I admire Ambrose Bierce's work above all other 19th century writers, with the exception of O. Henry. I enjoy visiting San Francisco. So when I saw that Oakley Hall had written a sequel to Ambrose Bierce and the Queen of Spades, I was eager to read it. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to the promise of the first book.

Bierce was a short story writer and biting satirist who wrote newspaper columns and generally made a public nuisance of himself in the latter half of the 19th century. A Civil War veteran, his writings on the war anticipate much of the disillusionment and despair that characterizes later writings by Viet Nam veterans. He also wrote a considerable body of horror and ghost stories that are more modern than you might expect. He disappeared in the Mexican Civil War in 1914, and his fate has never been determined reliably. The movie Old Gringo speculated on this, and others have done so. One theory had it that he'd written The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, which anyone who'd read Bierce would know was highly unlikely. He despised novels.

So here we have the second of a series of novels about him. In the first there was motivation for him to get involved in the mystery, but here there isn't. Instead we have a missing Hawaiian princess, a dying Hawaiian king, and Bierce looking for said princess. There's no explanation of why Bierce is doing the looking, and no explanation of why his friend Tom Redmond decides to help. They just do. And there's also no suspense: it becomes obvious that she's gone of her own volition, and a friend tells them she's safe. Half of the book slides by before we finally get to some suspense.

An elderly Hawaiian judge is killed, and his rooms set on fire. Bierce and Redmond three-quarters of the book insisting they aren't interested in who killed him, and then are reluctantly drawn into figuring it out. It's mildly entertaining, but no where near as suspenseful or intricate as the first book.

Redmond, meanwhile, has recently lost his wife to illness, and romances a half-Hawaiian lady of considerable stature (over 6') who apparently likes him, but is determined to marry someone prosperous (Redmond's a mere reporter). Redmond accepts this, and it somehow robs the romance of whatever fire it would otherwise have.

There are scenes in restaurants, bars, houses, and the city jail, and all read believably, and interestingly. Bierce and the other characters are well-drawn, and interesting, and I enjoyed the character and atmosphere of the book. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a plot.

You can almost smell the literary mothballs as this very old-fashioned mystery, set in Gay Nineties San Francisco, unfolds and develops. Adhering faithfully to the tone and atmosphere of the time, and using much of the vocabulary and style of the period, Oakley Hall fills his pages with historical detail as he fleshes out a story of the death of King Kalakaua of Hawaii, including the rivalry for his throne, the influence of the sugar barons, and the pressure of the U.S. government for a lease on Pearl Harbor as a Pacific port. Despite the complex subject matter, Hall's style is surprisingly economical and restrained, and he advances the action quickly, presenting Ambrose Bierce, a real 19th century journalist and writer, as his clever, Holmes-like detective, with the narrator, Tom Redmond, as his much more sympathetic, Watsonian sidekick.

Old Hawaiian customs, sensitive issues of race and color, and America's imperialism all directly affect this plot, and Hall takes great care to depict these issues accurately. Unfortunately, the book gets bogged down in its own minutiae. Well over two dozen characters play roles here, some with similar names, and the reader, not knowing who may eventually become important in all the plots and subplots, must keep track of them all in order to understand the action. Additionally, the main plots regarding succession to the Hawaiian throne involve complex genealogies and political motivation, and there are innumerable subplots and digressions. These include the disappearance of a princess, mysterious and unavenged deaths from the past, blackmail and extortion, Haunani Brown's various love affairs, her search for information on her parentage, the women's suffrage movement, spiritualism and voodoo, white slavery, the introduction of leprosy and other diseases to the islands, and even a gay love connection in San Francisco, certainly enough to keep any reader fully occupied.

Still, if you are fascinated by Gay Nineties San Francisco and by Hawaiian history, this unusual mystery with its careful rendering of the atmosphere of the period should provide you with hours of pleasure. It is not quick or easy reading, but it is intriguing.

It is near the end of the 19th century and America's destiny seems to compell it to reach further west, to the independent kingdom of Hawaii, already largely dominated by the descendents of white missionaries now turned merchants and sugar barons. The King of Hawaii is in San Francisco, dying without clear indication of the succession. When a Hawaiina princess vanishes, poet and newspaper columnist Ambrose Bierce is called upon to find her. Bierce, in turn, asks for help from his friend Tom Redmond, the novel's narrator.

