Hawaii

August 7, 2014

A Review by Anthony T. Riggio of Hawaii: A Novel by James A. Michener

A couple of years ago, I started reading Chesapeake by Michener. But I got so bored with the detailed description of the geological formation of the Chesapeake Bay and its surroundings that I put the book down, thinking “well, maybe someday I’ll read this book”. After finishing Hawaii, I looked through all my books to find Chesapeake, but couldn't find it, especially after several moves. I realized that I should finish the book that I gave up too quickly, and I will do so soon.

Hawaii was a Kindle purchase from Amazon. The weight and thickness of a physical book wouldn't have intimidated me, but when the Kindle measured chapters in the number of hours to complete, it was almost as intimidating. Chapter one was 10+ hours, chapter two was 22+ hours, and they just kept getting longer. I'm not sure how many hours it took me to read this big book, but I read it in a two-week period, taking every free moment I had to read. The book was completely captivating for me, so it was more a labor of love and pure enjoyment.

Hawaii begins with “million upon millions of years ago” when Michener describes the geological formation of the Hawaiian Islands. I must have grown a lot in my reading ability since my aborted attempt at Chesapeake, because this time I really enjoyed learning about how the islands were formed and how primitive life was transported there from far away.

Sometime around 800AD, man still hadn't appeared on the Hawaiian Islands. But about 2,500 miles away on the islands of Bora Bora, the Polynesians had thrived for many centuries and developed a unique culture with its own mores, beliefs, and a kind of freedom and nakedness that was almost poetic. However, like all cultures, there were political and religious differences that sometimes required human sacrifices to appease the angry gods. During these times, some individuals set out in search of “a better place” to live. Because the people of Bora Bora were sea farers, although limited, some of them headed east and eventually reached the Hawaiian Islands. They then made the arduous and dangerous journey back to bring women to the new land.

For many centuries, the people lived a peaceful and bountiful life on the Hawaiian Islands. But when European explorers began to circumnavigate the world and discovered the islands, they became important shipping and commerce ports. In the early 1800s, American missionaries were sent to “save the souls” of the native peoples. The missionaries struggled to change the ways of the natives, but also brought diseases and practices that the natives had no immunity to.

With the Protestant American value system, the missionaries began to cultivate the land and develop agriculture, which led to a need for labor. Over the course of several decades, Chinese and Japanese laborers were brought in to work the lands. These laborers were more ambitious than the native Hawaiians and quickly outnumbered them, so that by modern times, there were fewer and fewer native Polynesians left.

The book was so fascinating to me, especially because I love history, that it became an almost obsession. Michener's writing style was excellent and easy to read. Reading this book on the Kindle was a pleasure, especially with the built-in dictionary that helped me add several dozen words to my vocabulary. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars.

The history part of this story was truly captivating.

I relished learning about the Japanese-Hawaiian regimen that engaged in combat in Europe.

However, this book was completely saturated with an old-fashioned masculine perspective.

Virtually all the women were mere bit players in this narrative, which is rather ironic considering that the monarchy of Hawaii was a matriarchy.

The manner in which the women were described, portrayed, and even their storylines were so painfully from a male point of view - and not a particularly enlightened one at that.

There were mad women in the attic, whores, dutiful wives, wizened grandmothers, impetuous teenage girls on surfboards, silly Queens, devout Christian mission wives, and foolish city girls.

If you have a penchant for one-dimensional, female archetypes, then this book is right up your alley.

One of the last female characters we encounter in the book ultimately finds herself being bossed around by her father and leaving a lipstick kiss on a politician's cheek.

It's such a clichéd departure for the women in the book that it oddly ends up being somewhat satisfying.

At least the author was consistent in this regard.

Added 2/17/17. (first published 1959)

2/17/17 - I read this book a long time ago. In fact, it was such a long time ago that the details have become a bit hazy in my memory. However, one thing I clearly remember is that I liked it very much. From the moment I started reading, it really drew me in. The story was so engaging and captivating that I couldn't put it down. Even after all these years have passed, it still lingers in my mind as a good book. It has left a lasting impression on me, and that's why I'm giving it 5 stars. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good read. It's a classic that stands the test of time and is sure to delight readers of all ages.

This is the very first Michener book that I have delved into, and I must say, I discovered it to be truly one-of-a-kind.

It is an impressively hefty volume, yet it reads with remarkable speed. Even though it is a work of fiction, it has an uncanny resemblance to non-fiction, prompting me to consult Wikipedia numerous times in search of real-life counterparts to the characters and events.

The author's ideas and world view shine through with great intensity, especially given that significant portions of the story are narrated by an omniscient narrator. It was also a rather jarring, yet perhaps accurate, portrayal to witness the blatant racism exhibited by many of the characters.

I found the initial three sections to be thoroughly captivating. However, I experienced a bit of a lull in the fourth section, and from that point on, I had a sense of déjà vu as the seemingly endless line of missionary descendants exploited successive waves of immigrants.

If you have an interest in Hawaiian history, this is likely a worthwhile book to read, not necessarily for its absolute accuracy but rather to gain a broad-brush understanding of the key players and to inspire you to explore more authoritative sources. Additionally, reading it after leaving Hawaii (you might struggle to complete it during your visit) is an inexpensive and effective means of virtually prolonging your vacation.

