Book - Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries

Ross from Kerikeri District

Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries.

A New Zealand Forest Ranger in the Jungles of Papua New Guinea

This book, Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries, is about Ross’s time in pre-independence Papua New Guinea and captures a particular time in history when real adventure was still possible, and a young man’s attitude made those adventures happen. His retelling is as fresh as if it happened yesterday and there is never a dull moment.

Ross has a writing style that is relaxed and intimate, and he invites you to come along for the ride. He is passionate about people and places and the people he has encountered, and he spins a great yarn.

The book includes some 60 coloured photographs from Ross’s vast collection, which richly illustrate his writing.

Review from OnLineBookClub.org

This is Scott from OnlineBookClub.org. First, let me congratulate on the perfect 4/4 rating that your book earned from our professional review team. Our reviewers are very tough. Most books we review do not get a full 4/4 rating. So you have achieved something genuinely impressive. You should definitely be proud.

Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries: A New Zealand Forest Ranger in the Jungles of Papua New Guinea -

Official Review: Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries

Post by Chipochashe » 26 May 2020, 14:10

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries" by Ross Lockyer.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Are you interested in travelling the world? Are you interested in ethnology and history? Have you ever wondered what life is like in the deep forests of Papua New Guinea (PNG)? If your answer to all these questions is yes, then get ready for an adventure of a lifetime. Ross Lockyer details his adventures in PNG between the years 1967 to 1973 in this book Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries. Few have had as much adventure in their lives as Ross experienced in a space of only about 5 years. Ross is from New Zealand and he goes to work in PNG whilst he is still fresh from Forestry School. He details his interactions with the locals which went as far as attending secret initiation ceremonies and acquiring historical artefacts. Ross shares some near-death experiences too.

Ross starts by giving some historical background on PNG before his arrival on the scene. He does a good job of describing the structure of the society and the culture at the time he arrived in PNG. His stories are interesting and sometimes humorous. The chapters can even be read as stand-alone stories as they focus on a particular area of interest. The language is clean and the stories are easy to follow. The author also makes use of words from the local language whose meanings he explains. There are no erotic scenes. The author writes in the first person, thus the reader experiences PNG from his point of view.

The story that I found to be most enjoyable was the one in the chapter titled “The Ancient Mystery of the Segaya Rock Paintings.” The author details his journey with friends and locals to see the Segaya Rock Paintings. They took with them a 17 year old girl named Helen, who got frightened by a cassowary (mouruk) on their way to the paintings. The author’s description of the whole event was humorous. One of the statements reads, “This mouruk was evidently a tame bird that belonged to the villagers, and it was totally fascinated by Helen and all the noise she was making.” Such thinly veiled humour made the book enjoyable to read.

I only found one grammatical error in the whole book, suggesting that it was professionally edited. I enjoyed the stories. The author piqued my interest to find out more about the history and current affairs of PNG. This book is suitable for readers of all ages who enjoy history and adventure. Younger readers would need the parents to read to them. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries

View: on Bookshelves

Price: $29.95

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