One of my all-time favorite books! I was introduced to Martha Ward's anthropological work while I was in college.
This book draws you in to the early culture and lives of the people on a small, French Polynesian island. It is so immersive, I have wanted to travel to that place ever since.
She wrote another book as a follow up when she visited the same place years later, but this book is still my favorite. If you want to be taken away in an early, island culture in the south pacific, this is your book. And it's real, not a novel.
Nest In The Wind Second Edition Sparknotes Great Gatsby
Love love love Martha Ward! Nest In The Wind is an anthropological exploration of the island and people of Pohnpei. Martha Ward was brought to Pohnpei with her husband who was assigned their in 1970's. They were sent their on a government project to find out why the Pacific Islanders have such low blood pressure in comparison with Americans. Yet, Martha Ward came away with something even more important, an anthropological study of the people of Pohnpei just before westernization of the country became complete. Ward's book reads more like a travel novel than an anthropological study and her writing can be quite random and off-topic thus the 4 stars.
Otherwise, this book is a great exploration of the Pohnpei people and is filled with so much rich information about the islanders. As long as you feel comfortable sifting through Ward's random rants you will be overjoyed to feel closer and closer to the islanders each and every day. Additionally, you will be able to clearly see the change to Pohnpei over the years.