I found this book in a used book store in Salmon Arm, BC, along with others I have not quite had time to read yet. I didn't realize that it was a book that was assigned reading for grade eights back in the '70s (as per my dad). So the origin of this particular copy may have been for some ungrateful grade eight who was forced to read such a marvelous book (nothing against grade eights, but I distinctly remember preferring Stephen King over anything we had assigned to us when I was in that grade. Even Ray Bradbury did not escape my sigh-filled loathing).

This was a great book that was engrossing and to the point. It is also a creature of its time, where the author does not seem to think twice about regaling the reader with tales of killing many more sharks than the crew of six could eat and then just throwing them over the side of the raft when they were done with the sharks. But in that sense, the author is probably more honest about the what happened than people are today, as he was not constrained by political correctness.

The lead up to the expedition itself is mercifully short, with the author laying out how he went from New York to South America to being out on the open ocean with the five other crew members on a balsa wood raft within 70 pages, where I think many other authors would have been bogged down by the various details and road blocks encountered. Crossing the Pacific was the best part, and the lion's share of the book, and I wish that Heyerdahl had spent more time talking about what happened and how the crew got along and the anthropology behind the expedition. But maybe that's to be found in other books or other papers, and maybe further details would have slowed the story too much. Overall I loved this book and wish it hadn't ended so soon! ( )

This book was a best-seller in 1950 and 1951, being an account to a trip in 1947 by raft from Peru to French Polynesia. It is highly exciting while the trip is going on and in telling of the fearsome events which concluded the trip. One stands in amazement that the men would make such a hazardous trip, which many said would not succeed. ( )

Wow, this was a great book. It's been a while since I read something so enthralling. Heyerdahl came up with a theory that the South Sea Islands had been settled by peoples from Peru, who crossed the Pacific Ocean on balsawood rafts. To prove it could have been possible, he decided to cross the ocean himself on a raft built of balsa wood, bamboo, palm leaves, and hemp rope. With five other men, he set out on a 4,300 mile journey across the empty ocean. It was thrilling to read of their sea journey. The descriptions of their surroundings- the limitless horizon, the huge swells, the impressive weather- is vividly written. I was astonished to read about them drinking seawater, eating plankton, making ice, and creating a dangerous game of catching sharks by the tail! And of course, I loved reading about the ocean life they encountered. In addition to whales and many kinds of fish, they saw large squid, giant whale shark, snake mackerel, octopus, flying fish and sea turtles.

Lots of Polynesian culture and history is discussed in this book. When the Kon-Tiki finally reached the South Sea Islands, the natives there went crazy with excitement seeing a craft just like those their ancestors had used... what a wonderful read.

more at the Dog Ear Diary ( )

When I first picked up this book, I thought there was no way it would be interesting to me, I do not like stories of people doing silly, stupid and dangerous things. However, this book is much more than that. It is a sea adventure, a mystery and a very interesting premise for exploration of cultures. Heyerdahl writes in such a way that you feel you are right there with him. After finishing this, I decided that I perhaps do have a thing for adventures on the high seas. ( )

I read this in school and hated it. My tastes in reading are quite different now and I think I might reread this. Now I think it looks interesting. ( )