Daran Kravanh survived against all odds and, in this collaborative effort, his story unfolds. There is much more than suffering, though, in this story. Gently, simply, and beautifully, his life is described: in Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge and during nearly unimaginable years of famine and deprivation. National history as well as that of his close large family, their culture, religion - including food, festivals, personalities, and a panoply of observations about nature and the animal (and spirit) world. Kravanh's deep attachment to music, specifically (and to this reader, surprisingly) the accordion, is a theme, and a source of sustenance in the years of his suffering.

There are countless themes that are reinforced in this story. His parents, especially the personality of his remarkable father are described rivetingly and memorably.

Lafreniere, Daran's collaborator in this work, describes their method in a prefatory note. "It is not," she writes, "a translation, an oral history, or an autobiography." Lafreniere goes on to write that it is the result of "the interplay of opposites," presumably those of herself and Daran. In my view, this is disconcertingly vague and isn't an adequate discussion of methodology. There was extensive collaboration, (no tape recorder), and the reader deserves a clear description of the method that produced such an amazing account. It's a shortcoming of this otherwise amazing, eye-opening, and soulful story.

This book is beautifully written! A very touching, even though tragic story. Bree's words are beautiful.

This is by far the most powerful story and inspirational book I have ever read! One word....BEAUTIFUL.

The book is based on Ruth Tabor's account of when she was in Nihau. She also has research from the turn of the century. It is a good inside look at a very mysterious island, an island that is forbidden to outsiders. The last time Ruth Tabor was there, I believe, was in the early to mid 1950's. Since the book has been published, the island has been opened up to the public under strict policies. If you have an interest in Nihau, this is a helpful book to read.

Well i'm going to answer the Question to all of the people who are not "true Hawaiians" and that you want to go and visit this forbidden island. Well the reason why you CANNOT go is because this is the only island that is not filled with tourists and can only be preserved by the native hawaiian heratige family. This island is purchased by the Robinson family and it has the power of controlling what goes on in that island. Oh.... and how is it like? well ask a Hawaiian because I no like tell you..

Ever since I first visited Kauai, I was facinated with the island of Niihau. Who lives there? Why can't visitors go? What's it like to live on the island? Why are only "true Hawaiians" allowed to live there. Tabrah answers these questions and more in this book. I read it almost 5 years ago and I still remember it in detail. She finagled her way into an official visit of the island and wrote about her experience. Well done!!

The Pearl Harbor Papers is a great body of insight into the planning of the Dec 7, 1941 attack. Although some of the charts breaking down the unit compositions are redundant (due to the same information in several different accounts), a look into the mind of Minoru Genda, the brilliant planner of the strike, is invaluable. Another interesting account is the battle diary of the destroyer Akigumo, which offers a unique view from that of a screening vessel. A real good supplement to the three volumes authored by Gordon Prange about the "Day of Infamy".

Gordon Prange, the dean of Pearl Harbor researchers, and his assistants Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon, produced the essential trilogy on the before-during-and-after of the attack, "At Dawn We Slept" (1981), "December 7, 1941" (1988), and "Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History" (1986). In this book, Dillon and Goldstein produce some of their essential primary sources, key Japanese documents about the planning, execution, and aftermath of the attack.

One of the key distinctives of Prange's research and writing was that, unlike so many other writers about the attack, he never forgot the Japanese half of the equation. In fact, the Pearl Harbor attack was a massive tactical undertaking, and the Japanese carried it off brilliantly. Focusing entirely on, for example, how much FDR knew and when, means ignoring the magnitude of the Japanese accomplishment.

Prange never made this mistake. And it's his research and interviews in Japan that produced this important work, assembled and published by his two assistants. While "The Pearl Harbor Papers" may be too esoteric for casual students of the Day of Infamy, people with a more serious interest in the attack, or the Pacific War generally, will find much here to keep themselves occupied.

Of particular interest are several papers and affidavits by Minoru Genda, the key planner of the attack. Also very interesting is "An Intimate Look at the Japanese Navy," by Masataka Chihaya, a former officer of the Imperial Japanese Navy, who shortly after the end of the war cataloged his services' successes and failures. It's a very clear-eyed document, and deserves a close reading.

On the whole, this is a very good book to add to your shelf of Pearl Harbor books (and anyone who has such a shelf unquestionably needs this).

What stopped the invasion of Pearl Harbor? Who protected the valuable oil supplies? How much did FDR know about Japan? The Japanese side of the story as told by the folks who brought to life the US side,(AtDawn We Slept, etc) Prange, Goldstein & Dillion. These source documents explain how and why the Sons of Nippon choose the course of action that resulted in the attack on Dec 7, 1941. This is the true story of the story behind the headlines and the hysteria, based on the ACTUAL historical documents. Interpret history for yourself. A must read for anyone who wants to understand today's and yesterdays JAPAN.

This book was written for young readers but adults can enjoy, too. The Princess Kaiulani's life story gave me deeper meaning for life, such as responsibility, role, and love for people and nation. The author succeeded to picture the far away ilands so vivid even though I have never visited. Anyway I strongly recommend this book for every school library to purchase this and also adults to read.

