AKU-AKU: The Secret of Easter Island Hardcover – July 1, 1958

Aku-Aku tells of Heyerdahl's expedition to investigate the mysteries of Easter Island. It does give insight into the Island's fascinating history but unfortunately is also used as a base for Heyerdahl to do some of his own horn-blowing. While I'll admit that his dealings with the Easter Island natives does have some importance, it feels as if he's overplaying his part in this. One point that shows up makes me glad he did interact as he did, for he was able to preserve a book of rongo-rongo writing for posterity, inasmuch as the book vanished with its owner. I was also pleased to learn that he granted a favor to the local priest, Father Sebastian, and excavated a site that proved a legend to be actual fact.Aku-Aku is an interesting read, and I do recommend it. In a way, I suppose Heyerdahl is entitled to do a little horn blowing, because he did, in fact, uncover some very interesting items. As someone later observed, Heyerdahl's theory was inaccurate, but not entirely.

Love this auther and have already read it.

Read it in 1969 and enjoyed it again in 2015, in planning for a 2016 visit to Easter Island.

This book has much information for the avid Easter Island fan, including pictures! However, it is an older book, but still interesting!

Great background about the island. I visited after reading the book. We'll written and engaging.

Comes in handy for those hard to reach places.

Excellent story , book was in very good condition .

I am fascinated with cultures and how they have changed over the years. This is a fascinating account of how "white people" were first exposed to the ancient rituals and culture of Easter Island. The methods used by the author to get information from the people and the amount of artifacts he removed is amazing...very different from methods used to study cultures today. But without them, much would have been lost. So who's to say Thor Heyerdal's methods were not good ones?

I read and enjoyed the Kon-Tiki expedition and thought Aku Aku looked interesting. I was not disappointed! The book provided a really eye opening insight into Easter Island, its history and myths. Thor gives enough information to really get the imagination going. Sometimes Thor made me laugh with some of his comments as he likes his readers to know he is the boss of the expedition! Theres some good pictures in there too, although you can tell the book was written a while ago! Recently bought another copy of the book for my mate as thought he would like it too.If you want an adventure book and interested in Easter Island you cant go far wrong with this. You can pick up copies of this book very cheap too if you don't mind them being a bit battered.

A fascinating account. What a remarkable man he was. Some of the tunnel exploration makes your blood run cold.It tails off a bit: Thor is obsessed with the contents of the inhabitants hidden caves. This part become repetitive and not so interesting, to me anyway.

A great read, especially if you are planning a trip, subject to the vagaries of the author's theories. It seems he is still well known on the island, and at least one expedition member spent a good deal more time there in later years, putting statues back up.

The book was quite tatty and the writing was absolutely tiny, I don't require reading glasses but I was unable to read it comfortably.

It has certenly been read several times , but i am satisfied , i am glad to have bought it