, this work provides information on that most mysterious of islands easter island rapa nui. In this extraordinary fiction debutrich with love and betrayal, history and intellectual passiontwo remarkable narratives converge on. Of volcanic origin, easter island is mostly covered with grasslands and is swept by strong trade winds.
Slightly out of tune by idir aitsahalia, easter island by jennifer vanderbes, matakiterangui by themo lobos, varua rapa n. Instead, the fresh, affordable and readily available seafood is the islands strongest suit. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. In this extraordinary fiction debutrich with love and betrayal, history and intellectual. The mystery of easter island travel smithsonian magazine. Begin with an oceanic island fifteen hundred miles from any other landmass, one that had taken thousands of years for plant life to reach its shores and much longer before human life managed to land there. In easter island dna, evidence of genetic loneliness the. This can result in an irreversible destruction of an environment and easter island has proven this to be posable. The society that built the mighty moai is long gone, and the island is today a province of chile.
Mar 17, 2018 easter islands demise is a lesson for the world. Reading guide for easter island by jennifer vanderbes. Books about the island tend to fall into two categories. Mar 03, 2016 lots of theories exist about the inhabitants of easter island, but new research says european colonizers might be to blame. It is the easternmost outpost of the polynesian island world. The secrets of easter island history smithsonian magazine. Easter island is a 2003 historical novel by jennifer vanderbes. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read easter island.
Easter island by jennifer vanderbes nook book ebook. The spread of european diseases, especially smallpox, and the raids of spanish slavers reduced the population to slightly more than 100 by 1887. A story about two journeys of transformation, forgiveness, and, ultimately, redemption, easter island is a powerful debut and a wonderfully intriguing book to. For a young writer in search of a story or two easter island is rich with possibilities. I wish more books of fiction were this well thought out and included this much science. But then i am not put off by the science, and instead relish it. Easter island books 101 books meet your next favorite book. On an easter sunday on april 5th of 1722 jacob roggeveen, a dutch sea captain had landed the ship on an unknown island and it was called pito o te henua. In 2003, her debut novel easter island dial press was named one of the best books of the year by the christian science monitor and the washington post book world, and was translated into sixteen languages. Easter island covers 64 sq miles and has a triangular shape. Merlot of valparaiso leases the greater part of the island and subsequently form a company for the exploitation of easter island.
May 17, 2003 jennifer vanderbes mixes two love stories with a good helping of myth in her debut novel, easter island lisa allardice sat 17 may 2003 23. Easter island isnt a destination for michelinstarred fare. The essential guidebook to this mysterious and enigmatic island, and the only book about easter island written by someone who actually lives here. The moai are some of the worlds most fascinating and widelyrecognised monolithic statues. Jun 5, 2018 how easter island s mysterious statues got their 12ton hats.
Easter island by jennifer vanderbes weaving together a pair of remarkable stories, debut novelist jennifer vanderbes explores the realms of love and anger, trust and betrayal, through the eyes of two exceptional young women living nearly a century apart who journey to the most remote island in the worldeaster island. This guidebook includes the islands history, culture and all of its significant archaeological sites. Opinion a parable of selfdestruction the new york times. Archaeologists describe a technique that the ancient rapa nui may have used to leverage the hats on the island s giant. The moai statutes date back nearly a thousand years and are the work of the early inhabitants of easter island. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
It is the easternmost outpost of the polynesian island world and is famous for its giant stone statues. Geologically one of the youngest inhabited territories on earth, easter island, located in the midpacific ocean, was, for most of its history, one of the most isolated its inhabitants, the rapa nui, have endured famines, epidemics of disease and cannibalism, civil war, environmental collapse, slave raids, various colonial contacts, and have seen their population crash on more than one occasi. Easter island discovered history channel on foxtel. Rapa nui, aka easter island, is as remote as it gets. Katherine routeledge visits for a yearlong expedition to the island.
Since the island consists of volcanic rock, the early inhabitants quarried the material into giant statues, some as tall as 14 feet, 6 inches and weighing about 14 tons. They are tall sculptures made out of volcanic rock, with disproportionately large heads. Best books on easter island easter island forum tripadvisor. Elsa beazley arrives at easter island in 1916 with her new husband and her mentally handicapped sister. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Archaeologists describe a technique that the ancient rapa nui may have used to leverage the hats on the islands giant. A story about two journeys of transformation, forgiveness, and, ultimately, redemption, easter island is a powerful debut and a wonderfully intriguing book to discuss. Jennifer vanderbes, in her first novel, easter island, plays loosely with. What happened along the way that caused the island ecosystem to collapse. However, the captain did not understand how to say the name, so he named it easter island. In this extraordinary fiction debutrich with love and betrayal, history and intellectual passiontwo remarkable narratives converge on easter island, one of the most remote places in the world. Leased to private companies some british influence. Secondary sources work cited history of easter island.
