Getting Stoned With Savages by J. Maarten Troost

Ever dreamed of turning your back on your life, your job, traffic, and all the stress that comes with it and moving to a small remote island in the South Pacific?

J. Maarten Troost and his wife did just that. Originally the plan was to quit his job, and for his wife to transfer to her company's offices in Fiji. Fortunately or unfortunately-- depending how you look at it-- life had a way of changing those plans. A coup in Fiji and Troost getting laid off from his job expedited the move and changed its location... And before they knew it Troost and wife, Sylvia, were on their way to Vanuatu. A pregnancy and a doctor's urging to, if at all possible, NOT have their child in Vanuatu in turn expedited their eventual move to Fiji.

As far as travel memoirs go, this is one of the better I've read (not that I've read a lot of them). The snippets of humor and general lightheartedness make this book an easy and, at just over 200 pages, rather swift read.

Troost's writing style comes across as what one might expect if they were to bump into him at their local pub. His portrayal of South Pacific island life isn't entirely glamorous. He makes a good point of including the good, the bad, and the ugliness of his experiences with the natives, the weather, and the local wildlife.

In short, it's a thoroughly enjoyable, albeit short, read that keeps this reader hoping that there is more to come from this author.

Related Links
Getting Stoned With Savages (Amazon.com link)
The Sex Lives of Cannibals (Troost's first book, Amazon.com link)
J. Maarten Troost (Rolf Potts' Vagabonding Interview)
The Sex Lives of Cannibals (Review on blogcritics.org)