When I purchased this book I couldn't wait to read it. I had previously read Robert Dean Frisbie's account of living on Suvarrow with his wife Nga ("Uninhabited Island" Atlantic Monthly 1935) and Frisbie's account of livingon Suvarrow with his children in the 1940's ("Island of Desire" the entire second half of the book). I have rereadthese accounts many times and will do so in the future. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about Neale's book"An Island to Oneself". I found it to be self indulgent and with a snob appeal I find distasteful at best. For south sea tales I recommend all of Frisbie's (and his daughter Johnny Frisbie) books. They are often difficult tofind and then are expensive. In the US I have located almost all of his magazine articles and books through inter-library loans when I couldn't find or afford to buy them.