I am Native Hawaiian and was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii within minutes of Iolani Palace. Much of my culture was lost and our land taken away. Many books were written some accurate and some not so accurate. This book was wonderfully written and with love, as the author did her many years of research. I say this because the true essence of Princess Kaiulani was depicted, our people, and culture. But most of all, the tragic lost of our monarchy, our queen, and our princess. The pictures and writing is wonderful, it is a easy reader book for children but made for everyone. This book is the most accurate, most informative, and most compassionate book I have read by any author on this subject. To get a condensed version of our history this would be the book to share. I appreciate the authors writing and grace she took to write such a wonderful book on our beloved Princess Kaiulani and our people. The love and tragedies our people went through, however, will never take away our spirit. That is where the word "Aloha" came from. Love, compassion, and spirit. This is something our princess had for her culture and people. This is something shared amongst all Hawaiians today. We may be a culture that had lost a lot but we will never be forgotten. The pictures are wonderful and brings me back as a little girl visiting the palace on a school field trip. I felt lost and sadness as I walk thru the palace, the same way I felt as I read this book. I couldnt help but cry through most of this book, I felt the same sadness and lost. To the author.... Mahalo Nui Loa! Malama Pono!

This book is a joy to read for everyone who has ever fallen in love with Hawaii (and even those who haven't). This poignant story of the last Hawaiian princess will give you a much deeper view of Hawaii than ever before. Hawaii is a lovely vacation spot, but it also has a rich, unique history. I heartily recommend Princess Ka'iulani:Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People for all ages.

I have been using this book all semester with 4-7 year-olds in creative art and drama classes. My students rated it as the book they most wanted me to bring back for an encore. It is delightful to see kids' gears turning as they comprehend each of Punia's tricks and predict the outcomes. They charged into the related class projects, and discussed the story on their own. It was a teacher's dream come true.

I bought this book to read to my 5 year old before we went on our Hawaii vacation. She loved it! We must have read it a dozen times before we left for our vacation! I am not an expert on Hawaiian culture, but the story was entertaining and it discussed many things we experienced during our trip to Hawaii, for example, volcanoes, surfing, seafood, and more. It also has a glossary of common Hawaiian words which were a lot of fun to learn. I highly recommend it for any child who is interested in learning more about different cultures or stories from other lands.

This is a beautifully told Hawaiian tale. Ms. Warlaw knows the culture and it shows. This award-winning, kid-friendly book has something for everyone.

Obviously the authors know a lot about Hawaii, but very little about other places.

First of all, the capture of Hawaii would significantly alter US strategy beyond imagination. The war in Europe would be shut down to life support level. In other words, just enough effort to save face, not a nationwide effort.

That would prolong the war in Europe, to say the least. Germany may even end up as the ultimate winner in this scenario.

Second, Americans will not wait until 1945 to recapture the island. They will arrive, as fast as possible. Recapturing Hawaii would be the first priority.

Third, the ending is too unreal to comment. The Hawaiian collaborator "King" would be sent to the mainland, given a mock trial, and imprisoned for life just like Noriega.

Obviously the authors have seen very little world outside Hawaii.

This fictional history was written by two college history teachers who sat down one afternoon and asked each other the question, "what would have happened had Admiral Nagumo NOT turned his fleet around on December 7, 1941?"

Ziegler and Patterson (myself) have used historical precedent, and plausible alternative scenarios to extend the war in the Pacific for 3 years, and give it a very different final outcome that will surprise even the most jaded reader.

The book is a look at the history of the Second World War from an alternative perspective. It assumes that small changes in major events can alter the course of history. The basis of this assumption is, of course, the historian's axiom: there is no inevitability. The authors begin the book with the sinking of USS Enterprise in the channel to Pearl Harbor, and the destruction of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's oil reserves, thus leaving Hawaii and the Pacific essentially undefendable. Recognizing this (as he did, in reality, 6 months after the attack on Pearl) Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku orders the invasion of the Hawiian Islands - and the Imperial Japanese Army is successful. The key point: how would that have changed the war.

To answer this question, the authors spend time on personal, operational, and theater-wide issues and actions. The politics of the Great Pacific War, the passions of the people involved, and the difficulties of soldiers on both sides of the lines, are explored, always with an eye to history. Everything in this book is based on events that did happen - usually elsewhere in the Pacific - and not on far-fetched scenarios. There is no time travel here, no death rays. Just good old fashioned history applied to a what-if scenario.

It is a great read, and has done well in Hawaii among veterans of WWII, contemporary service-people, and locals of all walks of life. It is a book which will make you think twice about the War in the Pacific, and the roles of the two major players, Japan and the United States.

A very thoughtful book which gives a great deal of though about the long-term consequences of relatively small events. If Japan had taken Hawaii early in WW2 it is not really conceivable that the outcome of the war would have changed, but the history of Hawaii inevitable would have been different from the one we know.

