FOUR CORNERS: Into the Heart of New Guinea—One Woman's Solo Journey

In this gripping adventure story, Salak, a graduate student in her 20s, describes a recent trip she took to remote, tropical Papua New Guinea, in the Pacific. Salak retraced the steps of British explorer Ivan Champion who, in 1927, traversed New Guinea and Papua via the Fly River, hiking the highlands and ascending the Sepik River. Solo travelers in this country are rare because of the difficulty of navigating swamps, jungle terrain and mountain trails as well as dealing with torrential rains and relentless mosquitoes. In addition, there is a high crime rate; poor young men leave their tribal homelands, flock to the city of Port Moresby in search of wealth, and wind up stealing from whomever they can. No stranger to harrowing journeys, Salak has sought out exotic locales since her teens and recounts here how she was nearly raped in Mozambique. As well as detailing her trip, she ruminates on her unquenchable appetite for danger and recalls a childhood spent in a truly dysfunctional family. Amid the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife of Papua New Guinea, Salak daily tested her physical endurance. She encountered a variety of both friendly and indifferent tribal peoples and talked with Pastor Carl, the leader of a guerrilla band fighting the Indonesian takeover of Western New Guinea. Salak has not only achieved her goal of crossing Papua New Guinea, but also her lifelong dream of authorship with this consistently interesting and well-written memoir. (Nov. 1)