Buy some IZ music to listen to as you read. His "Somewhere over the Rainbow" was used on ER a couple of seasons ago. Beautiful music.

Michener's HAWAII. You might want to watch a few episodes of Hawaii-Five-O. I believe the John Ford movie (starring John Wayne and Lee Marvin) DONOVAN'S REEF was filmed in either Maui or Kaui. So was MISTER ROBERTS and ISLANDS IN THE STREAM.

You could also rent the movie "Hawaii" starring Julie Andrews. It basically covers the missionary period of the book. I enjoyed about 3/4 of the book. The rest got too confusing, like he was in a hurry to finish the story.

Also check out old Magnum PI shows.

MY

If I get Michelle's drift, I agree that Michener has a difficult time writing about more modern times. This is true for all the big novels of his that I have read- HAWAII, CENTENNIAL, TEXAS, CHESAPEAKE, ALASKA.

Yes, IZ "is" good, I bought it to read my Hawaii books to.
"ER" used "Somewhere over the Rainbow" when Mark Green went to Hawaii to die. Wow. It was such an emotional show. Maybe the DVD of that season is at Blockbuster. Worth watching.

Has anyone read the "Chicken soup for Hawaii"? soul? I bought it, and of course loaded it before I read it.

I have the big HAWAII by Mitchener
(spelling?) but don't have the
coconuts to start something so big!

Glen Grant's "Chicken Skin Tales: 49 Favorite Ghost Stories from Hawaii" is SO much fun! I love reading these short folkloric hawaii ghost tales. There are lots of interesting historical references re: places where battles were fought and so forth in them...

I second sea_wahine's suggestion of Glen Grant's "Chicken Skin Tales: 49 Favorite Ghost Stories from Hawaii". I was fortunate enough to take one of his Ghosts of Old Honolulu walking tours many years ago (before his passing, obviously). He was a storehouse of Hawaiian Knowledge, and his book reflects this.

Don't forget the all time #1 Hawaii movie classic, "Lilo and Stitch".

Seriously, James Michener's "Hawaii" can't be beat.
8-)

For a quick non-literary or intellectual Hawaii fix, try
"The Big Bounce" movie for some
North Shore Oahu footage and weak
plot....Even Owen Wilson looks bored,
but the scenery isn't bad!

I loved "Hawaii" by Michener. Loved "West of Then". Loved "Molokai'i" All previously mentioned. New book out on the history of Molokai called "The Colony", have not read it yet, looks good. Also a booked called "Makai" about a women raising a family on Maui and Oahu, starts in the 40's and goes to the 70's, I enjoyed it. Also, Traveler's Tales - Hawaii, a collection of short stories/essays by famous writers. Thanks for this post it's given me more ideas for reading material!

Not just about Hawaii but a fun read: Tony Horowitz's "Blue Lattitudes," follows the journeys of Captain Cook. I was reading it while we were renting a house down on Kealakekua Bay- we could see the Cook Monument marking the approximate location where Cook was killed- and didn't want it to end.

Just finished "The Money Dragon" by Pam Chun and loved it. True story of Chun's great-grandfather who was considered the Horatio Alger of Chinatown in Honolulu. The story of his life follows his family (all five wives and their children) and the cultural differences they face growing up in Honolulu turning late 1800's through 1930s.

Hi mom, I think I read the book enzian is talking about. Think it's called "My Name is Loa" or something like that. On our last trip to HI we went to Molokai and hiked down to Kalaupapa (sp?) and bought the book in the book store there. Now that I think of it it was about a young boy sent there b/c he had leprosy and it was the story of his life. Easy read.