Deryck Scarr is a Senior Fellow in Pacific History at the Australian National University and has long been considered one of the leading experts on the history of Fiji. He is the author of four books about the Islands, including the biography of the Fijian national leader, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, and in this present work he has utilised his vast knowledge of the country's history to produce a book which will be essential reading for students and general readers alike.