Beware, reactionaries: Kon-Tiki contains some observations of ethnicity that some may take offense at and postulates/makes observations on "primitive" people that we know now to be incorrect. However, if the reader keeps in mind the time that this was written, and the prevailing (American) attitude of the time, then this book is very liberal. It helps that it was written by a Scandanavian, for an American author of that time would have been more bigoted or paternalistic. Also, the treatment of some sea creatures, now listed as endangered, may anger some. Keep in mind that this was standard practice.

That said, I echo other positive reviews of the book as a true seafaring tale. I could not put it down, and read it over the course of 24 hours. As a lover of the sea and everything in it, the tale of floating across the sea, and the descriptions of the life they encountered, were so enticing as to make my hair stand on end. I wholly recommend this to any lover of the sea. It now ranks up the with Far Tortuga for me.