Nest in the Wind: Adventures in Anthropology on a Tropical Island, Second Edition

Nest In The Wind is an anthropological exploration of the island and people of Pohnpei. Martha Ward was brought to Pohnpei with her husband who was assigned their in 1970's. They were sent their on a government project to find out why the Pacific Islanders have such low blood pressure in comparison with Americans. Yet, Martha Ward came away with something even more important, an anthropological study of the people of Pohnpei just before westernization of the country became complete. Ward's book reads more like a travel novel than an anthropological study and her writing can be quite random and off-topic thus the 4 stars. Otherwise, this book is a great exploration of the Pohnpei people and is filled with so much rich information about the islanders. As long as you feel comfortable sifting through Ward's random rants you will be overjoyed to feel closer and closer to the islanders each and every day. Additionally, you will be able to clearly see the change to Pohnpei over the years.

One of my all-time favorite books! I was introduced to Martha Ward's anthropological work while I was in college. This book draws you in to the early culture and lives of the people on a small, French Polynesian island. It is so immersive, I have wanted to travel to that place ever since. She wrote another book as a follow up when she visited the same place years later, but this book is still my favorite.If you want to be taken away in an early, island culture in the south pacific, this is your book. And it's real, not a novel.Love love love Martha Ward!

I would like to thank the author for writing this book. I bought this book, because I am from the island of Pohnpei, and would like to know if the project was successful and was published. I was not surprised to learn that it was not a very successful project...the people of my island, then, would have been a skeptical bunch, and would not have provided accurate information to questions asked due to family and cultural secrets that they would've believed "must be protected". On the other hand, the evaluation of culture and the role of both men and women on the island was very accurate. My uncle was in the group that caught the crocodile mentioned in the book. :)

Got this for a class I am taking. The beginning is kinda slow,but the rest is pretty interesting. Nice read about how people in Polynesia and Micronesia live their lives,their traditions,etc..from an outsiders POV... :)

I read this book as part of the course reading for my cultural anthropology class, and I loved it.My only "complaint" is that it was so good that I kept reading ahead, and then had to go back and re-read to complete the assignments because I couldn't always remember which chapter I'd read the answer in. I cried at the end.

Bought for college course, was well written.

I love the fact that I can get most of my college text books at amazon for a fraction of the cost. the college library is selling this book for twenty dollars and this book cost me four in like new condition. Everything the seller promised was real. I will buy all my books in the future from amazon.

I needed this book for school. Renting or buying from your college is insanely expensive. This book came on time and in pretty good condition. There are several areas in the book that are starred or underlined in black pen, but the book is serving its purpose. No complaints.