The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific

J. Maarten Troost narrates his two-year stint living on the remote atoll of Tarawa in the Republic of Kiribati. After following his girlfriend to her international aid assignment, Troost encounters the harsh realities of life in a developing island nation, far removed from tropical vacation fantasies. He details the relentless heat, the lack of drinkable water, and the pervasive sound of Macarena playing on repeat. The narrative focuses on the logistical chaos of the South Pacific, including the failure of local infrastructure, the abundance of stray dogs, and the environmental degradation caused by rising sea levels and pollution.

Travelers and expatriates read this memoir to understand the friction between Western expectations and the reality of isolated island living. It appeals to those interested in the cultural nuances of Micronesia and the practical difficulties of sustainability in the equatorial Pacific. Readers finish the book with a cynical yet humorous perspective on global development and a clear-eyed view of how modern waste and overpopulation affect the most remote corners of the world. It serves as a grounded antidote to idealized narratives of escaping to paradise.

Practical and clear-cut; an easy read.

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