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Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft
"One of the great adventures of our time." --Life
"Am going to cross Pacific on a wooden raft to support a theory that the South Sea islands were peopled from Peru. Will you come? . . . Reply at once." That is how six brave and inquisitive men came to seek a dangerous path to test a scientific theory. On a primitive raft made of forty-foot balsa logs and named "Kon-Tiki" in honor of a legendary sun king, Thor Heyerdahl and five companions deliberately risked their lives to show that the ancient Peruvians could have made the 4,300-mile voyage to the Polynesian islands on a similar craft.
For three months, the bold young men made their way across the pacific at the complete mercy of the ocean. They encountered storms that threatened to tear their raft apart, whales large enough to sink them in the blink of an eye, and sharks ready to feast on any man unfortunate enough to fall overboard. In the true spirit of adventure, they held on until finally making landfall on a remote Polynesian island, proving Heyerdahl's theory possible after all.
On every page of this true chronicle--from the actual building of the raft through all the dangerous and comic adventures on the sea, to the spectacular crash landing and the native islanders' hula dances--each reader will find a wholesome and spellbinding escape from the twenty-first century.
"Am going to cross Pacific on a wooden raft to support a theory that the South Sea islands were peopled from Peru. Will you come? . . . Reply at once." That is how six brave and inquisitive men came to seek a dangerous path to test a scientific theory. On a primitive raft made of forty-foot balsa logs and named "Kon-Tiki" in honor of a legendary sun king, Thor Heyerdahl and five companions deliberately risked their lives to show that the ancient Peruvians could have made the 4,300-mile voyage to the Polynesian islands on a similar craft.
For three months, the bold young men made their way across the pacific at the complete mercy of the ocean. They encountered storms that threatened to tear their raft apart, whales large enough to sink them in the blink of an eye, and sharks ready to feast on any man unfortunate enough to fall overboard. In the true spirit of adventure, they held on until finally making landfall on a remote Polynesian island, proving Heyerdahl's theory possible after all.
On every page of this true chronicle--from the actual building of the raft through all the dangerous and comic adventures on the sea, to the spectacular crash landing and the native islanders' hula dances--each reader will find a wholesome and spellbinding escape from the twenty-first century.
304 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1948
1092 people are currently reading
28412 people want to read
About the author
Thor Heyerdahl
98 books304 followersThor Heyerdahl (October 6, 1914, Larvik, Norway – April 18, 2002, Colla Micheri, Italy) was a Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer with a scientific background in zoology and geography. Heyerdahl became notable for his Kon-Tiki expedition, in which he sailed 4,300 miles (8,000 km) by raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands. All his legendary expeditions are shown in the Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo.
Thor Heyerdahl was born in Larvik, the son of master brewer Thor Heyerdahl and his wife Alison Lyng. As a young child, Thor Heyerdahl showed a strong interest in zoology. He created a small museum in his childhood home, with a Vipera berus as the main attraction. He studied Zoology and Geography at University of Oslo. At the same time, he privately studied Polynesian culture and history, consulting what was then the world's largest private collection of books and papers on Polynesia, owned by Bjarne Kropelien, a wealthy wine merchant in Oslo. This collection was later purchased by the University of Oslo Library from Kropelien's heirs and was attached to the Kon-Tiki Museum research department. After seven terms and consultations with experts in Berlin, a project was developed and sponsored by his zoology professors, Kristine Bonnevie and Hjalmar Broch. He was to visit some isolated Pacific island groups and study how the local animals had found their way there. Just before sailing together to the Marquesas Islands in 1936, he married his first wife, Liv Coucheron-Torp (b. 1916), whom he had met shortly before enrolling at the University, and who had studied economics there. Though she is conspicuously absent from many of his papers and talks, Liv participated in nearly all of Thor's journeys, with the exception of the Kon-Tiki Expedition. The couple had two sons; Thor Jr and Bjørn. The marriage ended in divorce and in 1949 Thor Heyerdahl married Yvonne Dedekam-Simonsen. They in turn had three daughters; Annette, Marian and Helene Elisabeth. This marriage also ended in divorce, in 1969. In 1991 Thor Heyerdahl married for the third time, to Jacqueline Beer (b. 1932).
Thor Heyerdahl's grandson, Olav Heyerdahl, retraced his grandfather's Kon-Tiki voyage in 2006, as part of a six-member crew. The voyage, called the Tangaroa Expedition, was intended as a tribute to Thor Heyerdahl, as well as a means to monitor the Pacific Ocean's environment. A film about the voyage is in preparation.
--from Wikipedia
Thor Heyerdahl was born in Larvik, the son of master brewer Thor Heyerdahl and his wife Alison Lyng. As a young child, Thor Heyerdahl showed a strong interest in zoology. He created a small museum in his childhood home, with a Vipera berus as the main attraction. He studied Zoology and Geography at University of Oslo. At the same time, he privately studied Polynesian culture and history, consulting what was then the world's largest private collection of books and papers on Polynesia, owned by Bjarne Kropelien, a wealthy wine merchant in Oslo. This collection was later purchased by the University of Oslo Library from Kropelien's heirs and was attached to the Kon-Tiki Museum research department. After seven terms and consultations with experts in Berlin, a project was developed and sponsored by his zoology professors, Kristine Bonnevie and Hjalmar Broch. He was to visit some isolated Pacific island groups and study how the local animals had found their way there. Just before sailing together to the Marquesas Islands in 1936, he married his first wife, Liv Coucheron-Torp (b. 1916), whom he had met shortly before enrolling at the University, and who had studied economics there. Though she is conspicuously absent from many of his papers and talks, Liv participated in nearly all of Thor's journeys, with the exception of the Kon-Tiki Expedition. The couple had two sons; Thor Jr and Bjørn. The marriage ended in divorce and in 1949 Thor Heyerdahl married Yvonne Dedekam-Simonsen. They in turn had three daughters; Annette, Marian and Helene Elisabeth. This marriage also ended in divorce, in 1969. In 1991 Thor Heyerdahl married for the third time, to Jacqueline Beer (b. 1932).
Thor Heyerdahl's grandson, Olav Heyerdahl, retraced his grandfather's Kon-Tiki voyage in 2006, as part of a six-member crew. The voyage, called the Tangaroa Expedition, was intended as a tribute to Thor Heyerdahl, as well as a means to monitor the Pacific Ocean's environment. A film about the voyage is in preparation.
--from Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,596 reviews
February 23, 2013
Every Norwegian family we knew had a copy of this book on their shelves. I read it with much familial encouragement at an early age, mostly as a travel adventure, which it is, and not so much with any regard for the scientific hypothesis the author was testing. Aku-Aku followed soon thereafter.
In 1978, in the summer following seminary graduation, I was invited by mother to visit her in Oslo before moving from New York City back to Chicago. It was a great trip filled with many memorable events. One of them was revisiting the Kon-Tiki Museum there which I hadn't seen since the last time in Oslo at age ten. In the parking lot who should be standing there but Thor Heyerdahl himself? Although he was talking to another man, Mother interrupted them as if she knew him to introduce me to the great man as her son. Polite nothings were exchanged. He was very, very tall.
