An Island to Oneself: Six Years on a Desert Island

In the 1950s, a 50-year-old New Zealander named Tom Neale moved to a tiny island called Suwarrow (AKA Suvarov) in the Cook Islands. He was the only human inhabitant, and his story of survival is absolutely fascinating. I read Robinson Crusoe and was disappointed; An Island to Oneself is the real deal.

Neale eked subsistence out of a garden and by fishing, and carefully used his supplies of spices and tea (he used the leaves over and over again). He had zero contact with the outside world, and since Suwarrow wasn't in a shipping lane, visitors were very rare.

I wish the book had been longer -- I loved every word of it. $24.95 on Amazon or read An Island to Oneself online for free.