Tiki Quest: Collecting the Exotic Past is the latest book offering for Tiki fanatics. Many discover the mysterious wonders of the  world of Tiki through some small cast-off relic. Maybe it's a Tiki mug with the name of a now-closed restaurant, perhaps a souvenir statue from Hawaii. But whatever the inspiration, Tiki has captivated the imagination once again. There are those who amass only enough to outfit their home bar, there are others who are obsessed with Tiki in every form. Duke Carter is obsessed. His book catalogues the collection of vintage Tiki he has put together through years of scouring thrift stores, flea markets, and junk shops. The largest section categorizes Tiki mugs, the ceramic containers with fanciful renderings of Tiki gods that once were filled with Mai Tais and Navy Grog. Other areas of collecting are also presented: from souvenir statues made of resin and lava, postcards, matchbooks and swizzle sticks from Tiki restaurants of old, to an amazing variety of gee-gawks made into the likeness of Tikis. There are banks and bottles, lighters and lamps, even ashtrays full of aloha. Far from a quickly outdated price guide, Tiki Quest is a vivid account and loving tribute to the joy of collecting, rendered in a colorful coffee-table book format. Beautifully designed and lavishly illustrated with over 1000 photos filling nearly 200 pages, Tiki Quest is a must-have for Tiki enthusiasts whether they have been a collector for a long time or if they have just had their first Scorpion.

About the Author Duke Carter has been collecting Tiki with his wife Amy for nearly a decade, and they knew from early on that the Tiki collection was more than just a hobby or casual interest... the passion and fervor that they felt about Tiki drove their Quest. The Carters each had a small collection before they met, and when Amy took Duke to the Hala Kahiki on their first date, he knew they were destined to be together. Four years later they got married at the Kona Kai in Chicago, Illinois. In the years they have been collecting Tiki, the Carters have amassed a remarkable collection of vintage Tiki artifacts. From a wide assortment of Tiki mugs to shelves full of statues, the room they have dubbed the "Taboo Tiki Lounge" is overflowing with every kind of Tiki accoutrement that can be found.

In Tiki Quest: Collecting the Exotic Past, Duke catalogues a large portion of the collection and shares what historical information and insight he has been able to glean from his years of hunting Tiki. The book was written in an attempt to broaden the awareness of the wonderful world of collecting Tiki. When not searching for Tiki, Duke and Amy spend their remaining time buying and selling vintage modern furniture and objects. Duke is also known for his paintings of Tiki rendered on black velvet as seen in the book Taboo: the Art of Tiki. The Carter's Tiki collection boasts thousands of items and has been featured in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, and on HGTV's Extreme Homes.