The Kon-Tiki Expedition

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft | Thor Heyerdahl

pick

This was my #BookSpin for this month, a book I've been meaning to read for years! It was one of Dad's favorites when he was a kid, and while it was dry in places, I can still see the appeal for 12-year-old Dad, who went on to become an engineer haha

In the 40s, the author, who was living on a Polynesian island at the time, theorized that instead of those islands being originally populated from Asia, the could have come from South America. He ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) based his theory on many oral traditions and stories of the native people he had met. Determined to prove that it was at least a possibility, he and five others built a raft out of balsa logs, using only materials that would have been available at the time, and actually did sail from Peru to a Polynesian island just east of Tahiti - 4300 nautical miles in 101 days. They were mostly carried by trade winds and the Humboldt Current. ⬇ 2y

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) Since this book was published, this theory has fallen out of favor, because genetic testing has shown that “most“ of the native people of Polynesia did have ancestors from Asia. However, even the article I read that was incredibly dismissive of Heyerdahl, both as a person and of his theory, admitted that genetic testing had also shown that that some people were descended from South Americans as well. I'm a little confused as to why it ⬇ 2y

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) can't be both, but I'm just a layman haha This book was published in 1950 so there are a few things that jar with modern sensibilities, but for the most part Heyerdahl has a great respect for the native peoples both in Peru and the Polynesian islands. As a story, this is great fun, even if the author does tend to somehow make even very exciting moments a little dry - just collecting the logs for the raft was quite the adventure! ⬇ 2y

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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) This is a bit of a soft pick. It was fun to read and it's honestly crazy that they did this at all, but it didn't become my new favorite or anything.

#Booked2022 - Involves Exploration @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaratheBibliophage
#RoaringWolf - Beach @Roary47 @Littlewolf1
#MtTBR
#BookSpinBingo 2y

Roary47 I‘m interested in this collecting logs scene now. Great job! 🥰💛 2y

5feet.of.fury I‘m always fascinated by how people went about trying to figure things out before modern science as we know it. 2y

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Texreader

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft | Thor Heyerdahl

The Kon-Tiki Museum on Bygdøy island is so awesome, seeing how Thor Heyerdahl proved he could cross the Pacific Ocean using only materials available to the ancients. Norway has many adventurers and heroes and Heyerdahl was just such a marvelous human being. In the 5th grade my son made a realistic replica of this raft from a shoebox & gave a speech at school as if he were Heyerdahl. ❤️#foodandlit #Norway @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger @AnneCecilie

Butterfinger That is so cool. 4y

tpixie How creative of your son! 4y

Catsandbooks Impressive! 4y

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Texreader @tpixie We worked together on it but he by far did the most on it (I was logistical support) and he is definitely a problem-solver so it came out astoundingly well done. We tea-dyed an old T-shirt and ripped it to shreds and he wore shorts and flip flops to look like he‘d just crossed the Atlantic and welcomed the audience in Norwegian. I‘m still a very proud mom four years later! 4y

Lizpixie We learnt about this at school in Australia as well. I remember reading the book and being fascinated at how he managed the high seas in such a flimsy craft! 4y

KathyWheeler I read Kon-Tiki when I was young and so wanted to do what he did when I grew up. 4y

Chrissyreadit We loved Learning about this when my kids were young. It was part of their homeschool curriculum. Your sons project sounds amazing. 4y

tpixie @Texreader you both are so creative!! Great memories!!! 4y

KCofKaysville Loved Kon-tiki about 5 years ago. @Texreader 4y

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TheAromaofBooks

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft | Thor Heyerdahl

Well here is my #BookSpinBingo list!! It's the usual mix of things I've been meaning to reread, old Kindle books, and random books I have had forever, like the tagged title. 21-25 are books from old #BookSpin lists that I still haven't read!!

AllisonM89 Love Uprooted!! 4y

TheAromaofBooks @AllisonM89 - Me too!! It's one that I've been meaning to reread but never seem to get to it, so I threw it on the list!!! 4y

AllisonM89 @TheAromaofBooks i want to reread Spinning Silver. I was really disappointed by it (and i later LOVED Uprooted), but it might just be because I read it immediately after the Winternight Trilogy and NOTHING can compare. .. 4y

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TheAromaofBooks @AllisonM89 - I didn't care for Spinning Silver nearly as much for a variety of reasons, the main one being that it was a very downbeat story, and I'm an upbeat story kind of girl haha I do want to reread it sometime though because I think I might appreciate it more now that I kind of know what to expect. 4y

AllisonM89 @TheAromaofBooks interesting - i thought i was just the odd one who didn't love Spinning Silver nearly as much 😂 4y

