Synopses & Reviews
The bestselling author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals recounts his latest hilarious misadventures in the South Pacific, following in the footsteps of his unlikely idol, Robert Louis Stevenson
Readers and critics alike adore J. Maarten Troost for his signature wry and witty take on the adventure memoir. Hailed by Entertainment Weekly as a funny, candid, and down-to-earth travel companion,” Troosts bestselling debut, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, is an enduring favorite about life in the South Seas.
Headhunters on My Doorstep chronicles Troosts return to the South Pacific after his struggle with alcoholism and time in rehab left him numb to life. Deciding to retrace the path once traveled by the author of Treasure Island, Troost follows Robert Louis Stevenson to the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, Tahiti, the Gilberts, and Samoa, tumbling from one comic misadventure to another as he confronts his newfound sobriety.
Somewhere en route from the shark-infested waters of Fakarava to the remote islands of Kiribati, Troost gradually awakens to the beauty of life and reconnects with his family and the world. Headhunters on My Doorstep is a funny yet poignant account of one mans journey to find himself that will captivate travel writing aficionados, Robert Louis Stevenson fans, and anyone who has ever lost his way.
Review
"Exuberant."
—The New York Times Book Review
“A splendid travel memoir.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“A rambunctious, intimate trip well worth the armchair time.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Troost is a new generations answer to Bill Bryson.”
—BookPage
“Troost displays a level of sophistication rarely found in travel writing. His humor is spot on, and one needs humor when reading about the loss of indigenous culture in the Marquesas, the urban sprawl of Tahiti, and the notion that Kiribati as a nation may soon be subsumed by the Pacific Ocean. Acquire this book by any means possible.”
—Library Journal
“[Troost] crafts exquisite paragraphs that capture the seductive beauty of the islands”
—National Geographic Traveler
Review
“Exuberant.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“Like Bill Bryson, Troost deftly combines humor, commentary, and education…A splendid travel memoir.”
—Booklist, Starred Review
“Evocative, funny…Troost is an excellent travel narrator, clever, bold, and full of captivating visual details. His personal story of recovery is also powerfully told and will surely resonate with many readers.”
—PublishersWeekly.com
“Maarten Troost…has done it again: he has created a masterful travelogue that is informative, funny, and introspective; authors are fortunate if they can accomplish any one of those three feats. . . . If you don't enjoy this book there is something wrong with you. Troost displays a level of sophistication rarely found in travel writing. His humor is spot on, and one needs humor when reading about the loss of indigenous culture in the Marquesas, the urban sprawl of Tahiti, and the notion that Kiribati as a nation may soon be subsumed by the Pacific Ocean. Acquire this book by any means possible.”
—Library Journal
“[Troost] crafts exquisite paragraphs that capture the seductive beauty of the islands… laugh-out-loud wit…Troost is an insightful guide, who can see beyond the superficial shimmer to the complexities underneath…a celebration of persistence.”
—National Geographic Traveler
“Troosts language rings true. The author candidly, humorously probes the nether regions of his addiction along with the temptations he encountered during his journey. . . . Troosts sly wit permeates the narrative, propelling his saga out of the ranks of many recovery memoirs. . . . A rambunctious, intimate trip well worth the armchair time.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
Review
A Conversation with J. Maarten Troost
What is it about the South Pacific that draws you back?
Have you ever wanted to escape, to fall off the map and disappear for a good long while? Me too. No place in the world elicits that kind of draw than an island in the South Seas. Its where I go when Im looking for a little dissonance in my life, a place to turn down the white noise of continental life and replace it with something more elemental. Like sharks. And long sea journeys. And sublime beauty. And all the other things that get your senses humming.
Also, having written two books about the region, I liked the idea of completing a South Pacific trilogy. It makes me feel like, I dont know, a real man now.
You followed in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson. Why him? Have you read his books?
