First of all, let me confess - I am an armchair traveller with respect to the Indian Ocean! Still saving up my few bob to go to some of the wonderful places mentioned in this book.

The book is amazingly detailed, especially in detailing the culture and history of the islands, and very readable.

My only criticism is that more photos would have been better!

Dr. Leatherman gathers scholarly papers from a variety of scientists and researchers all over the world who focus on island environments. This volume makes a very convincing case for taking action. It becomes clear that while some of the vulnerabilities to risk are commonly held, the means and financial ability to cope with the risk varies enormously. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in potential effects of climate change and sea level rise on developing countries. While climate change impacts are still uncertain, there are enough man-made coastal environmental problems that are ongoing, that it will inevitably make things worse. This is a must-read for anyone interested in this topic.

This strange & hypnotic novel is told in a dreamlike state and lures the reader into a seamless stream of vivid images. Haunting.

The book is filled with beautiful photographs, and the text borders on poetry--clearly a labor of love by the author and photographers. An excellent book for a quick overview of the islands. There is a section on each island,, with descriptions of its physical and cultural features. Text and photographs tend to weigh more heavily on the cultural. There is even a section with useful information for tourists. I would have liked to see and read more about the unique animals of these islands.

I could recommend this book to every aspiring travel writer as an example of what not to do. I was totally uninterested as to what wine the writer ate with his dinner, the quality of his seat on the airplane, or any other of the zillions of details he insisted on providing. I was interested to know his impressions of the people and cultures he found in those very interesting lands he visited. I did not find out. This book was written for readers of the Ladies Home Companion, I reckon.