5 comments about Shimura Trouble (Rei Shimura Mysteries (Hardcover)).

1. What a fine writer. What a fun series. What a great character. What a disappointing novel to end on.



2. I guess this book is a farewell to faithful readers of the Rei Shimura series. If it starts slow, it delivers a wonderful complicated plot, a great set of characters, and action scenes that are among Massey's best. In fact, in a way they ARE the best, for reasons that would involve spoilers, offering a great finish to the series. Rei's man trouble, which sparkles through the whole series, has a highly satisfactory third act.
   
   I missed Rei's mom and aunt (I felt they should be here, though there are reasons they are not), but the Hawaii Shimuras are a lively group. Rei moves among Hawaiians who are intensely conscious of their racial roots, as she is, in the jumble that includes a cousin with mysterious roots, an old-money landowner, a developer, transient military and yachtsmen (transient even when born in Hawaii), a Chinese gangster, and a proud but land-poor Hawaiian. Massey gives a vivid, sensual picture of a part of Hawaii (Ewa or Leeward Oahu) with which I was not familiar.
   
   I do think that there is room left for another novel. Perhaps it would be a bit more "domestic" than before, but it is hard to imagine Rei NOT getting in trouble with her curiosity and sense of justice....



3. Perhaps Sujata Massey's Rei Shimura mysteries are not everyone's cup of tea (they are sometimes referred to as "mystery -- women's fiction crossovers"), but for those of us who like her style and content (especially the multicultural education!), this is another winner.
   
   As a Californian who travels regularly to Hawaii, I thought I knew quite a bit about Hawaiian history and culture, but Massey taught me a fair amount of new stuff, especially about ethnically Japanese Hawaiians. As has been true of all of her books, the story line is fun enough to keep you reading, and learning, and wanting to know more.
   
   One reason I read Massey is that I am multilingual and studied linguistics, so I greatly enjoy her explanation of local language and slang. Read this one and your Hawaiian slang will definitely improve!



4. Like many, I was totally captivated by the early Rei novels. She is a great character, well-written and three-dimensional. It is no surprise that the author herself taught English in Japan and has a slight Asian appearance.
   
   I felt like I knew Rei and I would certainly have liked to have dated her, although she would certainly disapprove of my meat, beer and ocassional cigarette habits and no doubt she would nag a lot, but that's girls for you.
   
   So how did it end up with as a CIA agent mucking around with her tedious family in the USA? The Rei formula is an English teacher and accidental sleuth set in Japan. The final books have few or none of these elements, which I why they do not work.
   
   What happened? Was it pressure from an idiot publisher to increase sales in America or did Ms. Massey just lose it? The location of Japan was so central to the formula that without it, it did not really work. Her original exit from Japan was so final, that there was no way to return in her old role, so instead we had the poorer US-based books, followed by her return to Japan as a spy (eh?).
   
   It was a sad fizzling out to the series. I have not read this book that I am "reviewing" and I do not see much point.
   
   Hopefully Ms. Massey is working on another creation, but will it be so successful as Rei? Let's hope so.



5. I've enjoyed other Rei Shimura mysteries, and was pleased to find this on the library shelf -- I didn't even know there was a new installment.
   However, as a Honolulu native, I am disappointed by the false notes struck by this book. While it is clear that Ms. Massey has been to the islands, her attempts to write local characters' Pidgin conversation fell flat. While Pidgin varies regionally, some of the pidgin constructions and actual words struck my eye and ear as wrong. Some examples: Pakolo for pakalolo. Spam musube instead of spam musubi. The Alai Wai Canal instead of the Ala Wai. And I don't think I've ever been to an L&L that offers Yoo-Hoo on the drink menu.
   Also, the editing in general is sloppy -- sentences missing periods, inconsistent name spellings -- a character is listed as Delacruz in the cast of characters, De La Cruz later in the story. The most egregious error was a reference to a "Haruki Murakami painting." Um, that's actually Takashi Murakami. Halfway through the book, I also examined the cover image and thought, no one wears a lei draped that far down the back.
   Altogether, these missteps were jarring and spoiled the book for me.

