This might be the most exciting publication of the entire year! It's certainly one of the most thrilling books published in recent times. It recounts the life's work of Adolphe Sylvain who visited Tahiti in 1946 and, enchanted by the landscape, the people, and a girl named Tehani, decided to stay. He settled in, married his lover, and dedicated himself to photographing the island's many delights while working as a correspondent for magazines such as Paris Match, Life, and National Geographic. His black & white photos are spectacular visions of the earthly paradise that is Tahiti and showcases the splendid beauty of the landscape and its people, especially its girls (...).

Contrary to what Mr. Mitchell mistakenly states, most of the models in this book are not Madame Sylvain. They are women of Tahiti plain, simple and beautiful. I actually bought this book while in Tahiti and each time I leaf through it I remember the wonderful moments I had in Tahiti. Tahitian people are quite possibly the most beautiful people in the world and Sylvain captures this perfectly.

Summary: Adolphe Sylvain had an eye for the images that people in developed countries imagine about a fairy tale South Pacific. Many of our ideas about what a tropical paradise is come from his photographs. For a few minutes, you can imagine yourself to be part of a local village of people who fish for a living back in the 1940s and 1950s. This book is dominated by scenes of native Polynesians enjoying the natural beauty of Tahiti. The model is most frequently M. Sylvain's Tahitian wife, nee Ms. Jeanine Tehani Vidal, whom he married in 1946.

Content Caution: Before proceeding further, please realize (as the cover image indicates) that this book is filled with photographs of topless and nude female models, usually the photographer's wife. These images would earn this book's material an R rating if it were a motion picture.

Review: M. Sylvain's photography makes unusually good use of black-and-white contrasts for capturing lush tropical landscapes, lagoons and beaches, nudes, and everyday scenes in Tahiti. His work benefits from the frequent use of his wife, Tehani, as a model. She is remarkably relaxed and happy in these images, and helps to set a mood of natural enjoyment of nature that will have the viewer yearning for Tahiti. Lest you think these scenes are very overposed, I saw scenes very much like these during a vacation in Tahiti in the mid-1980s.

Some of the images are ragged around the edges, which reflects the terrible loss of much of M. Sylvain's work during a fire in his studio. Some of these images were rescued from the debris that remained. As a result, these images almost all date from 1946-1957.

Ms. Sylvain will remind you of a sea otter in some of the images, as she glides effortlessly through the crystal lagoon water. Her connection with nature is direct and joyous. Her apparent pleasure in what she is doing is infectious.

The images themselves are well composed, technically very fine, and the reproduction quality is excellent.

Towards the end of the book, you will also see some photographs of famous visitors to the island like Brigitte Bardot and Charles de Gaulle.

My original interest in visiting Tahiti was tied to having watched a television series, called Adventures in Paradise. The stories related to a schooner captin operating out of Papeete. When I read the book, I was interested to see that M. Sylvain had been an adviser to that series as well as other major filming in Tahiti over the years.

Many people also know Paul Gauguin's paintings of Tahiti, which have also helped form expectations about the islands and their people. In particular, James Michener with his Tales of the South Pacific helped created an image of beautiful, winning Polynesian maidens that is echoed here. Ms. Sylvain observes that her husband played a key role in creating the myth of the vahini, as a result.

After you look at these dreamscapes of Tahiti, you should sit back and think about what your ideal image of life is. What would you be doing? Where would you be? Who would be with you? What does that picture tell you about yourself?

Dream boldly . . . and recognize the opportunity to life your dreams as Adolphe Sylvain did!

You've been to Polynesia and you know that their music is not Hawaiian music. As you sat in the bar listening to some guys with guitars and ukes, you realized that there is a hard to explain primitiveness, a simplicity, .....you know. This CD catches that feeling. Now there's some tracks that seemed out of place, there's stuff with flutes and another with a steel guitar. But for the most part this has the essence of French Polynesian music. It's recorded primitive, sounds simple, I like it! And it's a budget import...unbelievable, you can't go wrong.

I have been going to Tahiti for more than 40 years. This cd is one of the best of the traditional music. It is like being back at Bar Leia and Quinn's in the old days. I have purchased copies for all the old Tahiti gang!

