Savage Harvest Savage Harvest

Savage Harvest

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

    • 4.0 • 76 Ratings
    • $14.99
    • $14.99

Publisher Description

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, rumors 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 rumors and stories circulated, fueling speculation and intrigue for decades. The real story has long waited to be told—until now.

Retracing Rockefeller's steps, award-winning journalist Carl Hoffman traveled to the jungles of New Guinea, immersing himself in a world of headhunters and cannibals, secret spirits and customs, and getting to know generations of Asmat. Through exhaustive archival research, he uncovered never-before-seen original documents and located witnesses willing to speak publically after fifty years.

In Savage Harvest he finally solves this decades-old mystery and illuminates a culture transformed by years of colonial rule, whose people continue to be shaped by ancient customs and lore. Combining history, art, colonialism, adventure, and ethnography, Savage Harvest is a mesmerizing whodunit, and a fascinating portrait of the clash between two civilizations that resulted in the death of one of America's richest and most powerful scions.

GENRE
Nonfiction
RELEASED
2014
March 18
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
336
Pages
PUBLISHER
William Morrow
SELLER
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS
SIZE
4.2
MB

Customer Reviews

Fpiano ,

Well Written Sensitive Book

Not so much a book about the death of Michael Rockefeller as an exploration of a far away and inscrutable way of life that has nearly vanished because of the encroachment of western civilization.

Inked7 ,

Savage Harvest

Excellent book…well worth the money or free if your library has a copy.

Night read ,

Savage Harvest

I was young when the Rockefeller son went missing, this story was spellbinding. The historic detail and fact-finding research done by the author is commendable.

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