Books Ring Mah Bell's Reviews > Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu

Some time ago, I read Troost’s The Sex Lives of Cannibals, and found it a pleasant and humorous read. Desiring a quick, fun read, I did not hesitate to scoop up Getting Stoned with Savages. Troost does not disappoint.

After spending some time in Kiribati, the basis of his other book, he and his wife return to the United States, only to become bored by the rat race. Soon, they decide to try life in another South Pacific locale, the islands of Fiji and Vanuatu.

As they had lived in the tropics before, the unrelenting heat was not a surprise, nor was the concept of island time. No need to worry about those deadlines here!

However, Troost is surprised by the powerful punch of Kava, an intoxicating and vile tasting drink. Other island highlights include the time he spends time running from aggressive prostitutes, and a giant, toxic centipede. He survives a cyclone. He writes of these misadventures with humor and humility.

Obsessed with the history of cannibalism on the islands, he takes a harrowing journey by plane to a small island, hiking through the sweltering jungle to meet with locals who have feasted upon human flesh in his lifetime. He likens cannibalism to taking the Eucharist, a comparison I have made myself. Granted, at least the Eucharist is taken in wafer form, but either way, the idea is that you are consuming body and blood of another human being; the thought leaves a curious taste in the mouth. He speaks with the locals to try and understand the driving force for cannibalism, and is underwhelmed with their reasoning: lots of men, not lots of food.

A great read for those who love a little travel and adventure.