"The White Island" by Stephen Armstrong

MiniMarc

Well-Known Member
Im sure others have read it but couldnt find anything on it here.
Worth a read if you want to find out a little more about Ibiza's history and some of the characters over the centuries who have called it home. As its the only book ive read on ibiza's history im not sure how biased/unbiased it is but it certainly was interesting although the guy writing it does seem abit out of touch and the last chaper is really cringeworthy when he goes to see (retired of course) Dj Danny Rampling at Space. The rest of it is more like a history lesson loosely woven together with tales of his trip to the island (some of which i'd take with a pinch of salt).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Island-Stephen-Armstrong/dp/0593052072
 
Well written and researched book in my opinion. Respected Journalist who writes for the Sunday Times, The Guardian and others so would have a level of objective integrity higher than most of the cheap dross that is written about the Island.
 
Im sure others have read it but couldnt find anything on it here.
Worth a read if you want to find out a little more about Ibiza's history and some of the characters over the centuries who have called it home. As its the only book ive read on ibiza's history im not sure how biased/unbiased it is but it certainly was interesting although the guy writing it does seem abit out of touch and the last chaper is really cringeworthy when he goes to see (retired of course) Dj Danny Rampling at Space. The rest of it is more like a history lesson loosely woven together with tales of his trip to the island (some of which i'd take with a pinch of salt).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Island-Stephen-Armstrong/dp/0593052072

PS. I didn't know Rampling had retired, I'm sure he did a we love set last year!

Product Description
Received wisdom has it that Ibiza is an island of Union Jack-shorted beerboys singing 'Here we go, here we go, here we go' on their way to a 24-hour rave. But the reality of the island today is very different. It is, and always has been, a magnet for hedonists, but la Isla Blanca is actually a sophisticated, cosmopolitan island of enormous natural beauty - far more Jade Jagger than Jordan. The island's history reads like a history of pleasure itself. The Carthaginians established a cult there to Tanit, their goddess of sex, around 650 BC and named the island after Bez, their god of dance. Roman centurions in need of a bit of down time between campaigns would go to Ibiza to get their kicks. And over the centuries virtually every culture around the Mediterranean has used the island either as a playground or as a dump for the kind of people who didn't quite fit in back home, but who you'd probably quite like to meet at a party. Stephen Armstrong tells for the first time the fascinating history of this fantasy island. It is a story of invasions and migrations, of artists and conmen, of drop outs and love-ins. This narrative is framed by Stephen's highly entertaining experiences during one long, golden summer on Ibiza, an island where anything can happen - and it usually does.
From the Back Cover
Received wisdom has it that Ibiza is an island of Union Jack-shorted beerboys singing 'Here we go, here we go, here we go' on their way to a 24-hour rave. But the reality of the island today is very different. It is, and always has been, a magnet for hedonists, but la Isla Blanca is actually a sophisticated, cosmopolitan island of enormous natural beauty - far more Jade Jagger than Jordan.
The island's history reads like a history of pleasure itself. The Carthaginians established a cult there to Tanit, their goddess of sex, around 650 BC and named the island after Bez, their god of dance. Roman centurions in need of a bit of down time between campaigns would go to Ibiza to get their kicks. And over the centuries virtually every culture around the Mediterranean has used the island either as a playground or as a dump for the kind of people who didn't quite fit in back home, but who you'd probably quite like to meet at a party.
Stephen Armstrong tells for the first time the fascinating history of this fantasy island. It is a story of invasions and migrations, of artists and conmen, of drop outs and love-ins. This narrative is framed by Stephen's highly entertaining experiences during one long, golden summer on Ibiza, an island where anything can happen - and it usually does.
 
Well written and researched book in my opinion. Respected Journalist who writes for the Sunday Times, The Guardian and others so would have a level of objective integrity higher than most of the cheap dross that is written about the Island.

He's def done his research thats for sure! That last chapter tho is shockingly cheesey which is a shame
 
Yeah I couldnt find any thing , as you can imagine a search for ' the white isle' on here throws up just a couple of hundred threads , as does searching stephen armstrong weirdly

I really liked the historical info it was actually the present day stuff that i wasnt so keen on personally
 
Yeah I couldnt find any thing , as you can imagine a search for ' the white isle' on here throws up just a couple of hundred threads , as does searching stephen armstrong weirdly

I really liked the historical info it was actually the present day stuff that i wasnt so keen on personally

not part of the package is a great read. it's the first, perhaps only, book written since the mid-80s music explosion that captures the dichotomy of island life. it resonated very much with me.
 
aha... a timely reminder that I still need to read my copy of 'The Life and Death Of a Spanish Town' I obtained 2 years ago!
 
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