Brocker's purpose in writing this book was to memorialize the people who "lived, died, and were for the most part forgotten on a little parcel of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean." And such honor he bestows! The Hansen's disease (leprosy) which afflicted these people was a terrible, disfiguring, and ultimately fatal disease brought to Hawaii by immigrants, but the steps taken to eradicate its spread by isolating the victims must have been at least as devastating to the family-oriented Hawaiians as the disease itself.

It is difficult even to imagine a life and death worse than that which awaited the lepers in the Kalaupapa colony. Yet their lives surely would have been worse, had it not been for the efforts of Father Damien, the Belgian priest who himself fell victim to the disease sixteen years after he began his work in the colony. Historic photographs of Father Damien and his aides bring them to life and honor their efforts. Brocker's descriptions and photographs of the inhospitable, barren, and windswept peninsula of Kalaupapa itself (chosen because it was so isolated and so unsuited to any other kind of settlement), make real the magnitude of Father Damien's efforts. There were no trees, no grass, no fishing places--just wind, dampness, and pounding surf. Most haunting are his photographs and stories of the poor souls who were wrested from their families and sent to Kalaupapa to die apart from them.

Of these, the most affecting of all, of course, are the children's pictures. Photographs of very young girls, sitting primly in rows, as if they were posing for a 3rd grade school picture, little boys sitting on the ground, as if waiting for a picnic, and the one I can't forget, that of a group sitting on the porch outside the boys' home, with a "small boy, who is hardly taller than the benches on which the others sit." Perhaps he was tiny Beka, aged four, from Maui, who, according to records, was sent all alone to live the remaining three years of his life and to die in a harsh and foreign place without any of his loved ones around. With his photographs and text, Brocker does great honor to the lives of all these unfortunate souls. The rest of us can only be grateful that our own children, grandchildren, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins do not have to suffer a similar fate to that of Beka, aged four.

In The Lands of Father Damien, Author Brocker follows the footsteps of this remarkable man as he answered the ultimate plea for help by volunteering in 1873 to go to Kalawao on the Kalaupapa Peninsula where, King Kamehameha V had banished those among his people who were infected with the dreaded disease of leprosy, later identified as Hansen's Disease. It is an exceptional book that is easy to read, and offers up-to-date information about Blessed Father Damien. The volume would grace any library shelf and is a book to be shared with family, students, educators and group leaders.

Hawaii Catholic Herald

James Brocker has published a loving tribute to Blessed Damien de Veuster, the people to whom he gave his life, and the special place in which they lived and he served. The book tells the story of the place first cursed as a dumping ground for a people with a hideous disease; a place then given deliverance through the life and sacrifice of a Catholic missionary priest.

Brocker's text includes a geological and pre-leprosy history of Kalaupapa before, a description of Hansen's disease, and a chronology of significant dates relating to the settlement.

But it is his photos, with their generously detailed captions, that distinguish this book. They successfully capture a place whose starkness and beauty is preserved in its isolation.

The respect and love the author has for this land and its people are clearly evident in this book.

The Lands of Father Damien is a worthy memorial to the living and dead of Kalawao and Kalaupapa.

"Holy Man" is undoubtedly the finest and most scholarly work to date on this topic. Prior to Daws' work, the overwhelming majority of books on this topic have been somewhat biased as they were produced by Catholic clergy and lay writers. Daws has brought the secular historian's skill to this subject and has produced a truly balanced account of the life and work of Father Joseph DeVeuster. Only a visit to the Molokai, Hawaii, settlements of Kalawao and Kalaupapa will provide the reader with a more detailed account of Father Damian's life and work among the lepers of Molokai. Father Daimian was beautified in 1993. A church inquiry is underway to determine whether or not this "Holy Man" should be made a Catholic saint. "Holy Man" is required reading for anyone even marginally interested in Hawaiian history. In the short period of time this work has been in print, it has become required reading for all students of Hawaiian History, American approaches to chronic and incurable disease and Catholic doctrine pertaining to leprosy and lepers. Daws has written a masterful account of the life and works of this important nineteenth century Catholic clergyman. "Holy Man" is the definitive work on Father Damian and is likely to remain so well into the next century. Father Damian was buried on the island of Molokai until earlier this century when his remains were exhumed and re-interred in his home of Louvain, Belgium. Today, only his hand remains buried on the island of Molokai. The hand is widely regarded as a religious relic.