Did she know him? It's a small country.
Mom did know the former prime minister, Gro Harlam Brundtland, and once, walking down Karljohan, Oslo' main drag, with her boyfriend, she recognized, but couldn't exactly place, the portly gentleman walking his dogs in front of them--someone from Chicago, she thought. Anyway, she broke away from Egil, the boyfriend, and darted up to the old fellow, saying she recognized him, but, sadly, couldn't remember his name. "Perhaps, Madam, it is because I am your king," Kong Olav replied.
In 1978, in the summer following seminary graduation, I was invited by mother to visit her in Oslo before moving from New York City back to Chicago. It was a great trip filled with many memorable events. One of them was revisiting the Kon-Tiki Museum there which I hadn't seen since the last time in Oslo at age ten. In the parking lot who should be standing there but Thor Heyerdahl himself? Although he was talking to another man, Mother interrupted them as if she knew him to introduce me to the great man as her son. Polite nothings were exchanged. He was very, very tall.
Did she know him? It's a small country.
Mom did know the former prime minister, Gro Harlam Brundtland, and once, walking down Karljohan, Oslo' main drag, with her boyfriend, she recognized, but couldn't exactly place, the portly gentleman walking his dogs in front of them--someone from Chicago, she thought. Anyway, she broke away from Egil, the boyfriend, and darted up to the old fellow, saying she recognized him, but, sadly, couldn't remember his name. "Perhaps, Madam, it is because I am your king," Kong Olav replied.
February 13, 2019
We had a power outage with a winter storm the other day so I looked around my bookshelves and came across a book I was fascinated with many years ago and decided to read it again. The book is Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl. The hardcover book I have was published in 1950. It was given to me by my mother for my birthday in 1950. I read this book at least twice a year in the fifties and sixties, but somehow it got put aside. This book is one of the key items that helped me decide on a career in the sciences with secondary interest in archaeology and anthropology. Of course, early on I studied primarily marine sciences and biology.
The book is well written with lots of photographs. The voyage of the Kon-Tiki took place in 1947. The part I liked best was the descriptions of the sea life that came around the raft. This time I was more intrigued with how the raft functioned and how the ancient people of Peru came about to design it in a certain way and why they chose the certain woods they used. Many times, after reading a book that I had enjoyed, I no longer like it and wonder what I saw in it. But that is not the case with this book. I was as fascinated with my current reading as I was back in the 1950s. I did note that they saw no garbage and no plastics floating in the water. Today that is a big problem when sailing the oceans. If you are looking for a different adventure, give this book a try.
I read this as a hardcover book that is 308 pages. Published in 1950 by Rand McNally & Company.
The book is well written with lots of photographs. The voyage of the Kon-Tiki took place in 1947. The part I liked best was the descriptions of the sea life that came around the raft. This time I was more intrigued with how the raft functioned and how the ancient people of Peru came about to design it in a certain way and why they chose the certain woods they used. Many times, after reading a book that I had enjoyed, I no longer like it and wonder what I saw in it. But that is not the case with this book. I was as fascinated with my current reading as I was back in the 1950s. I did note that they saw no garbage and no plastics floating in the water. Today that is a big problem when sailing the oceans. If you are looking for a different adventure, give this book a try.
I read this as a hardcover book that is 308 pages. Published in 1950 by Rand McNally & Company.
May 23, 2025
Norwegians are so proud of this expedition and of Thor Heyerdahl that they dedicated the whole museum to in Oslo. And the expedition and the idea behind it were truly important, but the way Thor described it, unfortunately, has not passed the test of time. About the quarter of the book is a detailed report on their fishing in an open ocean. And those descriptions are very off-putting: killing dolphins and pretty much everything they could they hands on. I understand that they needed to eat during the journey, but the arrogant view on the nature as an unlimited source of food and entertainment is unacceptable in our days. The same old-fashioned views they had on native islanders, nothing racist though.
So, it’s of course good to know about this expedition but maybe not from the book written so long ago.
So, it’s of course good to know about this expedition but maybe not from the book written so long ago.
December 9, 2008
Is there a greater classic among adventure books than the reckless Thor Heyerdahl’s story about a 104 day long raft ride through the Pacific in 1947? It is just as crazy as it is heroic and makes your jaw drop everytime. The 6 men fighting the elements on a hand-made balsa wood vesel are at the mercy of the acient Gods of South America and the Pacific. Encounters with wonderful Verne-like creatures of the sea bring the Pacific to life. Squids and giant sharks are right under your feet, fish and octopus fly into your face daily. You just have to put your toothbrush in the water and a fish bites on it vehemently. Myths accompany the Scandinavian crew all the way, it’s an uplifting tale of a pursuit of dreams. Mandatory for armchair explorers. I am prepared to fight everyone who says it’s a children’s book.
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April 8, 2018
WOW!!! This book was recommended to me back in the 1950s by my favorite teacher, Mr. Bailey, who ttaught 8th grade in Paso Robles, CA. I remember going to the Paso Robles library and handling the book back then, but never reading it until now. It took me this long to become interested in seafaring stories. My first one was "The Wreck of the Mary Deare, which made me realize that books about the sea can be very entertaining. This book tops all.
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February 4, 2025The years haven't been kind to Thor Heyerdahl's thesis that Polynesia was first colonized by people from South America. Genetic, linguistic, and other lines of evidence suggest that the old, common sense assumption is true: the earliest human inhabitants of these islands migrated from Asia.
To his dying day, Heyerdahl refused to acknowledge any of the emerging evidence that contradicted his theory. It was a classic example of "belief perseverance," and a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming too attached to your own theories.
Nevertheless, I'd argue that Heyerdahl did make an important contribution to anthropology. The knee jerk objection to his theory was that Polynesia is much closer to Asia than South America, and that ancient South Americans never developed nautical technology sufficient to traverse that vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Heyerdahl proved not only that they could have done it, but that they could have done it rather easily.
He proved it by the most practical and definitive means possible. He built a balsa wood raft bound together with vines, on the model of vessels ancient Peruvians are known to have possessed. Then he sailed this craft, the famous Kon Tiki, from Peru to the Tuamotus Archipelago of Polynesia.
The voyage took 101 days. The Humbolt current carried them most of the way. There was no danger of starvation: fish literally leap up from the water to the deck to be harvested. Heyerdahl’s theory might have been wrong. But the most common objection to it was clearly wrong too.
Moreover, why did it have to be one or the other? Maybe ancient South Americans as well as Asians crossed the Pacific. Given the demonstrable ease with which they could have, it seems probable that occasionally they did—if only by accident, driven off course by storms and caught in the westward- flowing ocean currents. Even if native Polynesians are overwhelmingly of Asian descent, it doesn’t follow that they must be entirely of Asian descent. It’s possible that ancient South American explorers did leave a faint genetic and cultural mark on Polynesia. Heyerdahl’s theory might yet contain elements of truth.
