Tropical Family Vacations gives a nice introduction to family travel in Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico. For each island or place, the author provides an overview with a description, visitor information, language and currency. All the listings--resorts and attractions--are oriented toward families. I was pleased to find both 800 numbers and web addresses. The descriptions are writtenin a pretty objective fashion. Expect description rather than evaluation. If you (and your kids!) know you want a warm vacation, but don't know where to go, this is a good first step in planning.

This book gave me a real good impressium of the colorfull treeworld of Hawaii. But not only the flowers can be seen in this book, also the fruits (edible or not) from the trees of Hawaii are not forgotten. I hope in the future there will be another book about trees of Hawaii with more pages, so that I will be more informed over the wonderfull trees of Hawaii (Inculding Bananas and Palms). When you read this nice book you surrely know what I mean.

This book is packed with SPECTACULAR photos of fishes, corals and inverts found in Hawaiian waters. It includes a common name, scientific name, Hawaiian name (if applicable), and description with each photo. It is a good guide in helping to identify and learn more about these marine animals.

On May 21, 1944, a series of explosions and fires aboard several Navy ships in Pearl Harbor led to the deaths of 163 men, with nearly 400 wounded, and six ships destroyed. For operational reasons, the Navy reported this as a 'small mishap,' and, amidst the larger war, the incident was largely forgotten.

Nearly 40 years later, William L.C. Johnson, a survivor of the explosions, asked another Navy man a by-the-way question about the event. One thing led to another, as they say, and within a few years, Johnson had collected dozens of first-hand accounts and photographs from eyewitnesses of the disaster. Out of those accounts comes this book.

William Johnson is no David McCullough, and this book will never be considered for a Pulitzer. It's not highly polished history -- it doesn't even, for example, get to the bottom of what really triggered the explosions in the first place. What this book is, however, is a very personal, and moving, labor of love, both for the author himself and for the many other men whose stories are told here.

In fact, the second half of the book is made up entirely of personal accounts from Marines, Army soldiers, and Navy and Coast Guard men who were there that day. Johnson also includes records of the Navy Board of Inquiry on the disaster, and the logs of several of the ships involved. These latter, especially, help illustrate the scope of the event, while the personal accounts demonstrate the chaos on the scene.

The West Loch disaster was, in the grand scheme of the war in the Pacific, a relatively minor event. It didn't even delay 'Operation Forager,' the invasion of Saipan for which the ships and men were being readied. But it wasn't minor for the men who experienced it, or for the families and friends of those who died. As the era, and the men who lived it, fade from view, this small book helps remember the men who gave their lives in action in May 1944.

This lovely little book showcases this private family quilt collection, now a part of the Grove Farm Homestead and Waioli Mission Houses Museum collection. The appliqued and pieced quilts, Hawaiian qpplique, flag, and redwork quilts, and the tapa bedcoverings date from the arrival of the first Wilcox missionary family through the WWII era. There are stories of a number of the quilters who quilted for the family. These quilts were made to be used by the family. In the 1920s, the Wilcox sisters also collected mainland quilts for use in the restored mission house.

This museum publication is very nicely done and the photos of the quilts are great.

I was fortunate to spend about half my pre-college years in Hawai`i, nearly all of which time coincided with the three terms of Hawai`i's longest serving elected governor, George R. Ariyoshi. And so although he and I have some significant political and philosophical disagreements, I enjoyed this chance to learn a little more about a man who was always something of a feature of my early life, and put some vaguely remembered controversies into better focus.

Like all memoirs (especially ones by politicians) there are self-serving elements to this book that make it worth reading with a grain or two of salt. At the same time, though, Governor Ariyoshi's focus really isn't on refighting old battles (in fact, I wish he'd gone into a little *more* political detail than he did). Instead, he's more interested in examining how his background as the son of Japanese immigrants, but born and raised in the unique political and cultural setting of Hawai`i, colored his worldview and approach to public service. 'Warm' and 'human' are the sorts of words reviewers always use for books like this, and I think they apply here. This is an interesting, informative, and at times, touching, book.

This book reveals some fascinating contradictions, not only in Hawai`i's political world, but also in Ariyoshi himself. For all his focus on compromise, moderation, agreement, planning for the future, and so on, Ariyoshi is an intense partisan. He is a loyal Democrat Party man, and his references to the Republicans are almost always derogatory. Toward the end of the book, for example, he describes the work of 'transform[ing] Hawai`i from a politically backwards territory to a progressive, multiracial state,' as 'the most essential accomplishment of the Democratic Party' (p. 200), as though social progress can only occur through the hand of government, and even then only if that hand is Democrat.

That brings us to an issue I wish Ariyoshi had addressed more directly -- an issue that is, in fact, the central fact of political life in the Fiftieth State: the state is ruled (it's not too strong a word) by an 'iron triangle' of Big Labor, Democratic Party politicians, and a bloated State bureaucracy. Ariyoshi admits (p. 199) that Hawai`i is essentially a one-party state, but --typically, though not entirely incorrectly -- blames the GOP for their own irrelevance.