From the start, it is clear that there is more than a missing person. Bierce and Redmond run into the woman's sufferage movement, spiritualism, and the powerful force of Hawaiian magic. When a Hawaiian judge is found murdered, Redmond finds himself under attack from Hawaiian magic.

Author Oakley Hall has created a delightful view of America at the turn of an earlier century. Bierce, with his cynical, yet somehow optimistic, view of the world, makes an effective sleuth, doomed to be disappointed by those he attempts to save. Negative historical attitudes toward women and persons of color are integrated into the story without apology yet without any sense of approval either.

As Bierce explains near the end of the novel, all of the clues are available to the reader. Even those mystery readers who guess the killer will enjoy Hall's smooth writing, the depth of historical detail, and the insights into an important historical/literary figure in Ambrose Bierce, turn of the 19th century America, and the end of the history of Hawaii as an independent country.

A well written and completely enjoyable novel.

Skip Thomsen writes about a popular Island pastime called "talk story," when a neighbor drops by to talk with you. Life comes to a halt, as you prepare a beverage, & sit down for their visit. AFFORDABLE PARADISE is like that.

Skip Thomsen tells you about life on the Big Island, & in particular the Windward side & Hilo.

As your tour guide to The Big Island, he covers:
The Dream & The Realities
Finding Your Own Special Place - The Choices
Your Virtual Tour
Making the Big Move - Arranging Shipping; What-and-What NOT-to take
Do I Take My Car?
What About Pets?
Kids and School
Shopping
Income Opportunities
Retirement

A pleasure to read, with lots of useful information & honest perspectives.

I had also bought "So You Want to Live in Hawaii", which i thought had a somewhat pessimistic tone for considering moving to Hawaii.
Affordable Paradise seems to have a very realistic and thorough understanding of whats involved both physically, financially, and mentally for considering making the move. It presents both positive and negative aspects for choosing Hawaii, and what to look for in purchasing a home, shopping, and understanding the locals. Very good book.

Affordable Paradise: The Secrets Of An Affordable Life In Hawaii by long-time Hawaiian resident Skip Thomsen is a practical, straightforward book about living economically day-to-day in one of the most beautiful and sunny of America's 50 states. From finding a serviceable house for less than $100,000 to work and retirement opportunities, Affordable Paradise is an indispensable reference to consult for anyone seriously considering a move to Hawaii for the best of what island living has to offer, yet needing to live within budgetary constraints.

The Portuguese Bean Soup recipe is really the best I've ever had.

The book is broken down by seasons which I found to be more authenic as well as easy to use. Most people don't realize that Hawai'i does indeed have seasons-other than the tourist season.

My step-father, a native of Hawai'i, and I have had much fun shopping for some of the ingredients here on the "mainland". We have been able to find just about everything to make several of the recipes (and neither of us live in a large town).

For some great Portuguese Bean Soup, you have to get this book!

After many trips to Maui over the years we finally tried Hali'Imaile General Store. It was my Birthday and wanted to try a new place. What a treat!The service was the best Joan was our fantastic Server and made us feel like Royalty. Her suggestions made our dinner the very best it could be. Since that first trip we have had many, many dinners and taken our Clients and family there for dinner, we get such rave reviews we seldom take new Clients anywhere else except when in a hurry on time or for a little more casual bite we go to "that other place" they have ribs too! We enjoy the fantastic variety of foods. I fell in love with the fishcakes at first bite had to go back the next day and ordered them just for me NO!sharing. My family and friends know if you want to please me with a "gift" a dinner gift certicaate works.Where else would I want to go. One of my favorite deserts Pina Colada Cheesecake this was the most Heavenly taste. I tell people when we take them to the Restraunt its WONDERFUL and still they cant believe how good the food and service is. Mahalo for all the great times we have had at your Place and they other place too! Bev & Joe you have really done a great job keep up your part and we'll keep up ours "eatting at your places with family,friends and clients" My best Friend gave me a gift certificate after 2 trips to the restraunt in a week we had to go back to Portland, Joan sujested since I love the food why not take a cookbook back so I did.My daughter who loves cooking stole my book. So had to buy a new. Need to be able to get a fishcake fix. Now after several more trips we now live here and eat at both of your places alot. Have to go to Joes for Crab Dip. They to have a great staff but there is no place like Hali'Imaile General Store.I flew to PDX on business 15 times this year always tell people on the flight they have to go eat at both your places it never suprises me when we run into those people at dinner. Now I'm hungry I think I'll go make reservation for dinner tonite!!!!! See you at Hali'Imaile General Store we are the couple at the table by the window! Agian Much Mahalo Bev & Joe You have done a great job! Maui has alot of fine Dinnng and truly this is our Favorite!