This book gives excellent food for thought (pineapples?) about this different history of the isles. The recollections of three generations of Hawaiian-Japanese, newspaper-like reports and university lectures from the (different) future all together paint a picture that is entirely believable. Since all the events and policies described really happened in Japanese-occupied Asia they are probable too.

It could have happened if Japan had taken the isles. That it probably would not have happened as some reviewers complained is besides the point. History would not have happened as we know it, and Hawaii today would be different too. That is the point this book makes. And since the authors kept the book short and focused (no human interest stories, no steamy love scenes, no heroic/stupid politicians) it is utterly enjoyable. Alternative history at its best!

This book offers great information on the different hiking trails and backpacking trails in Kauai.

I found Mr. McMahon's suggestions excellent. Especially when using the guide for our "Road to Hana" trip. There are Audio cassettes available all over the Island to guide your course along the way, but we found this book much more enlighntening. We had several tour books and local guide books and ended up only using "Adventuring" for our entire stay!!

Accurate descriptions of each beach, safety aspects, and historical notations. Author provides no relative valuation of which beaches are better than others for swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, etc. Ideal for Hawaiian residents or visitors who will spend an inordinate amount of time at Oahu's obscure out of the way beaches.

This book, and the others in the series for Maui, Kauai and Hawaii, is indispensable for Hawaiian visitors and locals. It gives the best beaches for swimming, surfing, snorkeling and also critical safety information. Every year visitors drown because they don't know which beaches are safe and which aren't. This book covers every square inch of beach and coastal access. Also gives fascinating historical notes. As a frequent visitor for over 20 years, I still take mine with me on every trip!

I really enjoyed this book about a multigenerational Chinese family. It is a fictionalized account of the author's own family history. The patriarch, the Money Dragon of the title, arrives in Hawaii at the end of the 19th century. He becomes an immensely successful businessman and acquires FIVE wives and has many children.

The story is told from the eyes of his daughter-in-law Phoenix, wife of his second son Tat-Tung. She has to live in the shadow of her mother-in-law Dai-Kan, the First Wife. Dai-Kan is one of the most puzzling characters, she favors the children and grandchildren of the other wives more than her own. You would expect just the opposite.

From this book I began to understand the complex social dynamics of this type of family, and how their Confucian beliefs held the structure in place. I don't think that polygamous marriages are allowed today in China. I'm curious about how they did away with it since it seemed to be such an embedded part of their culture at the beginning of the 20th century.

The descriptions of Hawaii itself are somewhat lacking. Perhaps the author, who was born in Hawaii, suffers from too much familiarity with the subject. I didn't really get a sense of place from this book.

For those interested in Hawaiin historical fiction I would also recommend The Floating City by Pamela Ball.

Pam Chun writes an engrossing book about a prominent Chinese family in 19th-20th century Honolulu and provides readers with a rare glimpse into a lost past. If you've ever stared at stark, black and white photos of old Chinese families and wondered what they were really like, Pam Chun brings them to life as if they were your own family and leaves you with a quiet, settled, intimacy that only honest, careful writing can bring.

Set in pre-war Hawaii, the tale pulls together historic fact and fiction in a seamless, involving way, resisting the postcard or magazine style of popular history. She focuses on the intimate and personal details of her characters and families and renders them breathing, sweating, and lifelike. My only disappointment was that the book ended so quickly.

Hawaii and history enthusiasts will find fine detail in her tale that fill in the gaps of Western accounts. Asian Americans will feel and smell the painful and yet matter of fact pressures on the lives of their parents and grandparents. You will marvel at the strength of character of the early Chinese women and the entrenched families that were the rule of the day. And because her writing resists the sterotype, the polemic, and the popular, it transcends the usual place and era pieces.

This is not Michener. This is Hawaii. I hope she keeps writing.

I could not put this book down until I had finished it. Pam Chun is a master storyteller and captivates the reader from the first page. L. Ah Leong is a poor Chinese immigrant who comes to Hawaii seeking a better life. Through hard work and diligence he amasses a fortune to declare to himself and those around him that he is a great man. The money, however, brings with it greed, a lust for power and destruction of the family. Set in territorial Hawaii one also gain insight into the injustice brought against the Hawaiian and Chinese population by the United States government and those who claimed to represent it.

This is an interesting book for the unique view which it provides, that of a child on the base during and after the attack. There are flaws in the pictures (two separate pictures describe pictured American planes as Japanese), but overall these are minor errors. A quick and interesting read!

This book is just incredible! It brings WWII and the Pearl Harbor story alive and through the eyes of a child. It has lots of great pictures, not only of the attack, but also personal pictures of her during that time in Hawaii. An absolute must-read for any WWII buff or anyone who wants to hear the personal and moving story of a little girl who witnessed this historic event.

Excellent book to help make children realize what the war was like - rationing, families torn apart, disruption of everything. Lots of photographs. Make sure to get the revised edition - the original did not have enough photos. Written at 5th grade level