Whatever the case, Kon Tiki is a thrilling story of true adventure. Thor Heyerdahl’s willingness to challenge conventional opinion no less than brave the hazards of the open Pacific makes for a most inspiring protagonist. Everyone with the slightest interest in anthropology or exploration should read this wonderful book.
To his dying day, Heyerdahl refused to acknowledge any of the emerging evidence that contradicted his theory. It was a classic example of "belief perseverance," and a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming too attached to your own theories.
Nevertheless, I'd argue that Heyerdahl did make an important contribution to anthropology. The knee jerk objection to his theory was that Polynesia is much closer to Asia than South America, and that ancient South Americans never developed nautical technology sufficient to traverse that vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Heyerdahl proved not only that they could have done it, but that they could have done it rather easily.
He proved it by the most practical and definitive means possible. He built a balsa wood raft bound together with vines, on the model of vessels ancient Peruvians are known to have possessed. Then he sailed this craft, the famous Kon Tiki, from Peru to the Tuamotus Archipelago of Polynesia.
The voyage took 101 days. The Humbolt current carried them most of the way. There was no danger of starvation: fish literally leap up from the water to the deck to be harvested. Heyerdahl’s theory might have been wrong. But the most common objection to it was clearly wrong too.
Moreover, why did it have to be one or the other? Maybe ancient South Americans as well as Asians crossed the Pacific. Given the demonstrable ease with which they could have, it seems probable that occasionally they did—if only by accident, driven off course by storms and caught in the westward- flowing ocean currents. Even if native Polynesians are overwhelmingly of Asian descent, it doesn’t follow that they must be entirely of Asian descent. It’s possible that ancient South American explorers did leave a faint genetic and cultural mark on Polynesia. Heyerdahl’s theory might yet contain elements of truth.
Whatever the case, Kon Tiki is a thrilling story of true adventure. Thor Heyerdahl’s willingness to challenge conventional opinion no less than brave the hazards of the open Pacific makes for a most inspiring protagonist. Everyone with the slightest interest in anthropology or exploration should read this wonderful book.
December 6, 2024
کتاب شرح سفر دریایی هیجانانگیز او و همراهانش با یک بَلها (قایق چوبی بومی) از آمریکای جنوبی است. این سفر، تلاش هیردال برای اثبات نظر خود مبنی بر اینکه پلینزیها میتوانستند از آمریکای جنوبی به پلینزی مهاجرت کنند، بدون استفاده از قایقهای پیشرفته، بود. هیردال و تیمش با الهام از قایقهای بومی آمریکای جنوبی، یک بَلها به نام کن-تیکی ساختند. این ساخت، با چالشها و مشکلات بسیاری همراه بود، زیرا ساخت چنین قایقی با مصالح و تکنولوژی محدود، نیازمند دانش و مهارت زیادی بود. سفر کن-تیکی از کالی، پرو آغاز شد و ماهها به طول انجامید. آنها با امواج سهمگین، طوفانهای شدید، کمبود آب و غذا، و مواجهه با گونههای مختلف حیات دریایی روبرو شدند. در این سفر مهارت های دریانوردی و توانایی آنها در زنده ماندن در شرایط سخت به نمایش درآمد. مضرات فیزیکی و روانی سفر بر روی اعضا نیز تاثیر گذاشته است. با وجود همه سختی ها، کن-تیکی به مقصد رسید و سفر با موفقیت به پایان رسید. این سفر، تا حدی از دیدگاه هیردال، نظریهٔ او را تایید کرد و نشان داد که مهاجرت از آمریکای جنوبی به پلینزی با استفاده از قایقهای ساده، امکانپذیر بود.
کتاب نه تنها شرح یک سفر دریایی است، بلکه تصویر حیاتی از تجربیات شخصی هیردال و همراهانش را نیز ارائه میدهد. عشق به ماجراجویی، همبستگی اعضای تیم، و برخورد با چالشها و مخاطرات، نقش مهمی در کتاب ایفا میکند.
کتاب نه تنها شرح یک سفر دریایی است، بلکه تصویر حیاتی از تجربیات شخصی هیردال و همراهانش را نیز ارائه میدهد. عشق به ماجراجویی، همبستگی اعضای تیم، و برخورد با چالشها و مخاطرات، نقش مهمی در کتاب ایفا میکند.
October 26, 2024
I was completely overwhelmed. I sank down on my knees and thrust my fingers deep down into the dry warm sand. The voyage was over. We were all alive. We had run ashore on a small uninhabited South Sea Island. And what an Island!
Kon-Tiki was a fascinating read. In 1947, the author, Thor Heyerdahl, and five other guys sailed on a raft made of 9 large balsam wood logs from Peru to the South Pacific Islands. The journey and the story Heyerdahl tells is absolutely amazing.
The trials of conquering the ocean and Mother Nature, all the creatures and marine life they encountered, and the life lessons they learned about themselves and each other is unforgettable. This is a perfect book that allowed me as a reader to live vicariously. I will never be going to the South Pacific in my life but I partially feel like I’ve been there now after experiencing this book.
5 stars all the way. A great read!
Kon-Tiki was a fascinating read. In 1947, the author, Thor Heyerdahl, and five other guys sailed on a raft made of 9 large balsam wood logs from Peru to the South Pacific Islands. The journey and the story Heyerdahl tells is absolutely amazing.
The trials of conquering the ocean and Mother Nature, all the creatures and marine life they encountered, and the life lessons they learned about themselves and each other is unforgettable. This is a perfect book that allowed me as a reader to live vicariously. I will never be going to the South Pacific in my life but I partially feel like I’ve been there now after experiencing this book.
5 stars all the way. A great read!
December 5, 2019
From memory: 4Stars - I really liked it
As an early teenager, I attended a small boarding school (actually a junior seminary😇) where we suffered enforced silence during meals for most days of the week. During these meals, students, on rotation, would read aloud from a 'sacred' book, most often the "Lives of the Saints"🙄, or the like, or a 'suitable' novel. I remember very clearly that I was fascinated by and very much enjoyed "Kon-Tiki". I won't listen to it or read it again, because it has a special place in my memory, but what a great story and a very suitable novel it was!
As an early teenager, I attended a small boarding school (actually a junior seminary😇) where we suffered enforced silence during meals for most days of the week. During these meals, students, on rotation, would read aloud from a 'sacred' book, most often the "Lives of the Saints"🙄, or the like, or a 'suitable' novel. I remember very clearly that I was fascinated by and very much enjoyed "Kon-Tiki". I won't listen to it or read it again, because it has a special place in my memory, but what a great story and a very suitable novel it was!
February 27, 2019
Read this one a long long time ago. Heyerdahl was hero then. I wanted to go to the islands, too.
Subsequently revised my perception of Thor credibility, but remained interested in ancient sea travel.
***
Fascinated by earliest watercraft. Believe they were much more useful to earliest humans than taught in schools, as Sapiens explored and settled the world. Here's link about 'rafts.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Col...
quoting Wiki - "The antiquity of the use of sea-going rafts by the people of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian coasts has not been established as ancient balsa wood rafts have left few archaeological traces, but it appears that a maritime trading system from southern Colombia to northern Chile was established by about 100 BCE."
