This love story between and a man and his raft and their journey nearly 70 years ago doesn't end well for the raft.

This book is the true story of one man's unwavering belief in his theory of South Pacific migration from South America, and his willingness to risk his own life to prove it. Comes across as a true adventure tale, a thrill to read and hard to put down. Recommended!

Fantastic

Have you ever wanted to build a huge raft out of gigantic balsa trees that are found in the rainy, steamy jungles of Ecuador, assemble and bind them using vines and other natural ropes, not using any nails or metal wires of any kind in the construction, invite 5 of your friends to join you, and then launch from the shores of Peru to embark on a 4,300 nautical mile journey (a distance of travel equivalent from Chicago to Moscow!) across the Pacific Ocean to land on one of the tiny islands found in French Polynesia?

If so, then go pick up Thor Heyerdahl’s fantastic and adventurous Kon-Tiki!

Thor wanted to prove a theory of his: that Incan Indians in ancient times sailed from Peru, landed and populated the islands located in the Polynesian Triangle. He stated that similar structures of pyramids and statues located in the jungles in Peru were also found on the islands in the Pacific. Archeologists and anthropologists he presented his theory to stated that it was impossible for humans to cross such a vast distance in a wooden raft while battling the elements in a vast and chaotic sea and SURVIVE.

So determined was Mr. Heyerdahl to prove these nay-sayers wrong that he decided to build a raft just like the ancient Inca had built them. He used the blueprints drawn up by the Spanish conquistadors who saw these ancient vessels in person long ago for its formation. Did I mention this voyage took place around 1947, well before GPS was a thing?

I found the whole book to be fascinating and the story had me day-dreaming about sailing on a raft while traversing the rough seas. The men became connected to nature; they came to know the currents and the trade winds; fish of all kinds would join them on their quest; when the rhythm of the ocean changed, they knew. The billions of stars that shone at night were their guides. The great ocean, the blue skies, the clouds, the raft herself – these were all the men knew for 3 whole months.

That’s pretty damn inspiring. Humans are born to travel, to go where no Man has gone before. The urge to explore the mysterious, the wild, and the untamed; that’s innate in us all.

I highly recommend this jewel. It will leave you wanting more.

I had trouble rating this one. I settled on three stars, not because the story wasn’t interesting. The idea behind the expedition, and the journey itself, is a gripping story of history. But, as with many books written in this time, I struggle with some of the language re: race. While nothing in the book was overtly racist, there was certainly an undertone of the white savior complex that was uncomfortable at times. Also, the fact that the author was “scared to undo the work of the missionaries” while speaking to the natives made me roll my eyes back as far into my skull as they could go. So while an interesting piece of anthropological history, it occasionally gets bogged down with the author’s at-best questionable remarks. That being said, the book was published in 1950–I understand the differences of the language of today vs 70+ years ago. Keeping that in mind, I was still able to enjoy the story of the expedition and the culture of the Polynesian people.

I think I would have enjoyed this more if I was confined to the house right now. Major travel jealousy from me!

Delightful prose, charming storytelling, and a plethora of humorous and touching anecdotes make this a must-read.

For members of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ (also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), this book holds even more value, as a validation of verses found in the Book of Mormon, one of our books of scripture.

Alma 63:5 & 7:

“And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceedingly curious man, therefore he went forth and built him an exceedingly large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea…

And in the thirty and eighth year, this man built other ships. And the first ship did also return, and many more people did enter into it; and they also took much provisions, and set out again.”

The Book of Mormon takes place in the Americas and concerns people among the ancestors of the Native Americans. The Polynesian islands were partly peopled by Native Americans. This book proves that this theory is possible.

We also stan Heyerdahl’s Ra expedition, which proved that transport from the Old World to the new was possible with Old World shipbuilding technology, an expedition that Nephi and his family undergo in the early chapters of the Book of Mormon.

It’s no exaggeration to say that members of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ owe Thor Heyerdahl a debt of gratitude. Read this book, and if you like it, try the Book of Mormon.

This book is about a crazy adventure that is undertaken just to prove a theory is possible. It was an enjoyable read and also sometimes a product of its time. A good choice if you like adventure stories.

One of those true stories that reads like fiction, about a couple young men who crossed the Pacific on a raft to test whether it could be done. I think if I hadn't read Kon-Tiki, I would've enjoyed "The Life of Pi" a great deal more. To me, the extra drama added to that fictional account was unnecessary. I found the truth of this story much more entertaining.