“Mark Panek’s biography of Percy Kipapa speaks to the consequences of the destruction of Hawai‘i’s rural neighborhoods, unchecked development, the ice epidemic…”

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Learn more about Hawai‘i’s famous “Go for Broke” soldiers of the 442nd and 100th with these popular titles from UH Press:
Unlikely Liberators: The Men of the 100th and 442nd, by Masayo Umezawa Duus; translated by Peter Duus
“A fascinating and highly readable slice of history which should be told, and told repeatedly. If ever a group of Americans had been driven to the point of despair and rebellion, it was the Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II. . . . Unlikely Liberators vividly portrays in remarkable realism the officers and men with whom I served. Every American should read Masayo Duus’ book to better understand the true spirit of America which sustains its greatness.” —former U.S. Senator Spark Matsunaga

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A fresh look at Hawai‘i politics, past and present, is the theme of Fred Rohlfing’s autobiography—Island Son: The Life and Times of Hawai‘i’s Republican Reformer, newly released by Legacy Isle Publishing. In his 280-page memoir, the former state senator and long-time public servant provides an alternative view of life in Hawai‘i’s traditionally Democratic-controlled political arena.

Karl Rove, former Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush, hails Island Son as “an energetic, engaging memoir. Naval officer, lawyer, public servant, elected leader, judge, Pacific diplomat; Rohlfing gives special attention to Hawai‘i’s early statehood years and present challenges. An entertaining and informative read.”

Senator Rohlfing will be holding book signings at the following dates and locations:

Saturday, September 25, 11AM - Noon; Barnes & Noble, Kahala Mall; (808) 737-3323

Saturday, October 2, 1PM – 2PM; Borders, Maui Marketplace; (808) 877-6160

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On July 30, 1889, Robert W. Wilcox mounted a failed attempt to overthrow the Cabinet of the time, and return the throne to powers that had been diminished through the "Bayonet Constitution" of 1887, which had stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its power. Ka Buke Mo‘olelo o Honorable Robert William [...]
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Charles Reed Bishop, fondly remembered as the husband of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, was also one of Hawai‘i's great philanthropists in the 19th century. From his early years in New York, to his time in the islands, and his final years in San Francisco, Bishop lived a life of faith, hard work, [...]
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TALKING HAWAI`I’S STORY: ORAL HISTORIES OF AN ISLAND PEOPLE is a must read book for its wealth of talk-story reminisces by local folks. Great as a Xmas gift. It’s a given that Queen Lili`uokalani looms large in Hawaii’s history. But in The Rascal of Waikiki by Lemon “Rusty” Holt we learn o [...]
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“So what is Hawai'i, one might ask,” muses the actor Richard Chamberlain. “Or a truer question would be, who is Hawai'i?” Chamberlain’s trenchant ponderings, in his foreword to a new book, get to the heart of Hawai'i: its people. In describing the people of Hawai'i as “Hawai'i’s gr [...]
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Doctor’s new book proposes Hawaii’s unique universal medical care system for all Americans. Today’s health care system is in a crisis. Many authorities suggest that America would be better off moving towards a national health care system. But parts of America–specifically Hawaii–already have one. In this provocative book, Dr. Tabrah shows how such a system was developed and maintained in Hawaii, and explores how it can benefit the rest of the country.

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The sand beach that stretches nearly a mile beyond the Kalaupapa wharf was always laid smooth by the tide. Hansen’s disease plays havoc with feet, ulcerating them, crippling them. Such feet walk poorly. And in sand they cannot walk at all. Most patients in Henry’s time left no footprints in that golden sand.

In 1936 ten-year-old Henry was taken from his family on the Island of Hawai‘i and sent to Kalihi Hospital on O‘ahu. He was later transferred to Kalaupapa on the rugged north coast of Moloka‘i, where he has spent most of the past 65 years in this remote village with a tragic history as a Hansen’s disease colony. During its century as a virtual prison, more than 8,000 people were exiled to Kalaupapa, until the introduction of sulfone drugs in the 1940s. Today fewer than 20 patients remain.

No Footprints in the Sand: A Memoir of Kalaupapa by Henry Nalaielua with Sally-Jo Bowman is one of only a few memoirs ever shared with the public by a Kalaupapa patient. Its intimacy and candor make it, in the words of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet W.S. Merwin, “a rare and precious human document.”

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