The Rising Tide: Among the Islands and Atolls of the Pacific Ocean

(Paperback, Paperback)

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Vanuatu. Marshall Islands. Fiji. The names evokewhite-sand beaches, swaying palms and lazy holidays.But in reality these idyllic places are tropical maelstroms ofglobal realpolitik, caught between the worlds superpowers, former colonial masters, and the struggle for independence and cultural survival. Even more importantly, these nations are at the frontline of climate change, as rising sea levels, salinity, cyclones and pollutionput their very existence at stake.

Based on his extensive travels in the Pacific, Tom Bamforth shows us the people of the islands, their cultures and their lives. From uprisings inNew Caledonia to tsunamis in Tonga, this is a book about interaction, race, colonisation, climate change, nuclear testing, resistance, cultural preservation, urban life, the tastiness of well-roasted pig and the pleasures of canoeing at dusk.

With humour and insight, Tom Bamforth presents both aninsiders and an outsiders view of contemporary life in the Pacific. Rendered in vividdetail and colour, The Rising Tide masterfully weaves together the stories of Pacific peoples and politics at the forefront of global change.

Author Bio

Tom Bamforthis an aid worker and writer. He has worked in humanitarian response and international development since 2005 when he was caught in the Pakistan earthquake while on an archeological tour of the North West Frontier Province, and hehas worked and travelled extensively in the Pacific since 2008. His writing has appeared inGranta,Griffith Review, Meanjin, Island,The Age,andGuardian. He is the author ofDeep Field: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Aid Relief(Hardie Grant 2014).www.tombamforth.com