Recommended Books

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Back to HawaiiRecommended Hawaii Reading

In addition to the books discussed below, those planning an extended trip to Hawaii should check out Frommer's Maui 2008; Frommer's Honolulu, Waikiki & Oahu; Frommer's Kauai; Frommer's Maui Day by Day; Frommer's Honolulu & Oahu Day by Day; and Frommer's Hawaii with Kids (all published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.).

Fiction

The first book people think about is James A. Michener's Hawaii (Fawcett Crest, 1974). This epic novel manages to put the island's history into chronological order, but remember, it is still fiction, and very sanitized fiction, too. For a more contemporary look at life in Hawaii today, one of the best novels is Shark Dialogue, by Kiana Davenport (Plume, 1995). The novel tells the story of Pono, the larger-than-life matriarch, and her four daughters of mixed races. Davenport skillfully weaves legends and myths of Hawaii into the "real life" reality that Pono and her family face in the complex Hawaii of today. Lois-Ann Yamanaka uses a very "local" voice and stark depictions of life in the islands in her fabulous novels Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1996), Blu's Hanging (Avon, 1997), and Heads by Harry (Avon, 1999).

Nonfiction

Mark Twain's writing on Hawaii in the 1860s offers a wonderful introduction to Hawaii's history. One of his best books is Mark Twain in Hawaii: Roughing It in the Sandwich Islands (Mutual Publishing, 1990). Another great depiction of the Hawaii of 1889 is Travels in Hawaii (University of Hawaii Press, 1973), by Robert Louis Stevenson. For contemporary voices on Hawaii's unique culture, one of the best books to get is Voices of Wisdom: Hawaiian Elders Speak, by M. J. Harden (Aka Press, 1999). Some 24 different Kahuna (experts) in their fields were interviewed about their talent, skill, or artistic practice. These living treasures talk about how Hawaiians of yesteryear viewed nature, spirituality and healing, preservation and history, dance and music, arts and crafts, canoes, and the next generation.

The recently rereleased Native Planters in Old Hawaii: Their Life, Lore and Environment (Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, 2004) was originally published in 1972 but is still one of the most important ethnographic works on traditional Hawaiian culture, portraying the lives of the common folk and their relationship with the land before the arrival of Westerners. This revised edition, with a great index that allows you to find anything, is an excellent resource for anyone interested in Hawaii.

Flora & Fauna

Because Hawaii is so lush with nature and blessed with plants, animals, and reef fish seen nowhere else on the planet, a few reference books can help you identify what you're looking at and make your trip more interesting. In the botanical world, Angela Kay Kepler's Hawaiian Heritage Plants (A Latitude 20 Book, University of Hawaii Press, 1998) is the standard for plant reference. In a series of essays, Kepler weaves culture, history, geography, botany, and even spirituality into her vivid descriptions of plants. You'll never look at plants the same way. There are great color photos and drawings to help you sort through the myriad species. Another great plant book is Tropicals (Timber Press, 1988), by Gordon Courtright, which is filled with color photos identifying everything from hibiscus and heliconia to trees and palms.

The other necessary reference guide to have in Hawaii is a book identifying the colorful reef fish you will see snorkeling. The best reference book is John E. Randall's Shore Fishes of Hawaii (University of Hawaii Press, 1998). Two other books on reef fish identification, with easy-to-use spiral bindings, are Hawaiian Reef Fish -- The Identification Book (Blue Kirio Publishing, 1993), by Casey Mahaney, and Hawaiian Reef Fish (Island Heritage, 1998), by Astrid Witte and Casey Mahaney.

To learn everything you need to identify Hawaii's unique birds, try H. Douglas Pratt's A Pocket Guide to Hawaii's Birds (Mutual Publishing, 1996).

For fans of the Hawaiian lei, Na Lei Makamae: The Treasured Lei (University of Hawaii Press, 2003), by Marie McDonald and Paul Weissich, is a comprehensive work on this incredible art form. McDonald is one of Hawaii's top lei makers, and Weissich is the director emeritus of Honolulu Botanical Gardens; together they cover some 88 flowers and plants used for leis.