"The sudden adoption of metallurgy in the civilizations of Mexico about 800 CE has led archaeologists to conclude that the technology was introduced, most likely by sea-going rafts, from the Ecuadorian coast of South America where metallurgy had been practiced for hundreds of years. Later advances in metallurgy in Mexico after 1200 CE resembled the metallurgy of the Chincha in Peru."
***
Tried Heyerdahl's "Early Man and the Ocean." Quite disappointed by his beliefs. Four stars seems generous now for Kon-Tiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_He...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Subsequently revised my perception of Thor credibility, but remained interested in ancient sea travel.
***
Fascinated by earliest watercraft. Believe they were much more useful to earliest humans than taught in schools, as Sapiens explored and settled the world. Here's link about 'rafts.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Col...
quoting Wiki - "The antiquity of the use of sea-going rafts by the people of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian coasts has not been established as ancient balsa wood rafts have left few archaeological traces, but it appears that a maritime trading system from southern Colombia to northern Chile was established by about 100 BCE."
"The sudden adoption of metallurgy in the civilizations of Mexico about 800 CE has led archaeologists to conclude that the technology was introduced, most likely by sea-going rafts, from the Ecuadorian coast of South America where metallurgy had been practiced for hundreds of years. Later advances in metallurgy in Mexico after 1200 CE resembled the metallurgy of the Chincha in Peru."
***
Tried Heyerdahl's "Early Man and the Ocean." Quite disappointed by his beliefs. Four stars seems generous now for Kon-Tiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_He...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
March 23, 2008
A crazy man with a migration theory tries to convince his Scandinavian buddies to float across the Pacific with him on a balsa wood raft in order to give credence to the theory. As they value adventure more than their lives, they are persuaded to join.
Follow his trail from the conception of the theory to the felling of the balsa wood trees, and from the launching of the craft to its disastrous landing on a fragile South Pacific island.
This is the story of Thor Heyerdahl's original voyage. He would later go on to write a large tome about his ideas (probably not available at you local library) and build and test several other primitive watercraft to prove that people could have gone from here to there in vessels you would probably trust less than a rubber raft.
Follow his trail from the conception of the theory to the felling of the balsa wood trees, and from the launching of the craft to its disastrous landing on a fragile South Pacific island.
This is the story of Thor Heyerdahl's original voyage. He would later go on to write a large tome about his ideas (probably not available at you local library) and build and test several other primitive watercraft to prove that people could have gone from here to there in vessels you would probably trust less than a rubber raft.
July 16, 2018
This is a highly entertaining account of a man willing to risk everything to prove his theory correct. The book is colorful and full of humorous accounts of the authors adventures through South America and across the Pacific. The book is full of great detail, but in the end it drags on a bit and I struggled to finish it.
September 1, 2013
This was one of my boyhood books that inspired me to be adventurous, to think the unthinkable, to push beyond the usual.
January 18, 2022
9 out of 10
Kon-Tiki is a book about six men going on an expedition on a balsa raft from Peru to the Polynesian Islands. The author is a man named Thor Heyerdahl. Thor was interested in Polynesian culture. He had a theory that it was possible to sail from Peru to the Polynesian Islands on a balsa raft without sinking. He gathered five other men for his crew and started the complicated process of actually building the balsa raft.
SPOILERS
I’m not sure why I started reading this book. I had it on my shelves and I picked it up, looked at the cover, and decided that I wanted to read it. I’m glad that I read it. I learned a lot about Polynesian culture and a lot of sea terminology. This book was a little intimidating to read, because of the prose, and the constant discussion of different cultures, but it was explained very simply, and added to the experience. The description of sailing on this raft, despite all of its hardships, made me want to go out and experience something of the sort myself.
Overall, this was a thoroughly entertaining adventure book with wonderful, immersive descriptions of nature. I wasn’t a huge fan of some disturbing elements of this book (like the head-shrinking scenes (you’ll know if you've read this book)) but learning about these cultures was very interesting. Some things seem grotesque to us but are normal for many cultures around the world. But overall, I had a really good time reading this book, I’d definitely recommend it. This book has the best descriptions of an ocean voyage I’ve ever seen.
Kon-Tiki is a book about six men going on an expedition on a balsa raft from Peru to the Polynesian Islands. The author is a man named Thor Heyerdahl. Thor was interested in Polynesian culture. He had a theory that it was possible to sail from Peru to the Polynesian Islands on a balsa raft without sinking. He gathered five other men for his crew and started the complicated process of actually building the balsa raft.
SPOILERS
I’m not sure why I started reading this book. I had it on my shelves and I picked it up, looked at the cover, and decided that I wanted to read it. I’m glad that I read it. I learned a lot about Polynesian culture and a lot of sea terminology. This book was a little intimidating to read, because of the prose, and the constant discussion of different cultures, but it was explained very simply, and added to the experience. The description of sailing on this raft, despite all of its hardships, made me want to go out and experience something of the sort myself.
Overall, this was a thoroughly entertaining adventure book with wonderful, immersive descriptions of nature. I wasn’t a huge fan of some disturbing elements of this book (like the head-shrinking scenes (you’ll know if you've read this book)) but learning about these cultures was very interesting. Some things seem grotesque to us but are normal for many cultures around the world. But overall, I had a really good time reading this book, I’d definitely recommend it. This book has the best descriptions of an ocean voyage I’ve ever seen.
August 11, 2024
Наче ожила морська енциклопедія
Моя друга книга дослідника Тура Геєрдала і який же це був кайф! Починаючи від затятої віри норвежця у те, що острови Полінезії заселили люди, які не прийшли з Азії, а перепливли тисячі кілометрів плотами з Перу, до навертання інших, що це можна довести, якщо просто повторити цю подорож. Угу, просто. На плоті. Тисячі кілометрів у океані. Звісно, просто.
Шість людей, збудований бальсовий пліт, радіообладнання, запаси їжі, води, журнальних вимірювань і безмежжя Тихого океану попереду. Скажений ефект присутності для читача і моя глибока подяка, що дослідники поділилися цим досвідом зі мною – людиною, яка ніколи його не матиме.
У цій книзі цікаве все, але найбільше мене вражав оцей побут шістьох чоловіків на плоту, яким разом треба пливти 3-4 місяці, перш ніж вони за розрахунками пристануть до землі.
«Найпершим завданням кока вранці було визбирати смачні летючі рибки, які нападали на палубу за ніч.»
Уявіть собі ситуацію. Ви вночі прокинулися попісяти, обережно оминаєте пятьох супутників, щоб не потривожити їхній сон, але у якийсь момент їх усіх будять ваші гучні матюки, бо вам по обличчю раптом прилітаю летюча риба, що у цей момент вистрибнула з води!
