Sea People
by Christina Thompson · first published 2019
8mentions
6recommended by
7HN commenters
2016–2022first – last mentioned
86% recommend14% critical
Why HN recommends it
A well-researched account of how Polynesia was settled and how Western contact unfolded, with a focus on how that knowledge was gathered. Suits readers curious about navigation and migration.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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I’m in Tahiti now and in preparation I started reading Sea People [1] which explores Polynesian culture and the westerner discovery of it. It’s a truly incredible story, most of which I never knew. Highly recommend the read, and doing so with a map handy. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Sea-People-Polynesia-Christina-Thomps...
on “Polynesian Voyaging Society” ↗There's a good book that came out earlier this year about the Polynesian expansion called _Sea People_ by Christina Thompson. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
on “Polynesian DNA suggests epic voyage to South America 800 years ago” ↗…of the movie, or of Stanley Kubrick and/or Arthur C. Clarke in general, you should read this. Atul Gawande - Complications - Fascinating look at life in the medical profession. Christina Thompson - Sea People - Detailed, well-researched history of Polynesian-Western contact and relations. As a New Zealander I was interested in this, although American or European readers with no personal connection may be less…
on “Ask HN: Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2019?” ↗Recently read and recommend Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson: > […] > For Christina Thompson, this mystery is personal: her Maori husband and their sons descend directly from these ancient navigators. In Sea People,…
on “Kon Tiki Expedition” ↗I happened to read "Sea People" this past fall, and it's one that I'd recommend to anyone interested in more or less any of the areas it touches on. The author took an approach of not just explaining what information was learned, but…
on “The greatest migration: the history and mystery of Polynesian navigation (2019)” ↗I enjoyed reading Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia which is all about how Polynesia became populated. https://www.amazon.com/Sea-People-Polynesia-Christina-Thomps...
on “The extraordinary story of two Pacific voyages of discovery a 1000 years apart” ↗In the book Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson there is an entire chapter on Tupaia and Cook, as well as another chapter on Polynesia navigation: * https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40536236-sea-people…
on “Reading a Pacific navigator’s mysterious map may require a shift in perspective” ↗…and comparatively little is known about it, but that's why a book like this should be so interesting. Surely there is enough information to fill a comparatively short book like this. The ever mysterious Sea People's are mentioned of course, but other than noting that they weren't just one group and that the Egyptians defeated one group of invaders he says little. There is the usual "they may have been from here,…
on “1177 BC – The Year Civilization Collapsed [video]” ↗