I purchased this book several months ago in anticipation of hosting a baby shower with a luau theme. I spent several months agonizing over which of the many amazing dishes I should make. I settled on the soba noodle salad, pork tenderloin with pineapple chutney (I omited the mushroom polenta) Paella and pineapple pie. It was amazing. although the recipes involve a boatload of chopping, and in some cases, a lot of ingredients, most can be made one or two days ahead. Anyone interested in fresh, complex flavors and textures should buy this book. My guests ran the gamet of tastes and ages, but I ended up with very few leftovers. I am a cookbook affeciando and I say this is a Great Great Book. I'd even fly to Maui to have them cook for me.

This is an OK book, but could have been better. There are few actual stories. A lot of good information and background on Pele and the volcanoes of Hawaii written in a forgettable style. The art is not so great, either. The Ancient Hawaii book by the same author is much better over all.

The Goddess Pele never died, She is stil; alive in Hawaii. This book although written by a non pagan brings Pele to life with his words. His art gives her beauty and power. Many who think her curse is a joke take rocks from her island and then live the curse of Pele if they survive they bring them back to Her island. This book reveals the history of Hawaii and tells how Pele was not a native Hawaiin. It also shows the degeneration of her worship through the conversion to the new religion Christianity. The illustrations are so very beautyful and do remind me so much of the beautyful firey Goddess Pele. Her worship is alive and well.

Herb Kane, foremost artist/historian on Hawaii and the South Pacific gives a wonderfully entertaining and educational look into Hawaiian facts and legends. The words and breathtaking art work are forever memorable!

Maui Sherbert

2 (7oz) cans strawberry soda AND 1 can sweetened condensed milk AND 1 (7oz) can 7-up

Mix together and freeze for 3 hours. Whisk. Freeze again.

Reading this book brought memories of a childhood partially spent in Hawaii flooding back. Rachel Laudan definitely seems to cover a the broad array of unique goodies that can be found in Hawaii; for instance, Hawaii is the ONLY place to truly appreciate shaved ice and the potential myriad of delicious flavors. Unfortunately, however, the recipes don't quite live up to expectation. I can remember one of my earliest memories in Hawaii -- I had made friends w/ another little girl at the beach and her family invited me to share in their cooked-at-the-beach lunch of steamed rice and teriyaki beef. It was sooo good and not something that my mom cooked for ME at the beach! I've been looking to re-create that taste and memory for a while and Rachel Laudan's teriyaki recipe falls far, far short. Her butter mochi recipe is also very heavy and greasy for my tastes (and I love mochi). Nevertheless, it's a fascinating account of Hawaiian cooking. I just wish the recipes were excellent, too.

It seems this book was born out of Laudan's attempt to categorize and make sense out of the foods in Hawaii. I was raised in Hawaii and grew up surrounded by the foods that Laudan presents in her book. Many of the local cookbooks put together and sold by Hawaii's churches, schools, and communities give you recipes from local home kitchens; nothing too fancy and usually no description of the dish, because it is assumed you know what the ingredients are and how they are used.

More than a cookbook, Laudan has written well-researched histories of how various local foods have developed throughout the islands before each main and sub sections (The Plate Lunch, The Matter of Mochi, Sorting Out Sushi to name a few). And, she includes a brief explaination of the dish before each recipe.

I bought this book hoping to shed some light on "crack seed" and how to make it. Unfortunately, it appears that she was able to get only the more well known recipes due to the fact that the main ingredient (oriental flowering apricot) is not widely available.

This book is a good resource, if not for the recipes, then for the history of Hawaii's local food for both non-Hawaii and island cooks. One caveat: a recipe found in a cookbook is no more than a base on which to add/subtract/change ingredients as you see fit. There is no such thing as "The Recipe" for teriyaki sauce - recipes vary from home to home and island to island.

This is an interesting book. The characters are both dramatic and realistic as they cope with conflicts in their personal and professional relationships. Revolving around the airline industry; it's a fun, steamy, and emotional story of the lives and loves of each character.

