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Brendan (History Nerds United)'s Reviews > The Last Island: Discovery, Defiance, and the Most Elusive Tribe on Earth
The Last Island: Discovery, Defiance, and the Most Elusive Tribe on Earth
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To colonize or not to colonize, that is the question. Adam Goodheart wrestles with this quandary in his book The Last Island. The island we are talking about is North Sentinel Island near India which has a tribe of isolated people. You may have heard of it when an American went to the island to try and bring Jesus to the tribe and was killed. Yes, Goodheart discusses that and no, Goodheart does not try and do the same thing.
Readers should be aware that Goodheart uses the experiences of many of the contacted tribes in the surrounding area of the Andaman Islands to fill in a lot of the blanks. I know other reviewers felt these were just padding, but I felt they filled in a lot of background and gave an idea of what the Sentinelese might be avoiding. And there is still plenty on the Sentinelese people including a British officer who was probably super creepy when you get all the facts.
Overall, I got exactly what I wanted out of this book and more.
Readers should be aware that Goodheart uses the experiences of many of the contacted tribes in the surrounding area of the Andaman Islands to fill in a lot of the blanks. I know other reviewers felt these were just padding, but I felt they filled in a lot of background and gave an idea of what the Sentinelese might be avoiding. And there is still plenty on the Sentinelese people including a British officer who was probably super creepy when you get all the facts.
Overall, I got exactly what I wanted out of this book and more.
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Reading Progress
June 15, 2024
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Started Reading
June 15, 2024
– Shelved
June 16, 2024
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Finished Reading
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Barbara K.
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Jun 16, 2024 03:25PM
Good review, Brendan. This is already on my TBR - it’s good to read your positive comments!
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Barbara K. wrote: "Good review, Brendan. This is already on my TBR - it’s good to read your positive comments!"Thanks, Barbara! I think you'll like it. It's very interesting even if the author had to add a little bit more about things outside of just North Sentinel.
Sharon wrote: "Terrific review!!"Thanks, Sharon!
Great review -- and such a fascinating question. No easy answers.
Fran wrote: "Great review -- and such a fascinating question. No easy answers."Thanks, Fran!
I wonder, in cases like this isolated island, if it's possible to have their cake and eat it too? The islanders who want to retain their lifestyle would stay on the island; the ones who want to live in the modern world would move off the island and slowly become acculturated to things like electricity, running water, traffic...But how could they make such a choice without being told some details about the alternative life? And once they know any details, then they can never quite go back to the way things were... Ah, I could go on forever with what-ifs!
Fran wrote: "I wonder, in cases like this isolated island, if it's possible to have their cake and eat it too? The islanders who want to retain their lifestyle would stay on the island; the ones who want to liv..."The book somewhat dives into those what-ifs and kind of explains both sides, but doesn't get really deep into it. When he talks about the history of the islanders who were contacted and how they turned out...well, it didn't do great things for them. And the North Sentinelese do have some idea of the outside world because they see things like planes regularly. Personally, I vote to leave them alone, because they made it clear it is there choice.
Oh, if they made it clear, then I agree!Sometimes, I think, the indigenous people are more divided. The cliche is that the younger ones want the modern world, the elders don't ...
Fran wrote: "Oh, if they made it clear, then I agree!Sometimes, I think, the indigenous people are more divided. The cliche is that the younger ones want the modern world, the elders don't ..."
Yeah, nearly everyone who comes near that island gets attacked. They accept gifts sometimes, but otherwise they throw spears!
Fantastic review Brendan! I do, indeed, remember the poor soul who lost his life, but remember thinking he should probably have left them in peace! I think you can tell, I am not planning to visit... 😕
Chrissie wrote: "Fantastic review Brendan! I do, indeed, remember the poor soul who lost his life, but remember thinking he should probably have left them in peace! I think you can tell, I am not planning to visit...."Thanks, Chrissie! And that missionary is in this book. I'm with you, he needed to leave them alone and thank goodness you don't plan on visiting :o)