I HAVE LISTENED AND TRIED TO TAPE THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF TAHITIAN MUSIC FOR 15 YEARS. I HAVE BOUGHT AND GIVEN AWAY CD'S THAT I HOPED WERE LIKE ARTISTS CONTAINED IN THIS CD. THEREFORE IT WAS GREAT TO FIND IT FROM YOUR SOURCE. WOULD LIKE TO OBTAIN MORE IF AVAILABLE.

Nancy Drew is in Tahiti, but it's no pleasure trip.
The teen detective's old friend, Bree Gordon, received several anonymous notes that say her mother's death wasn't merely a boating accident, but something more sinister. Bree wants Nancy to get to the bottom of it.
Shortly after Nancy begins to investigate, deadly things start happening. First, a venomous snake is found in Bree's bed, and then, someone tries to dump a load of metal scrap on Nancy with a crane.
Bree's mother, the glamorous movie star Lucinda Prado had many enemies -- including Swedish film star Kristin Stromm, who is now engaged to Bree's father!

I have read almost all of the nancy drew files but this one definitly stands out! I love it! If you are a fan of nancy drew you should definitly read this one!

It all starts a couple of years ago, when the famous actress Lucinda Gordon got killed when the boat she slept in crashed into a much larger boat. Her daughter, Bree, is getting a lot of weird letters saying that maybe it wasn't an accident. So, Bree is asking her friend Nancy if she would like to come to her in Tahiti and figure out who is sending these horrible letters. But it doesn't take many days until Nancy understands that the mystery is much more then three threatening letters! No, before the end, you have to deal with a diver shooting on them, men trying to kill her, illegal computerstuff and a huge great white shark... This one is the very best, I've read it about 12 times.

They say that history is written by the victor. While this may have been the case years ago, before the advent of electronic and paper printing, it is interesting to note that often small jewels of history can still be found hidden in the sands of time. This is such a book. You may have read the bestseller, "The Fatal Shore" by Robert Hughes. While this book is dedicated to Alan Moorehead's "The Fatal Impact", it is a rather overblown attempt to take off from where Moorehead left off. Moorehead, unlike Hughes, is succinct and straight to the point, describing in a paragraph what might take Hughes pages to deploy. But Moorehead goes further by re-writing history with some of the most beautiful and descriptive language ever displayed in word, especially his lyrical but simple descriptions of the Australian 'bush' before the advent of the white man.Unlike many historical essays, Mooreheads style is to grab and swallow us; it takes and immerses us in our own past, and it is frightening. This book is a true account of the effect of the white invasion of the South pacific. Though often sad, it is devoid of token sentimentality. It is books such as these that keep our history grounded and firmly established in truth, and not the often repeated propoganda that is a common style for Western academia to employ and justfiy our own convoluted history...

A magnificent short book which places the reader on the deck of Endeavor and the Resolution during Cook's first two voyages of discovery in the Pacific. An easy read, yet a scholarly study of the consequences of Western contact in Tahiti, Australia and the Antarctic. One of Moorhead's central themes in the book is the Noble Savage, "happy, healthy, beautiful people whose every want was supplied by the tropical forest, and who, best of all, knew nothing of the cramping sophostries of civilization." Cook brought back evidence that the noble savage indeed existed, and writers such as Boswell, Diederot and Rousseau used it to argue that life in Europe during the late 18th century had evolved into something less than desirable. It is ironic that, despite the high purpose of Cook's voyages of discovery and the pleas of those who recognized the validity and desirability of life in Tahiti or on the barren lands of Australia, the voyages touched off a frenzy by religious zealots and profiteers. A half century after Cook had opened Tahiti to the rest of the world, Gaugin sees shadows of something so beautiful that it still moves him to create his paintings; "The overwhelming physical beauty of the woman remains, but she does not dance. Instead, she lies inert and naked on her bed ... waiting for nothing, hoping for nothing, the petals of the tiare Tahiti scattered about her, a dark, conspiratorial couple in the background and all around them the mystical shapes and symbols of the Tropics. On this one canvas the painter has written in English the one word, "Nevermore."