Goodness! That took forever to finish! This was my first attempt to read a James Michener book, and I had hoped to complete it before my vacation to Hawaii, but unfortunately, I didn't quite manage it. I thought the book was very good indeed.

However, if you were to read it, I would suggest skipping the first 19 pages as they can be a bit of a snooze. One criticism I have is his rather blasé attitude towards prostitution and human trafficking, along with the implication that women enjoyed this lifestyle. I have no idea who the characters were based on in history, if anyone at all. Nor do I know how accurate the facts are, but I did feel like I learned an awful lot about Hawaiian history through the storytelling.

Two things that really stood out to me were the cultural influences of the main characters and the observations of the racism, both legislated and in people's attitudes, which is so prevalent in American history. This is just as relevant today as it was when the book was originally published in 1959!

Here are some thoughts I had in relation to both this book and a tour we took on O'ahu. Our guide was Hawaiian and had a PhD in anthropology. Culture and land both bind and separate people groups. When a group is removed from their native land, two things occur: 1) the culture becomes frozen in time at the time of emigration, and 2) the culture doesn't always make sense in the new land. Sometimes it takes a few generations for the cultures to adapt, blend, and assimilate; sometimes they never do. I don't think I previously understood what a wonderful melting pot Hawaii is. I also found it interesting how much, and in some cases how little, has changed in attitudes towards inter-culture marriages. There are lots of examples and much to unpack. Another recurring theme was: What does it mean to be an American? A'real' American.

On our tour, we learned about Hawaiian homestead land, which I guess is similar to Malama Kanakoa's trust in the book. These are set aside for Hawaiians, but as the book pointed out, there are few 100% Hawaiians. Our guide said one had to be at least 50% Hawaiian to live on homestead land and claimed that this rule is an opportunity to eventually take more of Hawaii from ethnic Hawaiians. He also said that so much of their culture involves how they steward and farm the land, and well, see #2 above. I'm sure the same is true of the mainland Native tribes who were forced to leave their ancestral lands on the Trail of Tears to live in Oklahoma. At any rate, the author and the tour guide left me with a lot to think about.

I also enjoyed learning about how the Chinese names in the Kee family were based on the family poem and how a person's place in their family could be deciphered based on the words. Add to this the Hawaiian name, which was a sort of memorized genealogy, and I realize how little most Americans actually know about their ancestors. A lot of this is due to literacy. Once things are written down, people don't need to remember them.

Anyway, after 1,095 pages, whew!

The first time I delved into this book was in the early 1980s. I vividly recall being deeply impressed, which is why I initially gave it a 4-star rating.

Fast forward to April 2020. On my second reading, I have downgraded my rating to 3 stars (rounded down from 3.5). It's not that I didn't still find some enjoyment in the book. The first half was as captivating as I remembered. Michener has a remarkable talent for depicting events and history through the development of intriguing characters.

However, as the story advanced into part V, which centers around the struggles and conflicts among different groups - immigrants, Caucasians, and native Hawaiians - my interest began to wane. One reason for this is that I have family members who immigrated to Hawaii and lived there during that era, and the stories I grew up hearing diverge significantly from Michener's interpretation.

In any case, I ultimately became less engaged in the remainder of the book. I felt that the final section, in particular, lost its focus. I failed to fully comprehend the "Golden Men" examples that, from Michener's point of view, were Hawaii's unique contribution to the rest of the world.

My first encounter with Michener occurred at the tender age of 12.

I vividly remember the captivating opening scenes of Hawaii. Michener, truly a masterful painter of words, had the remarkable ability to make me feel the powerful explosions of the Earth as the volcanoes erupted with great force.

I could almost see the astonishing multiplicity of colors that emerged when the molten lava flowed gracefully into the sea. And this was just the beginning, as it was only the first chapter!

Long before social justice became a popular topic, Michener fearlessly took on a plethora of complex issues such as religious oppression and sexual slavery.

He skillfully wove a plot that spanned over a thousand pages, yet managed to keep me completely and inextricably linked to the story until the very end.

Undoubtedly, Hawaii stands as one of Michener's finest works, leaving an indelible mark on my literary journey.

Wow! I truly feel that it's not fair that the book is already over,

despite the fact that it has more than 1,000 pages. During the last two weeks while I was engrossed in reading it,

I really grew extremely fond of the characters and the fascinating happenings in Hawaii.

The narrative of this book is so captivating that it effortlessly transfers you right there to that beautiful place.

It's absolutely brilliant how the history of Hawaii is intricately interwoven, and the sheer number of events that have occurred there is mind-boggling.

I particularly adored the deep and detailed portraits of the characters and getting a glimpse into their lives even outside of Hawaii.

Now, I'm eagerly looking forward to reading 'Tales of South Pacific' soon! :)

This book has truly left a lasting impression on me, and I can't wait to explore more of such wonderful literary works.

It has opened my eyes to the rich and diverse world of literature and has made me appreciate the power of a good story.

I'm sure that 'Tales of South Pacific' will be just as enchanting and will take me on another unforgettable journey.