Savage Harvest: A Tale of Cannibals, Colonialism and Michael Rockefeller's Tragic Quest for Primitive Art

Author(s): Carl Hoffman

Travel Writing

The mysterious disappearance of Michael Rockefeller in New Guinea in 1961 has kept the world and his powerful, influential family guessing for years. Now, Carl Hoffman uncovers startling new evidence that finally tells the full, astonishing story. Despite exhaustive searches, no trace of Rockefeller was ever found. Soon after his disappearance, rumours surfaced that he'd been killed and ceremonially eaten by the local Asmat - a native tribe of warriors whose complex culture was built around sacred, reciprocal violence, head hunting and ritual cannibalism. The Dutch government and the Rockefeller family denied the story, and Michael's death was officially ruled a drowning. Yet doubts lingered. Sensational rumours and stories circulated, fuelling speculation and intrigue for decades. The real story has long waited to be told - until now.


Product Information

* Review coverage in major newspapers including the Age, Herald Sun, Australian, Daily Telegraph and NZ Herald * Review coverage in magazines such as GQ, Qantas the Australian Way, Big Issue, Melbourne Review, Monthly and NZ Listener * Extract to be placed in a major Australian newspaper such as Financial Review * Extensive interviews on national ABC radio programs * Select press interviews in major newspapers * Online review coverage on sites such as the New Daily and Guardian online * Reading copies available to the trade * Advertisements in current affairs publications such as Monthly and on their associated websites * Advertisements in bookseller newsletters and catalogues * Banner advertising on bookseller websites * Major social media campaign including targeted Facebook advertising * Feature title in Text newsletters and websites

'The most brilliantly told adventure to come out of New Guinea.' -- Tim Flannery 'Savage Harvest is a gripping read, and though Hoffman's conclusion may be familiar, he's erected a solid foundation of reporting that goes far beyond what the rest of us did and is likely to make this the definitive account.' Slate 'A taut thriller...Hoffman goes further than anyone in describing the charged political backdrop and the dynamics of Asmat society that surrounded Rockefeller's disappearance...in this gripping book.' New York Times 'In an expertly told tale begging for a film adaptation, Hoffman crafts a remarkable, balanced examination of this sensational case...[He] deserves much credit for this riveting, multilayered tale.' Publishers Weekly 'In his terrific and often gruesome new book, Savage Harvest, travel journalist Carl Hoffman, who lives in Washington, reopens the case, travelling to Papua New Guinea and coming back with a riveting tale.' Washington Post 'Carl Hoffman once-and-for-all solves the mystery of where the search went wrong, who the Asmat people are, and what really happened to Michael Rockefeller.' Men's Journal 'An opening that is so intense, so captivating, so interesting that no human with a beating heart can put the book down...Compelling. Intoxicating. Sensational.' Newsweek

Carl Hoffman is a contributing editor at National Geographic Traveler. Savage Harvest is his third book. His second, The Lunatic Express: Discovering the World Via Its Most Dangerous Buses, Boats, Trains and Planes, was named one of the ten best books of 2010 by the Wall Street Journal and was a New York Times summer reading pick. He has won four Lowell Thomas Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation and one North American Travel Journalism Award. A veteran journalist and former contributing editor for Wired, he has travelled to more than 70 countries on assignment for Outside, Smithsonian, National Geographic Adventure, ESPN, the Magazine, Wired, Men's Journal, Popular Mechanics and many other publications. He is a native of Washington, D.C. and the father of three children.

General Fields

  • : 9781922182500
  • : Text Publishing Co
  • : The Text Publishing Company
  • : May 2014
  • : 234mm X 153mm
  • : Australia
  • : August 2014
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Carl Hoffman
  • : Paperback
  • : Aug-14
  • : 336