It's a book that you don't want to put down. Set in Hawaii, it creates a romantic backdrop for the intrigue which unfolds in each of their lives. It provides a view of the emotional roller-coasters experienced by these women and their men.

This is a well-written story that holds your interest from beginning to end. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys drama, spicy romance, and a good story.

This was one of those books that once you get started, you can't put down! Very engaging, very easy to follow even though it was essentially about the lives of five very different women! Not a book that will "tax" the brain, but I doubt the author intended it to. Dramatic at times, funny at times, lots of human interest and every once in a while, you read a descriptive passage that makes one blush -- at least it did me! VERY fun and will certainly make me think about what the cabin crew does in their spare time the next time I fy!!

This book is a joy to read. Five different main characters. Interesting, inspiring and entertaining. The words are fluid, rich and striking. These stories are pictured mainly in beautiful Hawaii. It will the reader's dream to be there too. Where are you Hollywood? This would make a great film.

My son is reading PEARL HARBOR IS BURNING, which is short not only on the mood and atmosphere of the time but also on facts. One child dons a "Baltimore Orioles" jacket even though the baseball team didn't move to Baltimore until the 1950's.

The book should focus on the events of Pearl Harbor,not on the story of racial tensions,which is grafted on. That's an important theme, but it doesn't belong here.

The story takes place in Hawaii, where two boys from very different backgrounds become friends during the strike on Pearl Harbor. This short story is a very good read. My only complaint is that the story ends too soon. The author took time to develop characters but ended the story. It really makes you want to know more about what happens to them in the aftermath of the attack. This book would be a great choice for teachers to read in their classrooms in light of recent events.

The story "Pearl Harbor is Burning!" is about a friendship between two boys during World War II. What makes this friendship so inciteful is the setting and backgrounds of the two young boys. The setting is Hawaii and one young boy is American while the other is Japanese. The young boy from America has just moved to the island from the United States and does not fit in with the other island children. Until he meets and befriends the young Japanese boy. These two boys discover what great things that they have in common despite their different cultures and the history that is occuring around them. As the war begins the American must stay with the Japanese family while his parents help the local people. During this time the young American boy sees how it is to be apart of their ancestry in this unique situation. This story would be an excellent resource for any classroom especially while studying World War II to offer a unique point of view on an everlasting friendship and life.

The Kirkus review is far too harsh for this fast-paced terrifically entertaining romp through a sort-of possible but brightly imagined near-future. While the worlds of the drugged-out loser and the billionaire scion seem a bit contradictory, its worth it just to go along on Christensen's whirlwind tour of a possible, particularly lousy future.

No, this is not hyperbole. Ignore the near-sighted comments of those who didn't grok this book. It clearly passed over their heads. This brilliant, stunning novel starts in hyper-drive and never lets up. It simultaneously creates and inhabits its own unique, intoxicating realm, and cannot be judged by conventional literary standards. Its uncanny style is a savant-like feat, in my opinion. Not showing off. Not style disrupting story. Not even eccentricity. This is writing from the Zone. I was continually enthralled by the prose, I fell in love with the characters, the story gripped me from start to finish, and the mind-blowing denouemont was one of the most exquisitely beautiful and tragic I have read. This book cannot be overpraised. It deserves a wide audience. And I do believe one will catch up with it eventually.

Aloha is an utterly original, searing, brilliant masterpiece that transcends all genres. It stands alone and ranks with the best of William Gibson (which means Neuromancer)and William Burroughs (which means Naked Lunch. No kidding.) Aloha is breathtaking, poignant and outrageously funny by turns, with never a misstep or false note.What left-field galaxy Christensen pulled this one out of I don't know, but I read it in awe. (I can't believe the obnoxious review by Kirkus...what is their standard of excellence, Harold Robbins? Get a clue, Kirkus. Expand your minds a little beyond the conventional pap. This book clearly went over your heads.)Aloha is five stars by any standards. I'm reading it again for the second time and it still takes my breath away. (And no, I do not know the author personally.) Keep it up, Mark Christensen, there are people out there waiting for your next book. And even if the present earth population isn't yet hip to your work, it's surely being read in the next realm.