Well shot footage of easter island especially interesting because it shows some of the landforms which suggest to some geologists that a massive tidal wave or several 150 200 feet high swept this island at one time, estimated to have occurred about 15002000 years ago and it looks to some like part of the island sunk in the process. In the book, routledge and her companions explore the secret caves, ancient roads, pyramid platforms. Jan, 2010 a 0 year exploration of easter island history. Migrations and settlements, the evolution of a culture, wars between tribes, and ultimate decimation of a whole population define the course of easter island history. Easter island was named on easter day, 1722, by the dutch navigator jakob roggeven. Oct 12, 2017 using rib bones from five easter island individuals from 1445 to 1945 that had been excavated in the 1980s and stored in the kontiki museum in norway, dr. In this extraordinary fiction debutrich with love and betrayal, history and intellectual passiontwo remarkable narratives converge on easter. Radio carbon studies estimate that the first inhabitants of easter island settled between 700 ce and 1200. Add in two women, separated by sixty years as their parallel stories are. He was the first european to visit the island on april 5, 1722, easter sunday. The debut novel of jennifer vanderbes, easter island is a tale of two women from two different eras, both of who move to easter island to find refuge from their pasts. Easter island history cultural development the cultural development on the island has been fodder for widespread speculation. What begins as familial duty for elsa becomes a grand adventure.
Much research has been carried out on these famous statues and many of the damaged and fallen statues have since been restored around the island. Beautifully written, it skillfully blends the perfect balance of history and science with intriguing stories of the two heroines. Lonely planet chile and easter island country travel guide. Slowly unearthing the island s haunting past, they are forced to confront turbulent discoveries about themselves and the people they love, changing their lives forever. Named easter island by the dutch explorer jacob roggeveen, who first spied it on easter day 1722, this tiny spit of volcanic rock in the vast south seas is, even today, the most remote inhabited.
The questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your reading of jennifer vanderbes easter island. Instead, the fresh, affordable and readily available seafood is the island s strongest suit. Head of a moat on temporary exhibition at the seagram building in new york city. The island stands in isolation 1,200 miles 1,900 kilometres east of pitcairn island and 2,200 miles west of chile. Captain roggeveen renamed the island easter island. Located almost in the middle of the south pacific, rapa nui is famous for the enormous stone heads, or moai, its inhabitants once built. Jennifer vanderbes mixes two love stories with a good helping of myth in her debut novel, easter island lisa allardice sat 17 may 2003 23. Lots of theories exist about the inhabitants of easter island, but new research says european colonizers might be to blame. Easter island has been a very interesting place though out history. The route vanderbes takes to this enigmatic destination is the. Easter island is the story of two women who went to the island and did research. Elsa pendleton travels from england to easter island with her husband, an anthropologist sent by the royal geographical society to study the colossal moai statues, and her younger sister.
People magazine, critics choiceone of those rare novels that appeals equally to mind, heart and soul. Slowly unearthing the islands haunting past, they are forced to confront turbulent discoveries about themselves and the people they love, changing their lives forever. Easter island history the island itself many people have found easter island history very fascinating. A brief history of easter islands incredible moai statues. This title features expanded coverage of patagonia, including new adventure options in puerto natales and more information on chiles crown jewel, torres del paine national park. I love it when two or more stories come together like this. List of books and articles about easter island online.
With our beliefs, customs and general life needs, societies become dependent on our environment and resources. I have already ordered both another book by vanderbes and the mystery of easter island, if that tells you how happy this book made me. I read the entire book before i left, then took it with me to reference while i was there. The average height of a moai is about ft 4m and can weigh around. The natives were fenced in around guarded borders in the area that today is the town of hanga roa to prevent sheep theft. On easter sunday, april 5, 1722, a dutch sea captain named jacob roggeveen landed his ship on an island known as te pito o te henua, meaning the center of the world. Jun 01, 2004 easter island by jennifer vanderbes weaving together a pair of remarkable stories, debut novelist jennifer vanderbes explores the realms of love and anger, trust and betrayal, through the eyes of two exceptional young women living nearly a century apart who journey to the most remote island in the world easter island. A washington post and christian science monitor best book of the year a rich and worldly first novel. Geologically one of the youngest inhabited territories on earth, easter island, located in the midpacific ocean, was, for most of its history, one of the most isolated.
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