Beautiful Polynesian women will tempt you to linger on each page of this stunning new book. Be transported to Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Naratonga, Fiji, and the Maori regions of New Zealand to view their beguiling native inhabitants through 380 historic and rare color postcard images that date from 1898 to 1920. Concise text for each locale presents interesting pertinent facts about the geography, people, and local history that make them distinct. These include first sightings by European explorers, local crafts, and traditional customs. The women in Polynesian societies, as reflected in these images, portray exotic ideals that many European artists and writers have fallen in love with and immortalized. This compelling book will be cherished for years to come.

Mark Blackburn has collected rare Polynesian artifacts for over 40 years. He owns Mauna Kea Gallery in Kamuela, on the big island, Hawaii.