Read any good books lately [Book Club]

I will start this off. I don't think that I have seen information about different books that pertain to tiki. A review of book in question from friends and experts. Or questions to which books are out there on certain topics.

I would like to know if there are any good books, probably a well rounded book on Maori weapons and other oceanic weapons with many detail shots on different angles?
BK, can you help me out with this, you seem to have a good source.

I just picked up Meyers' book and this book is worth the asking price five times over (which would then just be retail). I has peaked my interest greatly.

check out this book, it must be good.

tiki art

On 2006-09-11 18:10, teaKEY wrote:

I would like to know if there are any good books, probably a well rounded book on Maori weapons and other oceanic weapons with many detail shots on different angles?

Maori Weapons in Pre-European New Zealand

The Meyer book is great, I think mine was about NZ$80 or so, I delve into it all the time. Another dirt cheap encyclopedia-sized one is Arts of the South Seas, incredible value for a massive hardback full of great source images.

Check here http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=17724&forum=6

Here's a few coolio Tiki-ish book's I've just read;

"The Happy Isles of Oceana" by Paul Theroux,

who finds out that those islands aren't so hap-hap-happy after all. He tries to tour every major Polynesian Locale with his take-along kayak, it's mostly a real life travelogue by a good writer for once. Highlights; meeting the king of Tonga, spending a week in the most expensive hotel in Waikiki, and then trying to beachcomb at 1/1000th the cost of the hotel.

"Tattoo Traditions of Hawaii" Tricia Allen,

who has almost sold out the first edition of her book. She should have included more of her own designs, but that might be too pushy. If you want to get a copy, get one fast. Hey, does anybody out there have a Tricia Allen tattoo?

and the immortal

"Gidgety Goes Hawaiian" by Fred Kohner

which is basically a tour of Kaiser's Hawaiian Village, the surf scene, folk music, kissin' and makin up in 1961. It's so Tiki; awash in Missionary's Downfalls and draining salt water from your ears. Perfect fall reading - my wife stayed up late to read it in one sitting, and she never does that.

I am luck enough to have a 3 from Tricia Allen. She is a wonderful woman and a great artist. I was gonna post a link to her book but ya beat me to it.

Here is a link to her sight:

http://tattootraditions.alohaworld.com/tattootraditions/index.htm

She just added the 2nd part of a 3 part tattoo. First part was when I got married. It is a turtle with a tiki face on it's shell. I just added another small turtle to commemorate the birth of my first son. And there is more room to add the finishing touches when I have another child. I would post a pic but she told me not to - all of her work is original and she said "if ya put it on the web, someone is gonna copy it!"

I was talking to Tricia about TC and she had never heard of it. Was gonna send her a link but haven't yet (did I mention the baby boy - lotsa work)

She was talking of the interesting people that she had worked on lately and although I have never met him she apparently did a tat for the infamous Otto Van Stroheim.

I am gonna start a new Tricia Allen thread as well as sending her an invitation to join our lil community. More to follow....

mg

I see that Beachbum berry's book (say that couple times fast). Is over to the side. I was thinking that I might want to buy one of the drink books. Theirs Entoxica (something like that) and Grog LOg. I found out that the log was a few years before the other. Whcih one is the book to get? Or is buying both the way too go? Is there over lap in the books or is one completely different from the other? And if I wasn't going to go out and make the drinks right away, is there a read aside from the drink making part?

I would get both if I truly need both.

If you're just getting into the Beachbum's books, I'd recommend starting with the GROG LOG. If you enjoy it, INTOXICA should follow, then TABOO TABLE (which is mostly cooking, but does have a section of drinks--including the Mai Kai's "Barrel O'Rum").

Judging by his Mixology seminar at Hukilau 2006, his upcoming book SIPPIN' SAFARI should be an outstanding compendium of tales behind the mixologists as well as drink recipes.

Personally I don't think you can go wrong with any of 'em! If you're at all interested in starting down the path to learning some amazing drink recipes and/or being constantly fixated on your local liquor store's specials... there's no better place to begin.

Cheers,
Rupe

PS - the 3 books are all completely different, no overlap (except for different versions of recipes, like 2 separate Zombie formulas I think)...

There are stories in them, but they're fairly short - these are more along the lines of cookbooks. There's also a strong opening where different types of liquors are discussed in an effort to help guide your quest. You could sit and read the stories in a short time... but then you'd be really thirsty! Recommended reading for home, not on the commute (unless there's a tiki bar on the way).

~Rupe

Thanks that helps, so its now Grog or both. Do you know if I can't find the exact brand of alcohol, are there alternate ones mentioned in the book.

[ Edited by: teaKEY 2006-11-16 14:53 ]

is the Mai Kai's "Barrel O'Rum a good drink and do you have the recipe?

The Mai Kai's Barrel O'Rum is indeed a good drink - actually, it's a great drink! The recipe is in TABOO TABLE, so I'll not repost it here. As far as the recipes... there are not always alternate ingredients available. The Bum specifies fairly specific types of rums for things (e.g. Dark Jamaican Rum, Demerara, etc.) so there's some leeway with the brands in that regard.

Check out the Grog Log - it'll set you on the path!

Cheers,
Rupe

I have always been a reference book hound. I have tons of James Bond books and Cocktail Books. A few years ago there was a little surge of the Polynesian flare that took over the Pottery Barn store and that is when I bough the ultimate tropical intel book "Book of Tiki/Tiki Style" and it was just a great find. I just found this forum today and already linked over to Amazon and spent $170 on some more cocktail books....I think this place is going to drain my bank account. LOL

I don't know if anyone has posted this, but I have lots of great Egyptian stuff from Toscano and of course the Polynesian goodies. http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=6&forum=1&start=last Check out the Exotic Faire the South Seas section.

Just started Gary Y. Okihiro's Island World, A History Of Hawai'i And The United States, 2008, and so far I am very impressed.