Тут і приручений крабик, який оселився серед колод, і рибки лоцмали, який весь час супроводжували пліт, і перша страхітлива зустріч з китовою акулою, коли цей вид ще не був навіть описаний, і падіння за борт, і алгоритм виловлювання тунців, мокрелей і акул, і страшні шторми, і зміни підводних течій, і нерівна боротьба з прибережними хвилями, і фотографії на згадку. Під час цієї подорожі тільки дивуєшся скільки усього автор встиг емпірично відкрити, скільки теорій спростувати. Так, наприклад, пересвідчилися, що кальмари також вміють вистрибувати з води, а кокоси у морській воді псуються (відповідно без людської допомоги перепливати океан не могли).
Я з цією книгою знову відчувала дитячий захват, наче вперше читала роману Жуля Верна або залипала на передачі National Geographic про життя акул і китів (до речі, надихнулася і в youtube кілька відео таки подивилася). Мені потрібно більше перекладених книг Тура Геєрдала!
Моя друга книга дослідника Тура Геєрдала і який же це був кайф! Починаючи від затятої віри норвежця у те, що острови Полінезії заселили люди, які не прийшли з Азії, а перепливли тисячі кілометрів плотами з Перу, до навертання інших, що це можна довести, якщо просто повторити цю подорож. Угу, просто. На плоті. Тисячі кілометрів у океані. Звісно, просто.
Шість людей, збудований бальсовий пліт, радіообладнання, запаси їжі, води, журнальних вимірювань і безмежжя Тихого океану попереду. Скажений ефект присутності для читача і моя глибока подяка, що дослідники поділилися цим досвідом зі мною – людиною, яка ніколи його не матиме.
У цій книзі цікаве все, але найбільше мене вражав оцей побут шістьох чоловіків на плоту, яким разом треба пливти 3-4 місяці, перш ніж вони за розрахунками пристануть до землі.
«Найпершим завданням кока вранці було визбирати смачні летючі рибки, які нападали на палубу за ніч.»
Уявіть собі ситуацію. Ви вночі прокинулися попісяти, обережно оминаєте пятьох супутників, щоб не потривожити їхній сон, але у якийсь момент їх усіх будять ваші гучні матюки, бо вам по обличчю раптом прилітаю летюча риба, що у цей момент вистрибнула з води!
Тут і приручений крабик, який оселився серед колод, і рибки лоцмали, який весь час супроводжували пліт, і перша страхітлива зустріч з китовою акулою, коли цей вид ще не був навіть описаний, і падіння за борт, і алгоритм виловлювання тунців, мокрелей і акул, і страшні шторми, і зміни підводних течій, і нерівна боротьба з прибережними хвилями, і фотографії на згадку. Під час цієї подорожі тільки дивуєшся скільки усього автор встиг емпірично відкрити, скільки теорій спростувати. Так, наприклад, пересвідчилися, що кальмари також вміють вистрибувати з води, а кокоси у морській воді псуються (відповідно без людської допомоги перепливати океан не могли).
Я з цією книгою знову відчувала дитячий захват, наче вперше читала роману Жуля Верна або залипала на передачі National Geographic про життя акул і китів (до речі, надихнулася і в youtube кілька відео таки подивилася). Мені потрібно більше перекладених книг Тура Геєрдала!
December 22, 2022
I read this as a child and remembered almost nothing from it, so it was time for a reread.
Not all of you might know about the then-famous voyage Heyerdahl and five other men made on a raft built in the ancient Pervuian style. Heyerdahl was convinced that it was Peruvians who first settled in part of Polynesian, so set out to prove that the voyage could be made using those rafts and did just that. He did put in a very short appendix pointing out that this did not prove his long unpopular theory. However, an DNA study published in 2020 does show that there are some South American indigenous genes as well as some from coastal people in British Columbia. This doesn't surprise me in the least since it wasn't as unusual for coastal peoples do roam the seas as it has been made out.
Back to the book. Heyerdahl starts with planning the voyage, getting financial backing and that sort of thing, then moves to their travels in South America in order to get balsa logs and other natural supplies to build the raft etc. Much of the book is about the voyage itself, and just the last chapter or so is about them actually being in Polynesia. The book isn't dry and I found it interesting, particularly since this was in 1947 and the only technology they brought along were 2 cameras (yes, there are b & w photos in the book),a couple of short wave radios and a way to cook food even though they could have eaten the fish raw.
There are some intense survival scenes in this book, but much of it is about life and navigating on the raft, their adventures with fish and so on and so forth.
Not all of you might know about the then-famous voyage Heyerdahl and five other men made on a raft built in the ancient Pervuian style. Heyerdahl was convinced that it was Peruvians who first settled in part of Polynesian, so set out to prove that the voyage could be made using those rafts and did just that. He did put in a very short appendix pointing out that this did not prove his long unpopular theory. However, an DNA study published in 2020 does show that there are some South American indigenous genes as well as some from coastal people in British Columbia. This doesn't surprise me in the least since it wasn't as unusual for coastal peoples do roam the seas as it has been made out.
Back to the book. Heyerdahl starts with planning the voyage, getting financial backing and that sort of thing, then moves to their travels in South America in order to get balsa logs and other natural supplies to build the raft etc. Much of the book is about the voyage itself, and just the last chapter or so is about them actually being in Polynesia. The book isn't dry and I found it interesting, particularly since this was in 1947 and the only technology they brought along were 2 cameras (yes, there are b & w photos in the book),a couple of short wave radios and a way to cook food even though they could have eaten the fish raw.
There are some intense survival scenes in this book, but much of it is about life and navigating on the raft, their adventures with fish and so on and so forth.