History

There are many great books on Hawaii's history, but one of the best places to start is with the formation of the Hawaiian islands, vividly described in David E. Eyre's By Wind, By Wave: An Introduction to Hawaii's Natural History (Bess Press, 2000). In addition to chronicling the natural history of Hawaii, Eyre describes the complex interrelationships among the plants, animals, ocean, and people that are necessary. Eyre points out that Hawaii has become the "extinction capital of the world," but rather than dwelling on that fact, he urges readers to do something about it and carefully spells out how.

For an even more complete tome, get University of Hawaii Press's Hawaiian Natural History, Ecology and Evolution, by Alan C. Ziegler. Readers can trace the natural history of the Hawaiian archipelago through the book's 28 chapters or focus on specific topics such as island formation by plate tectonics, plant and animal evolution, flightless birds and their fossil sites, Polynesian migrational history and ecology, the effects of humans and exotic animals on the environment, current conservation efforts, and the contributions of the many naturalists who visited the islands over the centuries and the stories behind their discoveries.

For a history of "precontact" Hawaii (before Westerners arrived), David Malo's Hawaiian Antiquities (Bishop Museum Press, 1976) is the preeminent source. Malo was born around 1793 and wrote about the Hawaiian lifestyle at that time, as well as the beliefs and religion of his people. It's an excellent reference book, but not a fast read. For more readable books on old Hawaii, try Stories of Old Hawaii (Bess Press, 1997), by Roy Kakulu Alameide, on myths and legends; Hawaiian Folk Tales (Mutual Publishing, 1998), by Thomas G. Thrum; and The Legends and Myths of Hawaii (Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1992), by His Hawaiian Majesty King David Kalakaua.

The best story of the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy is told by Queen Liliuokalani, in her book Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen Liliuokalani (Mutual Publishing, 1990). When it was written, it was an international plea for justice for her people, but it is a poignant read even today. It's also a "must-read" for people interested in current events and the recent rally in the 50th state for sovereignty. Two contemporary books on the question of Hawaii's sovereignty are Tom Coffman's Nation Within -- The Story of America's Annexation of the Nation of Hawaii (Epicenter, 1998), and Hawaiian Sovereignty: Do the Facts Matter? (Goodale, 2000), by Thurston Twigg-Smith, which explores the opposite view. Twigg-Smith, former publisher of the statewide newspaper The Honolulu Advertiser, is the grandson of Lorrin A. Thurston, one of the architects of the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy. His so-called "politically incorrect" views present a different look on this hotly debated topic.

For more recent history, Lawrence H. Fuchs's Hawaii Pono (Bess Press, 1991) is a carefully researched tome on the contributions of each of Hawaii's main immigrant communities (Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino) between 1893 and 1959.

An insightful look at history and its effect on the Hawaiian culture is Waikiki, A History of Forgetting and Remembering, by Andrea Feeser (University of Hawaii Press, 2006). A beautiful art book (designed by Gaye Chan), this is not your normal coffee table book, but a different look at the cultural and environmental history of Waikiki. Using historical texts, photos, government documents, and interviews, this book lays out the story of how Waikiki went from a self-sufficient agricultural area to a tourism mecca, detailing the price that was paid along the way.

Another great cultural book just released is Davianna Pomaikai McGreggor's Na Kua'aina, Living Hawaiian Culture (University of Hawaii Press, 2007). I love this book for so many reasons -- first, it focuses not on the Hawaiian royalty, but on the common people of Hawaii and how they lived. McGregor, a professor of ethnic studies at UH, examines how people lived in rural lands and how they kept the Hawaiian traditions alive. She describes the cultural significance of each area (the island of Molokai; Hana, Maui; and Puna, Hawaii), the landscape, the Hawaiian gods who lived there, the chants and myths about the area, and how the westernization of the area has changed the land and the Hawaiian people.