No comments about Waikiki: A History of Forgetting & Remembering.

2 comments about Loyal to the Land: The Legendary Parker Ranch, 750-1950.

1. The is a great book for those who are interested in the cowboys of Hawaii. This book does an outstanding job of explaining the story of Parker Ranch throughout history and the impact it has had. There are a ton of pictures that show the life of the cowboys. An interesting read about Hawaiian history.



2. A must have for any reader interested in Hawaii, Ranching, History, Cowboy culture, or native crafts. I bought this book because of it's detailed information on the Hawaiian Saddle. I was impressed by the amount of information and historic photographs. Dr Bergin is preserving legacies with this special book.

1 comments about Ku Kanaka Stand Tall: A Search for Hawaiian Values (Kolowalu Books).

1. This book provides a wonderful foundation for anyone who wants to understand ancient and present-day Hawaiian culture, traditions and spirituality. Dr. Kanahele covers Religion, Mythology, and Ritual; Space, Time, and Place; Science and Technology; Economics; Leadership and Politics; and Dynamics of Aloha. Not only does he address these in terms of past and current Hawai'i, but he offers cross-cultural insights from throughout Polynesia and the world. A Native Hawaiian who graduated from Kamehameha Schools, then went on to earn his Ph.D. from Cornell, he was described by The New Yorker as the "spiritual father" of the Hawaiian renaissance. As the author of a book from the Bishop Museum on Hawaiian traditions Na Mo'olelo Lomilomi: The Traditions of Hawaiian Massage and Healing, I cherish this book and re-read it regularly for the new insights it provides.

No comments about The Chrysanthemum Throne: A History of the Emperors of Japan (Latitude 20 Books).

No comments about Min Yong-Hwan: A Political Biography (Hawaii Studies on Korea).

No comments about Hawaii Chronicles: Island History from the Pages of Honolulu Magazine.

4 comments about Native Land and Foreign Desires: Pehea LA E Pono Ai? How Shall We Live in Harmony?.

1. Compelling and unforgettable historical account of ancient Hawai`i from pre-Captain Cook up to the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, by prominent historian and Native Hawaiian Lilikala Kame`eleihiwa. Moving and detailed description of the devastating impact American imperialism exacts upon the minds, culture, and lives of the Native Hawaiian people. A must for those interested in a true history of Hawai`i.



2. Prof. Kame`eleihiwa did a lot of donkey work in the archives but advances an implausible explanation of the privatization of land in Hawaii in the mid-19th century. Her thesis of a vast multi-generational conspiracy is no more plausible than any other conspiratorial explanation of complex historical events. Never explain by conspiracy what can be explained by stupidity. The theory that foreign conspirators "stole" Hawaiian land is not improved by combining it with the claim that hereditary aristocrats who had spent decades ruthlessly pursuing their self-interest suddenly and generously gave up wealth and power. The Hawaiian king and aristocracy decided to privatize the land of Hawaii because the old system based on forced peasant labor was collapsing as the peasants died or left the land to take better jobs. By privatizing and partitioning the land among themselves, the king and aristocrats made themselves rich: they converted undevelopable land into valuable private property in their own hands. Then, in a display of conspicuous consumption well-grounded in traditional Polynesian culture, most of them splurged their new wealth and went bust. On the other hand, people, including peasants, who wanted to invest in land could buy plenty of land cheap. Those who invested wisely for the long term generally did well. No grand conspiracy theory is needed to explain that people act in their own self-interest and that people who act in their long-run self-interest usually do better than those who seek immediate gratification.



3. native land and foreign desires is the best book i've ever read on hawaiian history and the history of the mahele. using hawaiian language sources, lilikala kame'eleihiwa opens the book with several chapters that introduce the reader to hawaiian cosmology. she clearly and eloquently explains how hawaiian society was politically, culturally, spiritually, economically, and socially structured by reciprocal relationships among the land, animals, plants, and people. given this understanding, she describes how that system was transformed by relationships with US colonizers, businessmen, and missionaries and analyzes its dramatic consequences. this book is one of the few books that offers history from a native hawaiian perspective. it is an absolute treasure and a brilliant contribution to critical historical scholarship.



