The Pearl Lagoon

Mr. Nordhoff says in his preface that the book is intended to entertain "the young". I was young once and, at almost 60, I find his writing entertaining. Sure, the typeface is a little larger than is usually found in a book which is intended to entertain adults, and the protagonists are young, but there is much in the story to give a good idea of what life was like on an atoll. There is a particularly powerful piece of writing which, along with Larry McMurtry's water moccasin scene in "Lonesome Dove" and Maurice Gee's short story about horse trading, has left in me an indelibly shocking feeling of fear and loathing. It's on page 131 if you are interested.

St. Barts 2018 #1 - Started this little gem in sub-zero weather in Maine just prior to my Caribbean island vacation, and finished it in the plane on the way. It was a known island theme and i was really in the mood after shoveling snow to dig into some true warm weather reading. Fun, yarn about a California teenage young man who has the opportunity to travel off the to the South Seas in his swashbuckling uncle's schooner on a hunt for pearls. Nothing too deep, (including the diving!), but learned a lot about fishing with spears, and homemade equipment, diving for pearls, and some native culture on some smaller islands. A little excitement here and there, acknowledgement of the dangers of pearl-diving and an all around decent show more story.....easy quick read.....and a great start to what will hopefully be a wonderful 2 weeks of good books! show less

The author is one of hte NOrdhoff and Hall duo who wrote the famous trilogy of novels on the Bounty mutiny, ad the delightful humorous quasi-fantasy Doctor Dogbody's :Leg. A boy accompanies his uncle on a pearl expedition and they rn into tHursday ISland Shmidt, said to be th last scoundrel left in the Pacific. Sharks provide anther danger.

Date of purchase uncertain. (spent years in anti-mildew bag to remove scent)