The Survival of Easter Island

This compelling environmental history dismantles the popular myth of Easter Island's self-inflicted ecological collapse, offering a meticulously researched alternative narrative about human resilience. J. J. Boersema reconstructs the island's complex ecological and cultural history, challenging the long-held assumption that the Rapa Nui people were solely responsible for their own downfall through reckless resource depletion.

By synthesizing archaeological evidence, historical records, and ecological data, Boersema presents a more nuanced story of survival against environmental constraints and external pressures. Readers fascinated by human adaptation, ecological mysteries, and the intersection of culture and environment will find this revisionist account profoundly thought-provoking. This book fundamentally reshapes our understanding of how societies navigate environmental limits, making it essential reading for anyone drawn to sustainable futures and the real lessons of the past.