World War II had relatively little influence on the culture of Tahiti and the surrounding Society Islands of the South Pacific, unlike its effect on much of Melanesia and Micronesia, further west and north. Rather, major changes began in the early 1960s, when France decided to conduct nuclear tests in the area. This decision, with massive transfers of money, technology, and personnel, had "an explosive effect" on Tahitian culture. Levy conducted the research for this book just as the new period was opening, from 1961 to 1964. Thus, we can probably say that no matter how good it is, TAHITIANS is now a historical document. Nevertheless it is an excellent psycho-portrait of a people at a certain point in history, a portrait that utilizes earlier histories and descriptions from the moment of European contact in 1767.

TAHITIANS is a work of psychological anthropology, one of the best I have ever seen. It is a work about Tahitian culture and personality formation that delves into a myriad aspects of life from childbirth, the widespread adoption common in all Polynesian societies, homosexuality, and leadership qualities to religion, moral behavior, and dreams. Language plays a big part in the description---over 200 Tahitian words are used, sometimes frequently, in order to describe relationships and feelings more exactly. Many fascinating insights on Tahitian culture in general can be gleaned from his numerous passages on language. Levy's writing is clear and simple throughout, though a few passages were a little too 'field-specific' to psychology for a layman like myself. At over five hundred pages, the book is nothing if not comprehensive, but Levy did sacrifice analysis for the sake of presenting all his data. The analysis appears throughout, but sometimes does not have a clear direction. The author maintains a modest tone, often retiring from a discussion inconclusively. For example, he tackles older anthropological concerns about the difference between the 'content' and 'process' of thought which led previous generations of scholars to write of the "primitive mind". While his answers are good, and strictly in line with what he found in his own work, they do not answer those concerns. [Perhaps impossible, perhaps conducive to racist thinking in a racism-plagued world.] Another section on 'guilt cultures' vs. 'shame cultures' is also rather inconclusive. It might have been more useful to sidestep these old, oft-debated issues [now half a century or more out of date] to concentrate on his subjects, the villagers of Huahine island and the urban dwellers in a section of Papeete, the formerly sleepy capital of Tahiti. The lack of a strong summary is the weakest point about TAHITIANS; such an amazingly vivid description just fizzles out.

I have reviewed another book in this field for amazon.com---"All the Mothers are One" by Stanley Kurtz about India. Kurtz' book is entirely based on analysis of other writers' theories and building some new ones. He did no field work himself. Levy's book, written entirely on extensive field work and interviews, is just the opposite, yet both are extremely useful works for students wishing to delve further into psychological studies of other cultures. Teachers looking for good books to use in courses touching on psychological anthropology or Pacific Studies have come to the right place. TAHITIANS is an overlooked classic that deserves to be read by a much wider audience than has been the case.

Robert I. Levy's classic work on Tahitians is an unusual meeting point between traditional ethnographies (broad cultural surveys with everything from gardening charms to system of government) and the more recent wave of psychological ethnographies (sometimes so specific that they discuss little but folk beliefs about the self, or semantic analysis of emotion terms). The combination is refreshing: a trained psychoanalyst and psychiatrist conducts more than two years of fieldwork in a Tahitian village, and gives us not only his insights, but also his data, his process of interpretation, and the sociocultural context in which he worked. Levy's Tahiti was also in a continuing process of Westernization and modernization. Salient contrasts for the islanders were "traditional" versus "demi-European" Tahitians, and both again versus the French government and Chinese merchants. The "traditional" Tahitian culture itself, however, came from the interaction of an older Tahitian culture with Protestant missionaries in the 19th century. Levy draws on the historical and comparative records to present a sympathetic picture of a small society caught in complicated times. Finally, Levy is simply a good writer, and appears to be a good fieldworker as well. He introduces us to nine Tahitians, not all of whom are nice or happy. Through them (in one of the early examples of person-centered anthropology), we glimpse something of what it means to be Tahitian. Levy's presentation is neither romantic nor sentimental, but in reading this book, one understands why the South Seas, and Tahiti in particular, have occupied such a large place in the European imagination. It's a pity there aren't more books like this in the anthropological canon.

White Savages in the South Seas is a candid look at the not so glamourous lives of real people living in the South Pacific. This book is filled with fasinating characters like Susy No Pants and interesting adventures. Their stories are well written with great passion and witty humor. I enjoyed every moment.