October 11, 2018
ولتضف لعلمك علة أخرى قد تدفع الرجال لشد الرحال
"ثور هايردال، بطل الرحلة"
هي قصة حقيقية، عن متخصص أعراق نرويجي قضى حياته يجمع أدلة على فكرة سيطرت عليه منذ فجر شبابه، وهي أن الحضارات القديمة ربما قد تكون قد انتشرت نتيجة لرحلات بحرية قامت بها الشعوب البدائية عبر البحار والمحيطات،
وأحد تجليات أفكاره أن وجد تشابها بين حضارات امريكا الجنوبية وجزر المحيط الهادئ، فافترض أن حضارة الأخيرة مصدرها الأولى تماما كما تقول أساطيرهم المحلية عن الأسلاف وهو عكس الفكرة السائدة وقتها بأن أهل جزر المحيط الهادئ قد أتوا من آسيا
استدل هايردال بالزعيم كون تيكي الذي اختفى من بيرو ثم ظهرت آثاره كإله في جزر الهندي�� وحاجج الطرف الآخر بأن أهل الجنوب لم يملكوا سوى الأطواف الخشبية التي لا يمكنها قطع كل تلك المسافة في المحيط الهاديء الهائج
ولكن التماثيل الحجرية في جزيرة ايستر بالمحيط الهاديء تشبه التماثيل القديمة في أمريكا الجنوبية، كما أن الأساطير المحلية تتطابق مع
أفكاره ونظرياته التي تراوده
فكان هذا كافيا ليضع هايردال حياته على المحك فوق طوف مطابق لما امتلكه اهل الجنوب، وأبحر من بيرو مع خمس رجال وببغاء قاصدين الغرب
"مسار رحلة كون تيكي، ثمانية آلاف كيلو متر"
"المعجزة التي حملتهم"
لقد كان هايردال من ��لنوع الذي يصدق في نفسه كثيرا، فصدقه الناس من حوله واقتنعوا بمساعدته حتى وإن لم يستطيعوا تبيان مصير كل هذا الحماس الذي لديه
***
القصة بسيطة وسردها متسلسل بوضوح في أسلوب أدبي مشوق لحد احساسك بأنك العضو السابع فوق طوفهم المتواضع،
الترجمة جيدة وسلسة
"ثور هايردال، بطل الرحلة"
هي قصة حقيقية، عن متخصص أعراق نرويجي قضى حياته يجمع أدلة على فكرة سيطرت عليه منذ فجر شبابه، وهي أن الحضارات القديمة ربما قد تكون قد انتشرت نتيجة لرحلات بحرية قامت بها الشعوب البدائية عبر البحار والمحيطات،
وأحد تجليات أفكاره أن وجد تشابها بين حضارات امريكا الجنوبية وجزر المحيط الهادئ، فافترض أن حضارة الأخيرة مصدرها الأولى تماما كما تقول أساطيرهم المحلية عن الأسلاف وهو عكس الفكرة السائدة وقتها بأن أهل جزر المحيط الهادئ قد أتوا من آسيا
استدل هايردال بالزعيم كون تيكي الذي اختفى من بيرو ثم ظهرت آثاره كإله في جزر الهندي�� وحاجج الطرف الآخر بأن أهل الجنوب لم يملكوا سوى الأطواف الخشبية التي لا يمكنها قطع كل تلك المسافة في المحيط الهاديء الهائج
ولكن التماثيل الحجرية في جزيرة ايستر بالمحيط الهاديء تشبه التماثيل القديمة في أمريكا الجنوبية، كما أن الأساطير المحلية تتطابق مع
أفكاره ونظرياته التي تراوده
فكان هذا كافيا ليضع هايردال حياته على المحك فوق طوف مطابق لما امتلكه اهل الجنوب، وأبحر من بيرو مع خمس رجال وببغاء قاصدين الغرب
"مسار رحلة كون تيكي، ثمانية آلاف كيلو متر"
"المعجزة التي حملتهم"
لقد كان هايردال من ��لنوع الذي يصدق في نفسه كثيرا، فصدقه الناس من حوله واقتنعوا بمساعدته حتى وإن لم يستطيعوا تبيان مصير كل هذا الحماس الذي لديه
***
القصة بسيطة وسردها متسلسل بوضوح في أسلوب أدبي مشوق لحد احساسك بأنك العضو السابع فوق طوفهم المتواضع،
الترجمة جيدة وسلسة
April 14, 2022
ثور هیدال کاشف و انسانشناس نروژی اعتقاد داشت قبایل پلینیز با کلک از میان دریاها عبور کردهاند و در جزایر آمریکای جنوبی و جزایر اقیانوس آرام ساکن شدهاند ولی از آنجا که همه تئوری او را غیر ممکن میدانستند وی تصمیم به کار کردن روی نطریه خود گرفت.شش ملوان استخدام کرد و با ساخت کلکی با شش الوار از درخت بالزا راهی این سفر طولانی شد و ...
ادامشو خودتون بخونید
البته اگر به کتابهای سیاحتنامهای علاقمند هستید!
ادامشو خودتون بخونید
البته اگر به کتابهای سیاحتنامهای علاقمند هستید!
November 25, 2022
Every reader can be an explorer. Maybe even more true for us writers!
When I read this extraordinary book as a junior in high school, finally I became excited about the prospect of exploration.
More recently, having discovered "Big History," more than ever, I honor Thor Heyerdahl's vision, heart, and adventurousness.
When I read this extraordinary book as a junior in high school, finally I became excited about the prospect of exploration.
More recently, having discovered "Big History," more than ever, I honor Thor Heyerdahl's vision, heart, and adventurousness.
March 15, 2019
still one of the great epics of sea faring told by the really last viking. every time in Oslo i pay respect and go and sea the akon Tiki
July 11, 2024
Only the elements mattered. And the elements seemed to ignore the little raft. Or perhaps they accepted it as a natural object, which did not break the harmony of the sea but adapted itself to current and sea like bird and fish. Instead of being a fearsome enemy, flinging itself at us, the elements had become a reliable friend which steadily and surely helped us onward.
I don't think i've ever had much respect for explorer/adventurer types. I’m not saying thats a good thing it just is. There always seems like it took a lot of people to get the one or two you’ve heard of where they wanted to go. Plus the use of natives for african/mountain expeditions is practically cheating ;) . Even with the arctic expeditions lets face it the huskies were doing most of the heavy lifting :P .
Anyway... these guys i can respect... because they’re idiots! I mean, not only no natives who might know what they’re doing but they don’t even have any sailors at all on they’re experimental sea voyage. Just 6 crazy scandanavians on a type of raft that hasn’t been used for hundreds of years.
I love that this is experimental archeaology, and as always with that, they learn a lot of interesting stuff no one knew before.
The writing is far better than i expected too. For non-fiction it has aquite a flourish to it at times. Some of the incidents might be a little truncated compared to what you might get in a hollywoodized version but its still very compelling.
In fact i havn’t read anything which made the oceans sound this interesting since Verne and 20,000 Leagues... except this is real!
For long stretches it seems like this was far easier a voyage than you might expect but then here and there you realise just how close it all came to disaster. I also reallu like how much science stuff was being done onboard, testing different things, sending data to various institutes etc.
Its like a space mission at times, in more ways than one, as it soon becomes apparent that the raft can’t be turned araound or even slowed, so anything thing (or anyone) that goes overboard is just going to drift away with no chance of rescue, very space like.
Due to how well its written i was already on 4 stars, then raised it to 5 due to all the info i was getting i hadn’t heard before. And that was even before many of the really compelling incidents occurred so absolutely 5 stars.
PS. They don't eat any Dolphins. They keep referring to the Doradoe, aka Mahi Mahi, aka the dolphinfish as a Dolpin, that was annoying, its just a fish :lol . Although they are pretty beligerant to some of the other aquatic life, but not Dolphins!
Edit: New research might support Thor's theory https://sciencenorway.no/archaeology-... .
I don't think i've ever had much respect for explorer/adventurer types. I’m not saying thats a good thing it just is. There always seems like it took a lot of people to get the one or two you’ve heard of where they wanted to go. Plus the use of natives for african/mountain expeditions is practically cheating ;) . Even with the arctic expeditions lets face it the huskies were doing most of the heavy lifting :P .
Anyway... these guys i can respect... because they’re idiots! I mean, not only no natives who might know what they’re doing but they don’t even have any sailors at all on they’re experimental sea voyage. Just 6 crazy scandanavians on a type of raft that hasn’t been used for hundreds of years.
I love that this is experimental archeaology, and as always with that, they learn a lot of interesting stuff no one knew before.
The writing is far better than i expected too. For non-fiction it has aquite a flourish to it at times. Some of the incidents might be a little truncated compared to what you might get in a hollywoodized version but its still very compelling.