4. In response to: "Then, in a display of conspicuous consumption well-grounded in traditional Polynesian culture, most of them splurged their new wealth and went bust." -- a reader
   
   Actually, traditionally, splurging wealth is a much westernized approach to living life. Self-interest is a concept that does not even exist in the Hawaiian language. Don't forget that Native Hawaiians inhabited the islands for thousands of years before good ol' Cap'n Cook even set his stinky, white feet on the sand of Kealakekua. You cry conspiracy, I pronounce truth. Indeed, the land WAS STOLEN BY GUNPOINT (annexed) under President Benjamin Harrison, by, you guessed it, conspirators. Namely, Lorrin Thurston and John L. Stevens.
   
   For you, maybe no grand conspiracy is relevant because the way you see life is just as you describe... "people act in their own self-interest." Sorry, that is not the Hawaiian way, but the haole way.

1 comments about Kauai: The Separate Kingdom.

1. The author obviously did his homework in compiling this book. If you really want to know the history of Kauai, you cannot go wrong with this book. It covers the origins from the first settlers to the landing of Captain Cook and ends with the annexation of the islands by the United States.

   My only ping is it tends to jump dates and times about subjects while on the same page and you lose track of where you are. I can understand why the author did this, but it breaks the flow when you are trying to process Hawaiian names and places at the same time.

   But don't let that stop you from purchasing this book if you want a real history and education on Kauai. If you can retain 10% of what this book offers, you will be an expert on the island.

   If you go or have gone to Kauai, the places you visit will have much more meaning than just going to a snorkeling location or paddling the Wailua river. You learn about how sacred these places were to the ancient Hawaiians and also how the island both prospered and faultered throughout its inhabitance.

   The Na Pali coast is devoid of any people or communities today, but in ancient times, many people lived in those valleys. Families trekked across treacherous terrains just to visit each other. It is amazing to think about when you stand at the top of the Kalalau lookout.

   When you pull off the side of the rode to look at the Hanapepe valley, you are looking at the location where many people were killed as "payback" for Kauai's resistance to unification of the islands from years past.

   These stories and more are vividly explained. It's not a tale of fiction or an easy read like Harry Potter. What it is though is a thoughtful, historic and educational story of the island and the people who lived there.

5 comments about Shoal of Time: A History of the Hawaiian Islands.

1. Daws has written an interesting, well-written, and compelling history of the Hawai'ian islands from their discovery by Captain Cook through statehood. Captivating and illuminating throughout. The author, a native Australian, brings an admirable lack of bias to his presentation. Dry humor and irony pervade the book.
   Only one quibble, and that for the publisher: as in many books published in Daws's timeframe, Hawai'ian's thirteenth letter, the 'okina (glottal stop, symbolized by a reversed apostrophe) is omitted from Hawai'ian words. Today that is recognized as misspelling, and the University of Hawai'i should republish in more up-to-date and phonemically correct transcription.
   Highly recommended to anyone interested in the fascinating history of the Islands.



2. We arrived on Oahu June of 2004 for a 3 year military tour. While one of the critics indicates this book does not fully explain the (in my own words) hostile take over of the Hawaiian monarchy, he also does not tell you that Hawaiian history while plentiful is not well published.
   
   Unlike the American Civil war for which there are hundreds and thousands of volumes of work, there are just a handful of well written published Hawaiian history books. This is why the reviewer did not also suggest alternatives.
   
   I was stunned by the limited amount of material available to read. And for the reviewer who criticized the incomplete research of the Hawaiian newspapers - I look forward to reading the book you write from this research. I hope the next decade brings more and more published work of this great island nation.
   
   Shoal of Time does what few other books do. It gives a reasonably thorough look at Hawaiian history. It is a great place to start for those interested in Hawaiian history and a great diving board for those wishing to write their own works.
   