Gavan Daws does an excellent job writing an unbiased account of the life of Father Damien. The author shows great respect for all the characters that appear in this story. The history surrounding Damien's life is accurate and enjoyable. The book is very inspiring and eye-opening. A must-read if you are interested on the Hawaiian Islands.

Outside of Michener's famous novel, "Hawaii", this is one of the best fiction works about Hawaii. Fictional characters are woven into a tapestry around the real Father Damien and how all their lives are affected by the curse of leprosy and exile to Molokai.

I picked this up in a used bookstore in Hawaii expecting to get a little historical background on Father Damian and life in the leper colony of Molokai, but ended up discovering an utterly gripping novel. The story of a prisoner on death row given the option of life among the lepers in exchange for experimentation on his person in an attempt to find a cause for the spread of the disease. The story is told from three perspectives and fits together like a satisfying puzzle. The self absorbed Dr. Neuman is straight out of a Dostoevski novel. Highly recommended.

Written in story format, the life of Father Damien unfolds as the story of a strong, pioneer-spirited priest that tests his physical and emotional abilities under his service to God. It is an easy writing style, not heavy into detail, and suitable for young adult readers.

I loved it. This is not a documentary, nor is it a suitable source for a research paper, but rather a look into the life path that one man chose and the consequences of it. If you subscribe to the 'one man can change the world' philosophy, you should read this book.

His reputation early on in life was to do whatever you do with all your might. The book recounts numerous instances where Father Damien's determined, yet humble spirit takes on seemingly overwhelming challenges. If you are lazy, this book will be a source of great discomfort.

If you enjoy reading about strong character's who have come before us, often choosing the path less traveled, and become richer for it, this fits the bill. However, without a belief in God, you will have a difficult time accepting many of Father Damien's choices and actions. He accepted that all the circumstances and fortunes, be they good or bad, were from God, but you may not. Do not be deterred by the mention of God in this review, as it is a subplot in the story, not the main theme. The long term impact of Father Damien's work on Molokai is not a focus of the story. Instead we view some of the struggles Father Damien encountered and how his dislike of being celebrated helped and hindered his work.

Having had the opportunity to live on Molokai and experience its beauty and power first hand, this book is the only work that I've seen that captures so much of Molokai's essence. Rik's aloha and connectedness to this land and her people shines through each and every picture. And the words accompanying the pictures are genuine and heartfelt.

So many Molokai people and special places are immortalized in his pictures including slack key guitarist Kelii Mawae, fisherman extraordinaire and noni farmer. I read and gaze at this book over and over and never tire of it. It reconnects me with Molokai.

Enjoy! And if you are interested in ancient history of this powerful place, I suggest 'Tales from the Night Rainbow' by Pali Jae Lee and Koko Willis.

This book was hard to put down once I picked it up. The author brought to life the hardships and accomplishments that the two very different missionary Josephs faced everyday living in a leper colony in Hawaii in the late 1800s. He gave this insidious disease a humaness that touched my heart and took away some of the steroetypical fears that many of us have. The conversations between various characters in the book were like opening doors into who these people really were. You felt like you knew them well. The contrasts were also interesting as in the incredible beauty of the island vs the incredible ugliness of the disease. By the time you finish this book, you will have such a respect for these two men, Damien and Dutton, even though you learn that they are just as human as we are with their own worries, fears and doubts, too. I highly recommend it. It's been passed around my office and the reactions have all been positive.

I would have given 5 stars for its stunning photos and valuable information about Maui. But I do find some short comings in this book. This book is extremely good if you buy it well before the trip, say at least a week. It is an excellent resource guide for planning your vacation in Maui and its pictures definitely get you in vacation mood.

But the book is quite inconvenient to use when you are actually in the trip driving around Maui looking for those hard to find beaches and waterfalls mentioned in the book. What is missing in this book is a separate map that sumarizes all the recomended places with mile marker and a simple comparison rating for various activities - snorkeling, swimming, diving etc. A pull out map similar to the 1st page in a larger scale would be nice.

Just to be fair, this book is worth over 4.5 rating and it is well worth the money.