A thinking person's look at life in the South Pacific as seen through the eyes of an imaginative and involved participant in life. You'll laugh and you'll cry and you will get an insight into the lives of many unusual and colorful people. Definitely not a "travel book," but rather a carefully written volumne which will forever effect the way you see life in the South Pacific.

I bought 4 books on the French polynesian islands and this was the best by far. I love his detail, his points of interest and his enthusiasm. After reading this book I couldn't wait to go there! This will be the one book I bring with me, it has everything. Where to stay, where to eat (like what native fruit to try), customs, phrases in polynesian and french, and much more.

This great book has been translated into German and French but has never yet been published in English for general sale. The facsimile edition offered here is excellent and amounts to a rare book. The reasons for the book's excellence are Adams's abilities as a historian, his personal interest in Tahiti (he was himself a Tahitian great chief by adoption), and his timely access to evidence and testimony, especially testimony, while it could still be had.

Have you ever wanted to travel to Tahiti, but thought it might be too expensive? Did you want to experience the Polynesia of Gauguin and Bougainville, but thought it had gone forever? Did you think that island archipelagoes such as the Gambiers, Tuamotus and the Societies were beyond your reach?Well, David Stanley's 'Tahiti Polynesia Handbook' will dispel many of the myths you may have heard about this far flung corner of the South Pacific. Stanley's first law of independent travel, is that " the more you spend, the less you experience". This holds true for Tahiti Polynesia as much as anywhere else. Why would you want to stay in a luxury hotel on Bora Bora, which merely creates Waikiki Beach for twice the price?Discover the real Polynesia: be amazed by the myriad colours at Papeete Market. Take 'Le Truck' to travel and meet the Tahitians at work and play. Adjust to island time by taking the slow boat to Moorea: experience the surreal majesty of Matavai Bay on departure and the awesome backdrop that is Mount Rotui as it looms above the deep green of Cook's Bay on arrival.All this and much more is detailed in the Tahiti-Polynesia Handbook. Where to go? What to see? What to do? How to get there? The introductory historical, socio-political, economic and environmental and even gastronomical chapters, answer all of the questions you could ever possibly ask about the islands of Polynesia. Subsequent chapters are full useful hints and tips, aircraft/boat and bus timetables, maps, illustrations, artistic impressions and quotations about this fascinating group of islands. There is also a sprinkling of excellent colour photographs, though more of these wouldn't come amiss!I was originally introduced to the South Pacific through Stanley's much larger volume, the South Pacific Handbook. The Tahiti Polynesia Handbook is small enough to fit into your backpack, yet light enough to avoid excess baggage charges! Having read the book, I now feel the urge to explore outer Polynesia in much greater depth. Names such as Huahine, Raiatea, Rapa Iti, Rangiroa and Fatu Hiva are now within MY reach.Leave the tourist hordes behind and become an independent traveller; experience Tahiti-Polynesia for yourself and get a copy of David Stanley's Tahiti-Polynesia Handbook.

Every love story has the plot that two people want each other but for some reason they can't have each other. In addition to that plot there must be another story and a background landscape that is interesting. In The Marriage of Loti the central love story concerns Loti and his 14 year old native wife, Rahahu. Loti is in the Navy and has to leave paradise. Rahahu has to stay. Hence the reason they can't have each other forever. It's sad, but it's true. It's true because the story is taken from Julien Viaud's (the real Pierre Loti) autobiographical notes. The landscape is also true including the portrayal of the court of Pomare IV, the last Queen of Tahiti. True even to the details of how the Queen is attended when she must answer the call of nature. The other story, and the one of little real interest, concerns Loti's search for the children of his brother, a quest that has a tacked on unreal quality. That story deserves little praise. But the book as a whole deserves great praise. In its day this book sold well, over 300,000 copies. Because of it, Loti was made a memeber of the French Academy and he was much praised as "a new Chateaubriand" and the "most original, the most delicate, and yet the most popular of contemporary French novelists." Loti's reputation has dwindled, but with the renewed interest in other cultures, especially the exotic cultures of the South Pacific, it may be due for a revival. I read this novel in three hours (185 pages plus several beautiful pictures drawn by Loti). When I had finished I was left with the feeling that I had read one of the great love stories of that time, one of the most sensitive descriptions of Polynesia, and the most sympathetic approach to the understanding of Tahiti ever done in the analogical matrix that we call fiction.