TheAromaofBooks @AllisonM89 - I've found that people seem to really like either one or the other. They either think Spinning Silver is the stronger story & Uprooted is a little too fluffy, or (like me) they think Spinning Silver is a little too dark to be a really enjoyable story & prefer the happy ending of Uprooted haha 4y

Catherine_Willoughby @TheAromaofBooks when do we need the list ? Monday or 1st July? 4y

TheAromaofBooks @Catherine_Willoughby - Any time before I draw the numbers, so basically by bedtime on July 1, as I draw first thing in the morning July 2 (although it's probably not first thing in the morning where you are haha) 4y

Catherine_Willoughby @TheAromaofBooks perfect. Have 16 books written down so far 4y

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erzascarletbookgasm

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft | Thor Heyerdahl

This is the story of the astonishing journey by raft across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands, led by Norwegian explorer-writer Thor Heyerdahl in 1947. Their only modern equipment is a radio, and they must navigate using the stars and ocean currents. After 3 exhausting months at sea, they achieve their goal. Not read the book but I‘ve watched the documentary film, a great retelling of the #daringadventure . #augustabc

Eggs

KathyWheeler I‘ve read the book several times — I was obsessed with it when I was younger. 5y

JanuarieTimewalker13 I think I saw the film 5y

Eggs Great choice 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 5y

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Erofan

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft | Thor Heyerdahl

Maybe I should leave everything and go somewhere on the raft... 🚣🌊🏖🏝 #KonTiki

Violetta That's certainly not so romantic as it sounds 😁 6y

Erofan @Violetta Perhaps the raft will be in the pool in a luxury Spa hotel! 😋 6y

Violetta @Erofan Much better, huh 😎🍹 6y

kaysworld1 @Erofan swing by the UK and pick me up on that raft! Don't forget the tequila and books 🤷 6y

Erofan @kaysworld1 Ho-Ho-Ho! All aboard! 🍻 6y

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WhiskeyMistress

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft | Thor Heyerdahl

#YAwednesday #nonfiction day! Read this as a youngster and have loved it ever since. Such an awesome adventure story, and an inspiration to #dreambig!

TheFunkyBookworm I‘ve never heard of this one! I‘ll have to check it out! Thanks! 6y

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Texreader

Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft | Thor Heyerdahl

Spent many many hours building this with my fifth grade son for his Meeting of the Minds event where he will portray Thor Heyerdahl. We were fortunate to have photos of the real thing from the museum in Oslo to use to guide us. What do you think? Some of the items (Island paraphernalia) are from the inside of the box where he has items that represent Thor's personality. 🇳🇴

398.2 Looks like he ACED it. Good Job! 8y

LeahBergen Wow!! That's amazing. 👏🏻👏🏻 8y

britt_brooke Awesome! 👏🏻👍🏻 8y

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kylienoele That's amazing!! 8y

CherylDeFranceschi Aw some! 👏👏 8y

Graciouswarriorprincess Cool!👍🏻❤ 8y

drokka Very nice! 8y

Texreader @britt_brooke @398.2 @LeahBergen @kylienoele @CherylDeFranceschi @Graciouswarriorprincess Thanks my Litsy friends! While my 10-year old is also an avid reader, my heart sings when he spends hours doing something that is not a video game. He's a great problem solver when given the opportunity. ❤️ 8y

Texreader @drokka Thank you! But it'd sink. 😂😬 still mighty proud of him! 8y

drokka Have any of those packing air packs? I don't know if it would hold for long though lol 8y

Texreader @drokka Probably not but darned cool idea. Well we won't be setting sail...um...ever with this one! 😁 8y

Megabooks I think it's amazing ! 👍🏻👍🏻 8y

Texreader @Ebooksandcooks Thank you so much!! 8y

Larkken Wow! Nice job! 8y

Cinfhen Awesome!!! 8y

Bookzombie This is awesome! Great job! 8y

Texreader @britt_brooke @398.2 @LeahBergen @kylienoele @CherylDeFranceschi @Graciouswarriorprincess @drokka @Ebooksandcooks @Larkken @Cinfhen @bookzombie So results today: it was "amazing" said his teacher. But he was the only kid to go "overboard" on the project (the rest had shoeboxes covered in paper). It was supposed to stay at school but he brought it home. So I panicked! Turns out he wants to do more to it! I think hammocks on the inside. ??? 8y

drokka Hammocks? Ambitious, but smart. He keeps this up, I may rent his project to spend my holidays. 8y

Texreader @drokka 😂😂😂 8y

LeahBergen I love it!! 😂😂 8y

Graciouswarriorprincess Love it!😍 8y

Lola That looks incredible!! Well done!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y

Cinfhen "A little overboard " is good every now and then ? 8y

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