An island to oneself: The story six years on a desert island

by Tom Neale and Allen Cooke

Book Overview

The true story of a man who took it upon himself to live alone on a deserted island in the South Pacific, in fact he loved it so much he decided to return and stay a while longer A true castaway story... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: B0000CN385
• Release Date: January 1966
• Publisher: Collins
• Length: 255 Pages

Customer Reviews

An amazing story of a real "Survivor"

No video cameras and immunity for Tom Neale, he did the real deal all by himself for years on a deserted atoll. A fascinating story of what it takes to survive and a great character study of the type of person who can/would do it. Tom lived the lazy island life but wasn't satisfied and finally went out to pull a Robinson Crusoe (at the age of 50!). And this was in the 50s. He had no satellite phone to get him out in an emergency, no doppler weather reports, no Honda(tm) generator. On top of that, he had no safety net. Off the regular shipping channels, he had no scheduled visits, just some random people who happened to pass by and say hi. It was just his skill, determination and a great knowledge of island living that allowed him to survive and thrive. His daily struggles (from pesky hermit crabs up to life threatening injuries) are a fascinating peek into a life most people will never experience. After you finish it, be sure check out Wikipedia and the web for more information (and pics) on his life after this book. An amazing read that ends much too quickly.

Stellar Book; A Real Investment

Tom's "Island to Oneself" is a must read. It is a story that one can connect with regardless of background, social, economic or otherwise. Being a great fan of the south pacific I now have an even greater drive to remain a fan of that bright, hot and so alive place. My dream is to move to an island one day, maybe not in such remote and isolated conditions as Mr. Neale, but to `My Island' nonetheless. I was sad when Tom's story closed but have been motivated to seek other literary routes to islands south while I remain here temporarily `stranded' in my desert! God bless Mr. Neale's soul and may Tom forever rest in peace I also recommend the following Great Island Stories (to name a few): "Island of Desire" Robert Dean Frisbie "Man on His Island" James S. Rockefeller Jr. "Lost Island" James Normal Hall "Rascals in Paradise" James A. Michener & A. Grove Day "Robinson Crusoe" Daniel Defoe "Kon-Tiki" Thor Heyerdahl "Tales of the South Pacific" James A. Michener

More Robinson Crusoe than Robinson Crusoe

If you have ever lived (or wanted to live) on a South Pacific Island (and I have lived on several), you will love this book! Written by a simple man in simple words of his simple life on a deserted tropical island in the Cook Islands group. I never met Tom Neale (but I wished I had) and I never had the fortune (nor the personal fortitude) to follow his example but through his book he has made a life-changing impression on me. If you only ever read one book about living on a tropical island, read this one!

Take me away!

Like other reviewers, reading this book made me envious of Tom Neale's fulfilled fantasy of living and surviving alone on a beautiful tropical island. Actually, it took him an incredible amount of hard work to get to that point, and even more work, determination, and creativity to provide for all his needs from the limited stores he brought with him and what the island itself offered. He ingeniously found ways to build, cook, raise animals, hunt, and eat. Tom enjoyed the challenge of survival, yet his physical toughness was sometimes severely tested in battling the elements. I lived every beautiful and frustrating moment with him (in my imagination, of course). One reviewer mentioned that Tom must have married and had two kids because the reviewer had just ordered one of his books about his sailing adventures, but that is a different Tom Neale that is currently living. The Tom Neale of An Island to Myself passed away quite a few years ago, and I'm pretty sure he remained a bachelor. Fun book!

An island to oneself

Embarassingly, I am not a person who reads books often. This book reminds me of the enjoyment and fun there is in reading. I first read (An Island To Myself) in the early 70's, again in 1981, and recently again at 51 years old. I couldn't put it down and felt I was living another life for 2 1/2 days. Tom Neale went to the uninhabited island of SUVAROV at 51, believe me, he's made me fanticise.... anyone else interested? His experiences and how a (normal) human being can exist 200 miles from civilization is extrodiarily depited. Read this book, it may become a favorite! To answer a few questions in previous reviews herein: Tom Neale died in 1977, he must have married and wrote two more books, one about cruising with his wife and two children which I ordered today.