He breezily dismisses criticisms of Hawai`i's regulate/socialize/bureaucratize/tax tradition as 'continental modes of thinking' (p. 126), without explaining why a free market is somehow unsuited for the Island State. Indeed, he notes that 'In Hawaii we have a tradition of highly centralized government that can be traced to Kamehameha's wars of conquest and the formation of the Hawaiian kingdom' (p. 128) -- an argument that reduces to little more than 'We do it this way because we've always done it this way.' Throughout the book, whether he is addressing the 1970s 'energy crisis,' economic development, affordable housing, diversification of agriculture, limiting the adverse impact of tourism and 'in-migration,' and the rest, the solution always -- always -- involves government.

In short, *otagai* -- 'We are obligated to one another' -- may well be true. But why that obligation needs to be met through the coercive force of government is a linkage Governor Ariyoshi leaves largely unaddressed. At one point, he quotes Lao Tsu that 'A leader is best when the people hardly know he exists, and of that leader the people will say when his work is done that "We did this ourselves."' (p. 96). Ariyoshi takes this to mean leaders should draw people in and get them involved in a common effort. But I always interpreted it to mean 'leaders' should, to the greatest extent possible, leave the people unmolested in the first place. That way, 'we did this ourselves' becomes literally true, and not an illusion used to camouflage the acts of the 'leaders' themselves.

Apart from these philosophical differences, though, I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. It brought back many memories for me, and more to the point, gave many valuable insights on both the process and the potential of political leadership. Low as my opinion of career politicians tends to be, I have to admit that if more of them were motivated by the kinds of ideals described on these pages, the act of politics might well be a less nasty thing. I even -- dare I say it? -- have a little bit of admiration for the man.

Hotel Honolulu contains some of the best writing I have ever read -- Theroux masterfully depicts the humorous events that occur within (and around) a past-its-prime Waikiki hotel, as observed by the book's narrarator. The novel is sort of a series of vignettes about the vacationers who briefly inhabit the world of this second-tier hotel, as well as the locals associated with the hotel (gardners, housekeepers, etc.).

The problem, for me, is that the narrarator tends to be extremely condescending when describing many of the characters in the book, particularly the Hawaiian natives. The narrarator depicts most of the natives, including his wife, as ignorant and simple people. I found the "vignettes" focusing on this ignorance to be insulting, at best.

That being said, I am glad I read the book. If you can get past the author's condescension, this is a wonderful book full of rich characters.

This was a very enjoyable collection of short stories about some very interesting characters that lived, worked, or visited a cheap hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii. It sounded so believable, that it made you wonder how much of it is fact and how much is fiction.

The characters varied from local eccentrics to visiting scholars, who decided to become locals. It gave the reader an inside view of what some of the locals and tourists could possibly be like.

There's a great premise for this novel by Paul Theroux. The narrator is an unnamed middle-aged writer who takes a job as a manager of a small seedy hotel in Honolulu. What follows is a book full of overlapping stories about the constant parade of guests and locals and a fresh look at what Hawaii is like by the New England-born author who now makes Hawaii his part-time home.

There's a wide variety of characters and a loose non-conventional plot. Most memorable of all is the larger-than-life figure of millionaire and hotel owner Buddy Hamstra, a big man who over-indulges his appetites in life. There's the writer's wife and daughter as well as permanent and temporary hotel guests and employees. It's a collection of vignettes interwoven with reoccurring themes and finely developed people. It's big and sprawling and full of pathos and humor, small portraits of human nature focusing on the themes of love and death.

I found myself drawn into it, enjoying the author's sharp observations and finding myself wanting to laugh out loud. How each character views this world is fascinating and the writer dares to ridicule it all. There's a power in the book that kept me reading in spite of the meandering pace. It's sad and funny and very human all at the same time as it willingly explores such topics such as ethnic tensions and physical disabilities. It might not always be a flattering picture of a place we sometimes think of as paradise, but it sure does seem real, as the characters grope and blunder along in their lives below a constantly shining Hawaiian sun. I just loved the experience of reading this book. Definitely recommended.

This was a book about a Korean woman enslaved and forced to become a prostitute to the Japanese army, which was a very real occurance during the occupation of Korea that has been forgotten by many. While I wanted to read this novel to learn more about the tragedies that happened to women placed in this situation, I felt that the book focused less on what happened to the mother during the war and more on her shamanism and on mysticism. The way it affected her daughter, and how her past affected their relationship, was believable but all of the spookiness that followed was a bit far-fetched. Overall, however, it was a very interesting read and the language used was compelling.

