''The Islands of Unwisdom'' is an
historical novel by
Robert Graves, published in 1949. It was also published in the UK as ''The Isles of Unwisdom''.
Plot
It is a reconstruction of an historic event, the voyage of
Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira
Álvaro de Mendaña y Neira (or Neyra) (1 October 1542 – 18 October 1595) was a Spanish navigator and discoverer, best known for two of the earliest recorded expeditions across the Pacific in 1567 and 1595. His voyages led to the discovery of ...
to find the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
. Graves tells a story with many surprising twists, in which some characters turn out to be quite different from how they are first portrayed. In Graves's telling, when the Spanish first come into contact with Solomon Islanders, the relationship is cordial. However, the Spanish expedition's need for fresh food and water quickly leads to tension and conflict, the Solomon Islanders’
subsistence economy
A subsistence economy is an economy directed to basic subsistence (the provision of food, clothing, shelter) rather than to the market. Henceforth, "subsistence" is understood as supporting oneself at a minimum level. Often, the subsistence econo ...
being unable to provide continuous supplies. The real prizes are pigs, desperately needed by the Spanish, while vital to the local people's economy. The tensions cannot be resolved, and so the Spaniards sail home. Graves also considered that the story summarizes the reasons Spain lost its early lead in exploring the world.
Millennium Graves
The novel was republished in 2003 as part of the 'Millennium Graves' edition.
References
External links
*Reference a
Books and Writers
1949 British novels
Novels by Robert Graves
Secret histories
English novels
Novels set in Oceania
Doubleday (publisher) books
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