In fact i havn’t read anything which made the oceans sound this interesting since Verne and 20,000 Leagues... except this is real!
For long stretches it seems like this was far easier a voyage than you might expect but then here and there you realise just how close it all came to disaster. I also reallu like how much science stuff was being done onboard, testing different things, sending data to various institutes etc.
Its like a space mission at times, in more ways than one, as it soon becomes apparent that the raft can’t be turned araound or even slowed, so anything thing (or anyone) that goes overboard is just going to drift away with no chance of rescue, very space like.
Due to how well its written i was already on 4 stars, then raised it to 5 due to all the info i was getting i hadn’t heard before. And that was even before many of the really compelling incidents occurred so absolutely 5 stars.
PS. They don't eat any Dolphins. They keep referring to the Doradoe, aka Mahi Mahi, aka the dolphinfish as a Dolpin, that was annoying, its just a fish :lol . Although they are pretty beligerant to some of the other aquatic life, but not Dolphins!
Edit: New research might support Thor's theory https://sciencenorway.no/archaeology-... .
July 13, 2010
Super fun read, great travel book.
Favorite passage:
"Sometimes, too, we went out in the rubber boat to look at ourselves by night. Coal-black seas towered up on all sides, and a glittering myriad of tropical stars drew a faint reflection from plankton in the water. The world was simple - stars in the darkness. Whether it was 1947 BC or AD suddenly became of no significance. We lived, and that we felt with alert intensity. We realized that life had been full for men before the technical age also - in fact, fuller and richer in many ways than the life of modern man. Time and evolution somehow ceased to exist; all that was real and that mattered were the same today as they had always been and would always be. We were swallowed up in the absolute common measure of history - endless unbroken darkness under a swarm of stars."
Favorite passage:
"Sometimes, too, we went out in the rubber boat to look at ourselves by night. Coal-black seas towered up on all sides, and a glittering myriad of tropical stars drew a faint reflection from plankton in the water. The world was simple - stars in the darkness. Whether it was 1947 BC or AD suddenly became of no significance. We lived, and that we felt with alert intensity. We realized that life had been full for men before the technical age also - in fact, fuller and richer in many ways than the life of modern man. Time and evolution somehow ceased to exist; all that was real and that mattered were the same today as they had always been and would always be. We were swallowed up in the absolute common measure of history - endless unbroken darkness under a swarm of stars."
March 23, 2022
In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl along with five other men journeyed by raft across the Pacific Ocean from Peru to the Polynesian Islands. This historic voyage is documented in Heyerdahl's book Kon-Tiki. The raft was named Kon-Tiki after an Inca god and Heyerdahl believed that people from South America could have reached Polynesia during pre-Columbian times. His aim in mounting the Kon-Tiki expedition was to show, by using only the materials and technologies available to those people at the time, that there were no technical reasons to prevent them from having done so. Although the expedition carried some modern equipment, such as a radio, watches, charts, sextant, and metal knives, Heyerdahl argued they were incidental to the purpose of proving that the raft itself could make the journey.
This was really a great adventure story. I have always admired explorers and adventurers who set out into the unknown putting themselves in peril. The raft did make it all the way to Raroia, a large atoll in the Pacific. Along the way, the men on the raft were able to survive some unlikely adventures and were able to use the spoils of the sea to sustain themselves. Every morning the crew gathered up flying fish which they used as food and also as bait for other fish including dolphin (the fish not the mammal), shark, tuna, bonito, and others. I had never heard of the dolphin fish and at first thought they were eating Flipper's kin. However, I looked it up on google and the dolphin fish is also called Mahi-mahi which I am familiar with. I know that it is a very good seafood. They also encountered a whale shark, the largest fish known, large squid, eels, and an ugly fish called a snake mackerel (Latin name Gempylus) that jumped on board one night into one of the crew's sleeping bag.
The book also detailed Heyerdahl's theory about Polynesia being populated from South America. He describes many of the ruins in South America and how they compare to what is in Polynesia. This includes the stone monoliths on Easter Island and other statues as well as the pyramids found in both places. A rather convincing argument. (Heyerdahl also later traveled to Easter Island and wrote another memoir about his discoveries there called Aku-Aku . I read this one back in the 70s and I probably should give it a reread.)
Overall, a really interesting and educational read. Although the Kon-Tiki raft did crash on a reef, it was salvaged and now resides in a museum in Norway.
This was really a great adventure story. I have always admired explorers and adventurers who set out into the unknown putting themselves in peril. The raft did make it all the way to Raroia, a large atoll in the Pacific. Along the way, the men on the raft were able to survive some unlikely adventures and were able to use the spoils of the sea to sustain themselves. Every morning the crew gathered up flying fish which they used as food and also as bait for other fish including dolphin (the fish not the mammal), shark, tuna, bonito, and others. I had never heard of the dolphin fish and at first thought they were eating Flipper's kin. However, I looked it up on google and the dolphin fish is also called Mahi-mahi which I am familiar with. I know that it is a very good seafood. They also encountered a whale shark, the largest fish known, large squid, eels, and an ugly fish called a snake mackerel (Latin name Gempylus) that jumped on board one night into one of the crew's sleeping bag.
The book also detailed Heyerdahl's theory about Polynesia being populated from South America. He describes many of the ruins in South America and how they compare to what is in Polynesia. This includes the stone monoliths on Easter Island and other statues as well as the pyramids found in both places. A rather convincing argument. (Heyerdahl also later traveled to Easter Island and wrote another memoir about his discoveries there called Aku-Aku . I read this one back in the 70s and I probably should give it a reread.)
Overall, a really interesting and educational read. Although the Kon-Tiki raft did crash on a reef, it was salvaged and now resides in a museum in Norway.
May 6, 2015
I read this in school and hated it. My tastes in reading are quite different now and I think I might reread this. Now I think it looks interesting.
January 28, 2022
كتاب مذهل وممتع جدا
تعرفت على Thor Heyerdahl من كتابات أنيس منصور
وعرفت قصة كون تيكي من كتاب أعجب الرحلات في التاريخ
لذا عندما وقعت عيناي على الكتاب ده قررت شراؤوه بلا تردد
وكأننى كنت الرجل السابع على متن الطوف
فكرة الكتاب عن عالم أجناس بشرية وكان يريد إثبات أن أهل جزر المحيط الهادي قد هاجروا من أمريكا الجنوبية وليس من آسيا كما كان شائعا
فقرر السفر من أمريكا الجنوبية لجزر المحيط الهادي على طوف من خشب البالسا كما فعل أهل جزر المحيط منذ آلوف السنين
ونال الفيلم التسجيلى الخاص بالرحلة جائزة الأوسكار لأحسن فيلم تسجيلي عام 1951
وأنتج أيضا فيلم عام 2012 بنفس الاسم وهو أضخم إنتاج في السينما النرويجية على الإطلاق ونال ترشيحاً للأوسكارعن فئة أفضل فيلم أجنبي
June 2, 2022
I came across this book and it brought back a memory of a high school history class. The teacher talked about the author and his story, for all of about 15 minutes. Then told the class "If you want to learn more, read the book." of course, I did not. Actually I am glad I read it now, I probably would not have appreciated the adventure, as much, back then.