Nora Okja Keller's Comfort Woman provactively examines the mother/daughter relationship and the immigrant relationship to the ethnic community. Through Akiko's description of her role as a comfort woman (a sex slave to Japanese soldiers), the reader learns that she experienced much pain and trauma prior to the birth of her daughter. This experience coupled with her Korean ethnicity work to make Akiko the woman she is today. Akiko's daughter, Beccah, feels burdened by her ethnicity in the hierarchical community of Hawaii and is often embarrassed by her mother's connection to the spiritual world. However by the conclusion of the novel, events occur that enable Beccah to make peace with her ethnicity and her mother as well as gain self-awareness. She follows her heart and has learned to trust her relationship with her mother.
This book opened my eyes to the terrible sexual abuse that took place during the war, as well as conveyed the importance of the mother/daughter bond and one's relationship to their past. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

Comfort Woman is a beautifully written novel. The themes that run through most Asian American Women Literature are seen, but in an inventive way. The decentering of the story provides the story with an added dynamic play of not knowing who the protagonist is, and not needing to know. Postmodern in nature, this book rejects the typical beginning, middle, and end. Both the narratives of the mother and the daughter are necessary for this work. The daughter's are most important of all (I was shocked to read that someone thought they could be removed). This is not a fun read, it is shocking, moving, and requires much of the reader. If you are not willing to think while reading, then this book is not for you. It's a great book to use for discussion. I love the book, I own it, and I've bought it for many others.

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Very similar to earlier, much scarier best-sellers such as "The God Project" and "Creature", this Saul novel is a little more subdued than many of his pervious works. The story takes place in Haleakala, Maui, among the best (and most volcanic) beaches in the world. Katherine Sunquist, an anthropologist who has come to the islands to study unusual skeleton remains gets much more than what she ever bargained for. Her teenage son Michael has just made the track team and is finally fitting in, yet his physical condition seems to be diminishing and she comes overly concerned. She becomes even more worried when one of Michael's friends unexpectadly dies while walking in the middle of the road. Katharine's biggest fears may become a reality as evidence shows that the organization she is working for may be putting all of its funds into an investment in medical terror--and Michael is the scapegoat. Not violent or scary, yet an intriguing novel none-the-less. Not one of Saul's very best, but certainly worth a read if you're a fan.

Touted as a "suspenseful thriller" this book was a disappointment. Saul's early novels were riveting, full of character development and interesting plot lines. This novel, set on an unrealistic premise that people become infected with a strange disease that allows that to breathe toxic substances such as ammonia, and not air. Once again, Saul takes the reader to an exotic location (Hawaii -- where he also happens to live part-time; guess he didn't have to go very far for research -- just out the back door) with a single parent, raising a somewhat troubled teenager (this type of character is getting stale Mr. Saul). After a night dive, the son develops the non-breathing-air problem. How will he be cured? Who is responsible for this deed? Very predictable, very easy to figure out. The charcters showed no depth, emotion or real character development. The novel reminded me of a high school book that I could have wrote. Paying nearly $40.00 for the book, I sure could use the $100 prize to help me re-coup my losses. If you are a really devoted Saul fan, I would suggest you read this book; just to say that you did. If not, wait for the paperback. Arlen

I enjoyed this book a lot. I love John Saul's writing. His creativity and style surpass others. He is my favorite next to Dean Koontz. I liked this book for many reasons. For one, I liked the development of characters. His setting was perfect also, he placed a horror/suspense story in the tropical paradise of Maui! This book was very imaginative and is unique in his writing and others. I took one star off because of how slow the reading was for me, personally. It took me a while to get into the book. At the beginning of the book, the foreshadowing stories were awesome. I also was very indulged into the book because of the ties that were placed in the novel between archeology, anthropology, and even "strange-alien pods" under the sea. I loved the book, I'd read it again, Saul has a way of placing you in the novel as if you are there.

TITLE: Pearl Harbor AUTHOR: Randall Wallace PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster REVIEWED BY: Barbara Rhoades

BOOK REVIEW: The story was well-written and related to people growing up in the depression who were scarred by the events of World War I. The main characters were young boys when the story opened. They were the best of pals – like brothers. Each grew up to become aviators in the United States Army Air Corps. They always helped and watched over each other as the events of their lives led up to Pearl Harbor where they fell in love with the same woman.

Mr. Wallace’s story was historically incorrect in two areas. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Fleet, remained on his Flag Ship in the Sea of Japan rather than with the fleet attacking Pearl Harbor. The other incorrect historical reference was that the United States did NOT declare war on the Third Reich at the same time as Japan but rather this event occurred three days later.

I would recommend this book for people who enjoy historical love stories. Jay O. Sanders was an excellent reader who held my interest and I finished the book in two days.

Despite some of the reviews that I've seen, this is a really good book. The people where portrayed accuratly, and was historically correct. The Japanese where protrayed as honorable soldiers, Roosevelt was protrayed well, and was very exciting to read. Even though the storyline is based on fiction, it was a very good and exciting read.

Most people don't know this, but the book, "Pearl Harbor," by Randall Wallace was the original screen-play of the motion picture. Needless to say, it's not just any old novelization--It's the original! If you liked the movie, you owe it to yourself to sit down with this book and read it. Wallace's writing style makes the story very rivetting and keeps the reader in constant anticipation.

Some people say the love story was a bit excessive and far-fetched. I agree. However, it does not take away from the extravagancy of the story of the bombing of Pearl.