Best Historical/Cutural/Ecotravel Books for Oahu or Kauai.
Jul 5th, 2001, 04:34 AM
#1
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Best Historical/Cutural/Ecotravel Books for Oahu or Kauai.
Wondering what books you found helpful for Historical, Cultural background and or just plain touring Hawaii. I know most of the mainstream stuff. But anybody Know any historical/Social stuff that gave them a new perspective. And what about ecotravel books. I am currently looking reading "The Shoal of Time, a history of the Hawaiian Islands". Any recommendations out there?
Jul 5th, 2001, 06:29 AM
#2
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Not about Hawaii alone, but sailing on a freighter across the Pacific I read a book published by the Sierra Club entitled (I'm going to try italics here) A Thousand Leagues of Blue which is a collection of articles and fictional stories all about the Pacific Ocean, ranging from ancient folk tales to modern biology/ecology essays. A fabulous book, available either from the Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.org/books/catalog/0871564521.asp or used through Amazon.com. One of the most enjoyable sections was an excerpt from Mark Twain's diary of his trip to Hawaii, hilarious and poignant. Give it a try.
Jul 20th, 2001, 10:18 AM
#4
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Clara,
There is a small series of books called "A Hawaii Reader, Vols. I, II, ..." published by Mutual Publishing. I purchased one at Border's Books in Lihue but have also seen them on the mainland. They are an anthology of pieces about Hawaii from a wide variety of sources ranging from a member of Cook's expedition to Hawaii in 1778 to Mark Twain to a chronicler of Hawaiian oral traditions. I picked up the book and read Cook's Lt. James King's account of Cook's time at Kealakekua Bay while we were actually renting a house on the bay. Being able to read an account of what the land looked like, where the villages were, and the observations of an Englishman visiting this very different culture, was fascinating. Worth picking up one of these volumes.
There is a small series of books called "A Hawaii Reader, Vols. I, II, ..." published by Mutual Publishing. I purchased one at Border's Books in Lihue but have also seen them on the mainland. They are an anthology of pieces about Hawaii from a wide variety of sources ranging from a member of Cook's expedition to Hawaii in 1778 to Mark Twain to a chronicler of Hawaiian oral traditions. I picked up the book and read Cook's Lt. James King's account of Cook's time at Kealakekua Bay while we were actually renting a house on the bay. Being able to read an account of what the land looked like, where the villages were, and the observations of an Englishman visiting this very different culture, was fascinating. Worth picking up one of these volumes.
Jul 20th, 2001, 10:42 AM
#5
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Thanks Mary. I was wondering where else I could find Mark Twain's writings. That Shoal of Time book just seems to drag on and away from Hawaiian culture. I also am uncomfortable with the lack of footnotes. I am trying to find better reads but on the east coast I can only buy from the web. I have not been so successful finding reviews to all books. Amazon has some but they are infrequently editorial reviews.