Richard Sullivan has done it again! His new Maui/Molokai book is filled with breathtaking photography and informative text arranged in a format that is fun and visually appealing. Many travel books are primarily narrative with a smattering of pictures. They can be tedious to read. Not this or the Oahu book. No need to take copious notes or highlight sections because the thoughtful format does it all for you. This book is designed with the traveler in mind. Each of the two islands is systematically broken down into manageable portions. Photographs, maps, and activites corresponding to each section of the island are provided in an eye-catching format. Beach lovers will find the comprehensive guide to beaches very helpful. This writer just returned from Maui and can attest to the accuracy of the information. You truly will be doing yourself a disservice if you don't consult this book for your next trip to Maui/Molokai. Like Maui, it is "no ka oi."

Just like the Oahu edition, this Maui and Molokai driving guide can't be beat. The author shows you beautiful, full color photos of places you can visit, with detailed driving directions on how to get there. His maps will even show you the exact spot where he took the photos. The secrets of where to go to escape the crowds that visit Maui are contained in this book. If you thought you would never want to visit Molokai, this book will change your mind. The beauty of Molokai is revealed on page after page. The book enticed us to visit Molokai on our last trip to the islands, and we were not disappointed. I can only hope Richard Sullivan will write books on discovering Kauai and the Big Island in the near future.

We just returned from Maui, having taken the family there for 8 days. We also took 3 guide books, so I was able to compare all three books in real time while on the island. We disliked Fodor's book, but found Frommer's to be very good.

The information is well-organized, up-to-date, and very helpful while on the island. But the best of the tour books was: "Maui and Lana'i : Making the Most of Your Family Vacation (8th Ed)" by Early and Stilson. This is the book I recommend.

This book has a great clor map and online travel directory.

Traveled to Maui for our Honeymoon in January 1999...the Frommers 1999 Maui guide gave us the scoop on the entire island. Because of this book we learned all about the hidden waterfalls and took pictures of awesome "off the beaten path" paradise spots on the road to Hana. We now buy Frommers books for all of our vacations!

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!!

Until Andrew Doughty's "Maui Revealed" was released, this Moon handbook was the best you could get. We used it on our first trip to Maui. Like other Moon Handbooks, it is rich in history and background info, but the practical detail can't compare to "Maui Revealed." We now use this Moon Handbook mainly as a supplement for historical background -- still useful but not our first source. (Most other Maui guides are superficial rubbish.)

You're spending 1,000-2,000 bucks to go to Maui -- go ahead and spend 20 bucks to have your own in-depth personal tourguide.

This handbook helped make for one of the best vacations of my life. The "insider" information is absolutely indispensible. For instance, there are many, many beaches on Maui, but there are many, many different kinds of beaches. Some with murky water. Some with huge waves. Some not navigable unless you swim beyond volcanic rocks. But there are one or two absolutely perfect beachs. And the Moon Handbook explains it. My girlfriend and I found the beach in front of the Sheraton at Ka'anapali to be the best all-aorund beach. We waded out into the calm waters and swam with sea turtles, right there in front of the Sheraton. This handbook explains, though the "little" details like, parking is difficult near the Sheraton so where to park, what the rates are, even shortcuts between buildings and such. This kind of info is just completely impossible to get anywhere else.

There are discussions of the personalities of various snorkle tour boat crews -- from adventurous, to laid-back. Some snorkle boats provide lunch, others don't. All this info is in the Moon Handbook.

We checked out Haleakala Mountain and Red Hill. With the handbook, we found how to get to Iao Needle. We found which Luau Party was the best for us, etc. Which restaurants to go to. Where to shop in Lahaina. The Sugar Cane Train for an easy-going afternoon. A drive out by the blow-holes on the NW end of the island.

I highly recommend this book before going to Maui. If you don't feel like shelling out 20 bucks, another option is always looking into your local library. Most good public libraries carry Moon Handbooks and they're absolutely free. A must before traveling to Maui, the Valley Island! (the 6th edition also includes info on the islands of Lana'i across the Auau Channel and Moloka'i)

Happy vacationing!

Stacey

This book is written for intelligent and inquisitive tourists who want to really understand what Mauai is all about. It outshines Mauai Revealed by 100%. I found myself using it every day as it offered a far more indepth look at places not found in any other tourist publication. If flash and hype are not your style, buy this book. Good index, well written, excellent maps. It had plenty of things to do to keep me amazed every day of my two week vacation.