   Again hundreds if not thousands of books on the American Civil war from 1861-1865. A handful of Hawaiian history books for the entire period of history.
   
   I would celebrate if the the Sovereignty movement produced some well written books of their own. Instead, during our three years living and traveling throughout the islands, it was limited to a few newspaper articles and some protest type gatherings. There is a definite voice among the Hawaiian Nation movement, but one that is not clearly understood by the rest of the 49 states.
   
   No one book can be all things to all people. This one is an excellent "history" book. Daws tells the story of Hawaii with his voice.
   
   Hawaii is a story which isn't finished and the richness of its history leaves plenty of room for others to pick up their pen and bring it to life for those of us who are readers.



3. It is true that Daws has a western scholar's perspective, he is, after all, a western scholar. This hardly invalidates the history he has written any more than it would invalidate a history of the continental U.S. not written from the perspective of the native people. Similarly, it is unfair to criticize a book because it is not all-inclusive. This book outlines the history of Hawaii between Cook's discovery and statehood. Anyone who would like a history of Hawaii before 1778, or a history of Hawaii from a Polynesian perspective, or would like more details of people and events from this period should read a lot more books. Kuykendall's three-volume History of the Hawaiian Kingdom (available at the University of Hawaii Press) is wonderful and should probably be considered essential reading for anyone interested in this period of Hawaiian history but at over 1700 pages it's a bit of a slog (Kuykendall's one-volume history of Hawaii from pre-discovery to statehood might be a good alternative but I have not read it so I cannot say).
   
   The Shoal of Time is extremely well written. The author's dry wit and clever turns of phrase make this very enjoyable reading. I can see where it would be possible for someone to read this book and not understand the use of irony and sarcasm. When Daws says something like, "Toward the end of his life Lorrin Thurston reviewed the accomplishments of the `mission boys' and he found, unsurprisingly, that they were a `splendid body of men'", he certainly doesn't mean that he himself thinks they were a splendid body of men. It is obvious throughout that Daws has no great admiration for the missionaries and their descendants. The businessmen who overthrew the monarchy are portrayed as hypocritical, self-serving schemers who paid lip service to Christian virtues while assuming that the poor of the world were put on God's Earth to supply them with laborers. They believed that what was best for themselves was best for everyone and that they were entitled to their wealth by way of their superior intellects (and race). In other words, they were pretty much the same as right-wing businessmen today. As we watch modern-day developers build multi-million dollar condos along the beaches and as a new wave of wealthy haoles takes over the islands, the primary lesson presented in the Shoal of Time should be well learned: The one thing at which the rich excel is taking care of their own interests and you should not expect them to do otherwise.



4. Daws presents a thorough, scholarly account of Hawaiian history since the first European contact. His language is direct and enaging. He avoids the trap of assigning unusual motive or blame to any of the actors in this real-life drama and neither novelizes the facts nor tries to make the events fit a larger thesis; these things happened and there you have it. I found all the parties involved in this amazing story presented as people with the usual forces driving them: hunger for money, love, power, freedom, land, God's favor, etc. The Hawaiians, Europeans, and later immigrants from all over the world all jostle for a piece of this paradise - some trying to grab it all, others grimly holding on to any little bit they can. There is no need to dramatize the facts, they are sufficiently riveting as told and Daws shows great restraint in keeping the narrative unadorned without being academically sterile. His attempt to keep the descriptions engaging results in his use of some blunt terms that some may find politically incorrect or offensive. Be warned! Also be prepared to be charmed for life by the tragic grace of Queen Liliuokalani and awestruck by the brilliance and daring of Kamehameha
   
   I bought this book to give myself a quick background before my first trip to the islands but got more: a story fascinating in its own right and instructive of larger issues. In fact, I found the book to be a microcosm of the development of the United States as a whole but played out in a much smaller theater and thus more easily understood. Anyone who reads this book will come away with a better understanding of what "democracy" really means and how powerful forces trying either to nuture it or to destroy it play out in real events. Overall, quite a captivating story and brilliantly told.



5. invaluable info for my hawaiian history class took over a month to get here, but worth the wait.