A Review of The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost

When I first heard of The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost, I thought that it would be an exciting, amorous romp through lands inhabited only by man-eating tribes of savages. I could not be more wrong. This book is about the transition of the author and his wife Sylvia to the remote island of Tarawa in the island nation of Kiribati after living in the metropolitan United States for a period of time.

Though I was admittedly disappointed when I reached the last page and realized that there had been almost no talk of sex (much less cannibal sex!) in the book whatsoever, what the book offers is much more rewarding. For example, I had never heard of Kiribati before picking up this book. I had no idea of the conditions of an island nation such as Kiribati, and I was appalled and amazed by the mistreatment and hardiness of the Kiribati people, respectively.

The author chronicles the two years that he and his wife spent on Tarawa, especially the times when Western culture crossed paths with island life. For example, when the Macarena was the only song heard on the island for weeks, and when the Clinton sex scandal rocked the Western world and the author had no opportunity to be informed of what had happened.

Chapters in the book alternate, more or less, between describing island life and then describing the history of the island nation of Kiribati and its people. This is a good layout for the book, as it makes the reader feel as if he or she is spending time on Tarawa and gradually learning about the history and culture of the I-Kiribati.

The writing style is unpretentious and the author frequently berates himself and his decisions. This is not to say that it is an entirely self-depricating work, but reading the story of two years of someone's life could be agonizing if the author is too self-centered. Troost is not.

If you are interested in reading about life in the Equatorial Pacific, learning about a little-known culture, or simply finding some light summer reading, consider The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost. This book is sure to entertain, educate, and enlighten.