Kon-Tiki Mass Market Paperback – May 14, 2013

I made some Mormons angry over my reviews of books that defend the Book of Mormon, and they have been slamming my reviews. Your "helpful" votes are appreciated. ThanksOn Kon-Tiki: I absolutely got lost in this magnificent adventure. Nevertheless, Heyerdahl's theory that civilization was spread around the world by some lost white race is simply bogus racism. Still, I enjoyed all his books, including "The Ra Expeditions," and "Aku-Aku."It is sad to think that Heyerdahl's career as a fearless adventurer is marred by his zealous devotion to a dated idea. Yes, Peruvian Indians could have crossed the Pacific, but it is more likely that contact came from the other way. At any rate, Heyerdahl manufactured the archaeological evidence he found on Easter Island.In the July 2002 issue of the "Smithsonian Magazine," Richard Conniff demonstrated that Heyerdahl actually paid the natives to make reed-boats relics (Kon Artist?" was the title). "A good story," said Conniff, "can be so compelling that teller and subject become entrapped together in its charms...." (p. 28). This astute observation could apply to novels claimed to be actual history, and anyone interested in the Book of Mormon should give it long thought.Heyerdahl wrote about Pedro Pate, an Easter Islander and how Pate found a two-masted reed boat in a cave. Conniff wrote: "I showed Pate a two-page photograph of the reed boat from Heyerdahl's book, and he grinned. He'd carved the boat himself, he said. Dubious, I offered him $100 to carve such a boat now, 37 years later, and he accepted." "A few days later, he presented me with the 18-inch-long reed boat he had carved. It was as good as the one in the book" (p. 29).In "The Ancient American Civilizations," Friedrich Katz asked some very hard questions of Heyerdahl's theory."If the Polynesians really do come from America, why do their chronicles record the exact opposite direction, naming South-East Asia as their place of origin? Why is their language first and foremost related to South-Asiatic and Malayan languages? Finally, as Trimborn remarked, 'Were not the Polynesian Vikings, rather than the Indians, not the sailors who crossed the high seas?'" (p. 18).Heyerdahl should also be criticized for playing word games, selecting a word here and there, but ignoring the whole language. Many linguists criticized this erroneous method of relating two ancient peoples. See Robert Wauchope's magnificent little book, "Lost Tribes and Sunken Continents: Myth and Method in the Study of the American Indians." See my review. Lost Tribes and Sunken Continents Myth Method in theMormon writers frequently cite Heyerdahl because he proved that ancient voyages across the oceans were possible--an idea going back hundreds of years and not new with Heyerdahl. Very few scholars ever denied that such ancient voyages were possible.But ah, there's the rub, as Hamlet said. If they occurred, what would be the effect on an entrenched native culture? The Book of Mormon has ancient voyages (the Jaredites were supposed have crossed the ocean on a 344-day voyage in eight submarines in about 2,000 BC). It is primarily about the great civilizations the Jaredites and Nephites established in the Americas.Robert Sharer summarizes the modern state of knowledge in his heavy and authoritative book, "The Ancient Maya." Sharer writes:"After more than a century of gathering and analyzing archaeological evidence, we have discovered nothing to support the idea of intervention by people from the Old World." "This is not to say that accidental contacts between the Old and New World peoples could not have occurred before the age of European exploration" (p. 6)."On the basis of the available evidence, then, the courses of cultural development in the New and Old Worlds seem clearly independent of each other and devoid of significant contact until 1492" (intro., p. 7).The ancient Maya civilization, Sharer continues, "are to be `explained' not as a product of transplanted Old World civilization, but as the result of the processes that underlie the growth of any culture, including those that develop the kind of complexity we call civilization.""The idea, which either explicitly or implicitly asserts that the peoples of the New World were incapable of shaping their own destiny or developing sophisticated cultures independently of Old World influence, is still popular in quarters.""But this is but one more popular myth devoid of fact, for the evidence points unmistakably toward the evolution of civilization in the New World independently of developments in the Old World." See Sharer's book and my review. The Ancient Maya, 6th EditionNone of these serious criticisms of the claims of Mormons or of Heyerdahl's theories, however, should detract from Heyerdahl's great adventures. His accounts of his raft voyages are breathless and compelling reading.For a masterful telling of Polynesian history (especially about Easter Island) by a scholar with a Moari heritage, read the essential book "Vikings of the Pacific," by Peter H. Buck. Click here to read my review:Vikings of the Pacific

I read a kids version in 1963 and thought the story was really neat this obviously goes into more detail and is hard to put down Everything from the political and search for money in the beginning to getting the logs to building the raft. The story of the trip and how they had to learn to sail the raft and their adventures during the tripI found it hard to put downA great read I highly recommend this book.

Heyerdahl was either extremely ignorant of the sea, completely sure of his hypothesis that ancient peoples traveled the sea in rafts, or both.I worked offshore, and couldn't imagine doing what Heyerdahl did. I've spent my life on the water and the sea just has never been so forgiving in my case. To build a raft for the first time without testing it first against the sea was just madness. But to put out, without the technology we have today, that was just ballsy.In the end, history proved him right, over and over again. Heyerdahl is a man who certainly knows how to put his money where his mouth is. If you want to know about the spirit of those who have the faith to really lean on their convictions, this is a great book.-H

I haven't seen the Hollywood movie yet, maybe I will in time but I did watch the original documentary after reading the book and was so glad I waited. It never fails the book is sooooo much better than anything they can put on film, even if it's the actual footage of the event that was written of such as the documentary. For example in the documentary you see them trying to make landfall once across the Pacific and then you see them after they're on land. But in the book? Good gosh I about wet myself turning pages not even wanting to stop long enough to get up and take a leak his account of what they went through is downright riveting. I got this on a whim after hearing Alan Watts refer to it in an old talk and so glad I did. It's a great tale and an easy read, I'm not that fast of a reader and got through it in a few sittings. I highly recommend.

I’m glad that I discovered this book by accident. I read this book a few years back when I was in high school and it was unlike any other adventure book I have read since then. Every high school student should read this book because it encourages young people to make their own adventures and take necessary risks.

Like astronauts in a capsule, a truly great adventure. For me still a gripping story fifty two years after the first reading. The influence throughout my life both conscious and unconscious has been a tremendous impact. “Every man dies, few ever live.” DMFD

I was very pleased that I stumbled across this book and thoroughly recommend it. In terms of history and the movement of people the book is very important. The idea that the Polynesian islands were populated solely from Asia had to be re-thought after this unbelieveable journey was made, even history books had to be re-written. Before the incredible journey was taken not many poeple thought it possible that a raft could leave the west coast of S.America and reach the polynesian islands solely by nature alone ie current and wind. Most people excepted what scientists wrote ,that is the polynesian islands were populated from the west side of the Pacific(asia)only and no native South Ameicans could have made such a journey especially before technology came into play. But these men had done there homework on sea currents,weather patterns(winds) and construction of the raft, which was constructed using the same materials as they had used in inca times.If you want an insight into how ancient peoples risked everything by sailing into the unknown this is the book for you,its compelling stuff.

I first read this book in high school in 1964. It was even more interesting and exciting in my rereading. I also saw the picture and although very good the book is even better. John Pecoraro