This book is a travesty. I'm a history student researching the death of Captain Cook. My prof. who gained his PhD from Yale suggested I read this book as a counterpoint for how historical research should be done, and presented. Obeyesekere is way out of his league in this book. First he claims to be an islander so he can relate to the natives (in fact he is 1/2 sri lankan and the other half is european). From taht point it goes down hill. The man's arguments while compelling on the surface are completely unfounded. If you actually read the footnotes of his arguments they site often his own articles and essays, or take comments from European acounts out of context that when read do not state at all what Obeyesekere says they do. Do not get taken in by the popular denial of the truth of Cook's death. This book represents an obvious vendeta against historians who know what they are talking and have true expertise in the field such as Sahlins.Who knows ancient Hawwian traditions, is an expert in ancient polynesean language and culture, and studied in many places in the south pacific. Unlike Obyesekere who has no background in any of these things. This is another great example of a man who is way out of his league atempting to make a name for himself by rocking the boat.

You have to give Obeyesekere credit for looking beyond the Makahiki festival, which dominates Marshall Sahlins' study of the apotheosis of James Cook. Obeyesekere sparked a minor maelstrom when he challenged the renown scholar's thesis that Cook was personified as a god by the Hawaiians. Obeyesekere looks beyond bicameral minds, and insists that the Hawaiians were fully conscious of their actions.

Cook was not the great god Lono, nor did he pretend to be. While his second arrival at the Sandwich Islands did coincide with the Makahiki festival, the Hawaiians did not deify him, but rather invited the Captain and his crew to take part in the ritual. Unfortunately for the Captain things seem to devolve afterward, and the Hawaiians killed him and several members of his crew.

Many have tried to piece together the tattered remnants of this story. Several of his crew kept journals and attempts were made after the fact to collect oral history from Hawaiians who were part of the cannibalistic ritual. Unfortunately, few of these accounts jive. Marshall Sahlins has done the most to try to piece together the events, but he seems to discount the Hawaiians ability for cognitive thinking, which tarnishes his work.

Obeyesekere attempted to draw Sahlins out, which he did with this book. Sahlins responded with the more scholarly but overbearing "How Natives Think," which he hoped would settle the issue once and for all. Unfortunately, Obeyeskere is not an anthropologist and his arguments tend to be a bit thin, but he does shoot plenty of holes into Sahlins' thesis.

I bought this book because of a general interest in Hawaiian history and Captain Cook. I'm not a professional historian and don't have any comment on such matters as quality of footnotes. However, I thought this was an excellent, very readable book. Mr. Obeyesekere takes historical fragments - diaries, letters, and so forth, and re-constucts the last few days of Cook's life. It's done so cleverly, in such a readable style, that it reminds one of the end of a mystery novel, where Sherlock Holmes explains his reasoning to Dr. Watson. However, there's the similar suspicion that it's being too clever, and that the author is taking evidence to fit the conclusion, rather than the other way around.

Also of interest was the repeated theme of cultural imperialism, explaining how modern historians project their own cultural predjudices (in this case, the simple savage, and a view of religion that is decidedly rational and rooted in monotheism) onto foreign cultures, and the misunderstandings that naturally arise. There's a number of similar cases I can think of, where the common knowledge is so influenced - best example is the view that Cortez conquered Mexico as an unimpeded God, when a simple reading of Bernal Diaz shows that's not the case.

I do have to complain, though, that a overly large portion of the book is given to the academic refutation of fellow scholar Mr. Sahlins. The author is challenging common thought, and I appreciate being able to read the debate with a prestigious scholar who represents the status quo. However, I thought it should have been made more distinct from the rest of the book - much interesting information is revealed in the argument, but it's comparatively dry reading.

Still, overall, this book makes for a very interesting read, and encourages one to re-examine their historical and cultural assumptions. I definitely think it's worth reading.

This book displays black and white pictures and is totally outdated. Out of all the tour books on Hawaii that I ordered (Frommers 2000, Fodors 2000, Best Places to Stay in Hawaii and the guides books written by Andrew Doughty and Harriet Friedman, Lonely Planet) this was by far the worst. I should have returned it while I could but I wanted to give it a chance. What a waste of time and money.

This is a great book which could benefit from being updated. With the focus on just beaches, it was extremely useful and I found many great beaches I wouldn't have found otherwise during my three week visit. If beachgoing is your thing, this book will help you find plenty, expecially non-resort ones that are virtually empty.

The best informative book you can buy on the entire coastline of the big island. Much historical info adds to the richness of the general information provided. If you are looking for an out of the way place on the big island, this book will help you find it