Posted by Peter H on April 19, 2002 at 14:04:27 from 213.1.179.254:
I read today that Thor Heyerdahl has died. I read his account of the Kon-Tiki expedition somewhere around 1950, and I was absolutely gripped. He was not without his critics, but whatever you think of his anthropological theories, he certainly put his money where his mouth was. I think ‘Kon-Tiki' is out of print, and it is dangerous to recommend a book you last read 50 years ago, but I recommend it nonetheless. The obituary I read says that Heyerdahl’s voyages convinced him of the essential unity of mankind – (quote) ‘The ocean does not separate us, it unites us’. Is that one of those sayings which sounds terrific but in fact doesn’t really mean much? Discuss.
(There is also an obit on the Guardian website - if Ian (or someone) has a moment, could they post the link?)