Stevenson has long been peripheral to my life, just hovering in the margins. It seemed like no matter where I washed up, whether on the islands of Kiribati or the Central Coast of California, I was somehow following in his footsteps. But it wasnt until I started reading him that I decided to explicitly follow Stevenson. I liked how he described the early books on the South Pacific. He called them sugar candy sham epics. This dude can write, I thought. And then, the more I read of him - the more I began to immerse myself in his world - the more I felt like I was communing with some kind of soul brother. He does what all the great writers do, which is to make you feel like youre not alone.
What was it like going back to Kiribati?
Really trippy. At low tide, it seemed like nothing had changed since I lived there, which is remarkable really. Elsewhere in the world, the pace of change seems to have accelerated to warp speed. Kiribati, however, resides elsewhere in the space-time continuum, in a place where the movement of a turtle would be regarded as swift and reckless. At high tide, however, it is apparent that everything has changed. The islands are sinking. In a few years, Kiribati will be no more. And that is very sad.
Did it hurt getting a tattoo?
Not enough. I now look upon my body as a canvas, which is just so wrong when youre over forty.
So you used to be a drunk. Discuss.
Yes, it turns out Im an alcoholic. Yay for me. As far as I can tell, my story is pretty typical - a long period of fun with the drink, followed by a long period where the drinking became habitual and progressively less fun, followed by my world basically collapsing on account of my boozing, which was no fun at all. On the upside, as far as diseases go, this is a pretty good one to get. All you need to do is stop drinking and its amazing how much better your life gets. No chemo, no amputations of limbs, no painful injections. On the downside, quitting drinking can be devilishly hard for alcoholics. Not long after I finished my South Pacific travels I found myself at a literary festival in France, where I blithely accepted a glass of champagne and opened up that Pandoras box all over again. Sigh. How I envy those with allergies to gluten and peanuts. But it is what it is and theres nothing to do but to be honest about it, pick yourself up, and take it one day at a time.
Do you have any advice or resources for those who are looking to quit drinking?
There are as many paths to recovery as there are alcoholics. But generally, what works for most people is some combination of meetings with like-minded souls, exercise, yoga, meditation, and a healthy diet. But I like what Stephen King had to say about alcoholism. He called it the Liars Disease. Boozers and junkies are reflexive liars. And theyre really good at it. Being honest is pretty much the foundation of sobriety.
You talk about replacing drinking with running. Do you still run?
Yes, running remains important to me. I mix it up with Bikram Yoga, but I still get a kick out of going for a long run and not dying of a cardiac event.
There sure are some funny names for islands in the South Pacific. What is your favorite name and why?
In my home, Fakarava never fails to elicit snorts and giggles.
You discuss collecting native artwork. What is your most prized possession?
I have a large clay and bark mask from the island of Malekula in Vanuatu. Its gaze is one of devilish delight, like it knows the answer to a great cosmic riddle and it cant help but laugh.
Review
“Troosts language rings true. The author candidly, humorously probes the nether regions of his addiction along with the temptations he encountered during his journey. . . . Troosts sly wit permeates the narrative, propelling his saga out of the ranks of many recovery memoirs. . . . A rambunctious, intimate trip well worth the armchair time.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
Synopsis
Follow in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson with J. Maarten Troost, the bestselling author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals.
Readers and critics alike adore J. Maarten Troost for his signature wry and witty take on the adventure memoir.Headhunters on My Doorstepchronicles Troost s return to the South Pacific after his struggle with alcoholism left him numb to life. Deciding to retrace the path once traveled by the author ofTreasure Island, Troost follows Robert Louis Stevenson to the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, Tahiti, Kiribati, and Samoa, tumbling from one comic misadventure to another. Headhunters on My Doorstepis a funny yet poignant account of one man s journey to find himself that will captivate travel writing aficionados, Robert Louis Stevenson fans, and anyone who has ever lost his way."
About the Author
J. Maarten Troost was a consultant for the World Bank and has lived in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Canada, Kiribati, Fiji, and Vanuatu, among other exotic locations before settling down near Washington, D.C.