Spice Islands Voyage: In search of Wallace in eastern Indonesia

In this remarkable blend of travelogue and historical investigation, Tim Severin sails a traditional Indonesian prahu to follow in the wake of Alfred Russel Wallace, the naturalist who co-developed the theory of evolution with Charles Darwin. Drawing on Wallace’s The Malay Archipelago as his guide, Severin journeys from the Aru Islands in eastern Indonesia, close to western Papua and northern Australia, to Sulawesi, visiting the Banda and Kei Islands in Indonesia’s Moluccas or Spice Islands and other remote shores still home to rare birds-of-paradise and bird-winged butterflies. Along the way, he documents rainforest destruction, thriving traditional communities and hopeful conservation efforts. Rich in adventure and insight, Spice Islands Voyage celebrates scientific curiosity, cultural encounters and the fragile beauty of Indonesia’s biodiversity.