In 1947 Thor Heyerdahl set off with 5 other men, departing Peru on a raft built from specs written and drawn down by Spanish conquistadores He was attempting to prove his theory that The Polynesian islands were first settled by South Americans.
Heyerdahl believed that people from South America could have reached Polynesia during pre-Columbian times. His aim in mounting the Kon-Tiki expedition was to show, by using only the materials and technologies available to those people at the time, that there were no technical reasons to prevent them from having done so. Although the expedition carried some modern equipment, such as a radio, watches, charts, sextant, and metal knives, Heyerdahl argued they were incidental to the purpose of proving that the raft itself could make the journey.
In building the raft and preparing for this crazy journey (remember this is 1947, everyone thought he was cuckoo😜) Heyerdahl enlisted help from wherever he could get it. He took privately funded loans and accepted donations from the U.S. Army (food rations and new technology for war that needed field testing).
The story reads more like a fiction adventure, and I loved it.
Heyerdahl's hypothesis of the original Polynesian peoples being from South America is rejected now days. Genetics has aided in proving his theory wrong. However, the man had bones of steel to attempt this journey and I salute him!
In 1947 Thor Heyerdahl set off with 5 other men, departing Peru on a raft built from specs written and drawn down by Spanish conquistadores He was attempting to prove his theory that The Polynesian islands were first settled by South Americans.
Heyerdahl believed that people from South America could have reached Polynesia during pre-Columbian times. His aim in mounting the Kon-Tiki expedition was to show, by using only the materials and technologies available to those people at the time, that there were no technical reasons to prevent them from having done so. Although the expedition carried some modern equipment, such as a radio, watches, charts, sextant, and metal knives, Heyerdahl argued they were incidental to the purpose of proving that the raft itself could make the journey.
In building the raft and preparing for this crazy journey (remember this is 1947, everyone thought he was cuckoo😜) Heyerdahl enlisted help from wherever he could get it. He took privately funded loans and accepted donations from the U.S. Army (food rations and new technology for war that needed field testing).
The story reads more like a fiction adventure, and I loved it.
Heyerdahl's hypothesis of the original Polynesian peoples being from South America is rejected now days. Genetics has aided in proving his theory wrong. However, the man had bones of steel to attempt this journey and I salute him!
February 12, 2008
When nobody believed his theory that the Polynesian islands were settled by travelers from Peru because they had no boats, Thor set out to prove his theory by building his own raft ala early Peruvian civilization and sailing across the Pacific. What amazed me was his determination and optimism. When naval officials inspected the raft prior to departure and insisted he was sailing off to his eminent death and he abort, instead of being discouraged or fearful, Thor was confident his expedition would succeed because his predecessors had.
Call it faith or stupidity, everything fell into place from finding the perfect group of 5 men to join his travel to cutting through government red tape and getting funding and supplies. Even the one seemingly setback where they could not find anyone to supply the balsa logs so they entered the jungle and cut them down themselves ended up being for their benefit when the fresh logs, still containing sap, keep the raft floating longer than dry logs would have.
There adventures on the open water including catching shark, hitting storms, and observing strange ocean life were very interesting and their knowledge, skills, and most of all spirit of adventure amazed me. But it's not all page-turning excitement. There were parts of the book that dragged, parts that found me asleep in the middle of a chapter. I'm glad I read the account, but overall, I think it is a book that would intrigue my husband more and I have recommended that he read it.
Call it faith or stupidity, everything fell into place from finding the perfect group of 5 men to join his travel to cutting through government red tape and getting funding and supplies. Even the one seemingly setback where they could not find anyone to supply the balsa logs so they entered the jungle and cut them down themselves ended up being for their benefit when the fresh logs, still containing sap, keep the raft floating longer than dry logs would have.
There adventures on the open water including catching shark, hitting storms, and observing strange ocean life were very interesting and their knowledge, skills, and most of all spirit of adventure amazed me. But it's not all page-turning excitement. There were parts of the book that dragged, parts that found me asleep in the middle of a chapter. I'm glad I read the account, but overall, I think it is a book that would intrigue my husband more and I have recommended that he read it.
March 10, 2019
‘SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE IN FATE, OTHERS DON’T. I DO, and I don’t. It may seem at times as if invisible fingers move us about like puppets on strings. But for sure, we are not born to be dragged along. We can grab the strings ourselves and adjust our course at every crossroad, or take off at any little trail into the unknown.’
‘ONCE IN A WHILE YOU FIND YOURSELF IN AN odd situation. You get into it by degrees and in the most natural way but, when you are right in the midst of it, you are suddenly astonished and ask yourself how in the world it all came about....
...
So, perhaps, the whole thing began. So began, in any case, a whole series of events which finally landed the six of us and a green parrot on board a raft off the coast of South America.
I remember how I shocked my father and amazed my mother and my friends when I came back to Norway and handed over my glass jars of beetles and fish from Fatu Hiva to the University Zoological Museum. I wanted to give up animal studies and tackle primitive peoples. The unsolved mysteries of the South Seas had fascinated me. There must be a rational solution of them, and I had made my objective the identification of the legendary hero Tiki.’
‘ONCE IN A WHILE YOU FIND YOURSELF IN AN odd situation. You get into it by degrees and in the most natural way but, when you are right in the midst of it, you are suddenly astonished and ask yourself how in the world it all came about....
...
So, perhaps, the whole thing began. So began, in any case, a whole series of events which finally landed the six of us and a green parrot on board a raft off the coast of South America.
I remember how I shocked my father and amazed my mother and my friends when I came back to Norway and handed over my glass jars of beetles and fish from Fatu Hiva to the University Zoological Museum. I wanted to give up animal studies and tackle primitive peoples. The unsolved mysteries of the South Seas had fascinated me. There must be a rational solution of them, and I had made my objective the identification of the legendary hero Tiki.’
June 19, 2007
Part of this book was included in my sixth grade literature reader. After we read it, I swore that I was going to find it and read the whole thing. I finally did, but not until I was about 23 or so!
At any rate, it's a story so inspiring, one man's dreams and theories put to the test, I think everyone should read it. Makes me want to sale across the ocean on a big raft!!
At any rate, it's a story so inspiring, one man's dreams and theories put to the test, I think everyone should read it. Makes me want to sale across the ocean on a big raft!!
August 21, 2022
A book that was hard to put down.
Thor explains in his memoirs how he and several other enthusiasts managed to cross the Pacific on a small raft and survive. I could compare it to "The Old Man and the Sea", but on steroids. It's really worth reading it. Apart from his anthropological theories, which some consider unproven, the contact with Polynesian culture was very refreshing.
Thor explains in his memoirs how he and several other enthusiasts managed to cross the Pacific on a small raft and survive. I could compare it to "The Old Man and the Sea", but on steroids. It's really worth reading it. Apart from his anthropological theories, which some consider unproven, the contact with Polynesian culture was very refreshing.
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