I got as far as I could.

It’s a well-told story, with engaging characters and an interesting plot.

However, my interest couldn’t keep up with the time it was taking to get through it.

The story seemed to drag on in some parts, and I found myself losing focus.

If I’m going to meet my reading goal this year, I’ve got to move on.

There are so many other books waiting for me to explore, and I don’t want to waste time on a book that isn’t holding my attention.

Maybe I’ll come back to this one another time, when I’m in a different mood or have more patience.

For now, it’s time to say goodbye and move on to the next adventure.

I truly believe this book is a literary masterpiece.

Just a few months ago, while I was in Kaua’i, I found myself thinking, “I’d love to read some excellent historical fiction about Hawaii.” And lo and behold, just a few days later, I stumbled upon this very book in a local store. It was as if it was fate. I really couldn’t have asked for a better response to my desire.

The first section, which details the formation of the islands millions of years ago, is written in such a vivid and descriptive style. It’s as if you’re right there, experiencing the earth’s intense struggle to bring the islands into existence in the middle of a vast ocean. Then, the next section about the Tahitians’ astonishing 5,000-mile journey north, towards a land they didn’t even know existed but had faith in, is so captivating that I was actually a bit disappointed when the third section suddenly jumped hundreds of years into the future and across the world to New England. At first, during the missionary chapter, I felt a sense of dissatisfaction. I thought it was unfair to not tell the entire story solely from the native Hawaiian perspective. Couldn’t the author have introduced the missionaries but shown them through the eyes of the Hawaiians?

However, as I continued reading, I gradually came to understand that presenting the story of Hawaii only from the native Hawaiian point of view would be inaccurate. The displacement and erasure of the Hawaiian perspective is, in fact, an integral part of the story of Hawaii. So, after Michener provided us with the origins of the Hawaiians, he also gave us the origins of the other three groups of people who have come to shape modern Hawaii: the American missionaries who aimed to Christianize the islands, the Chinese laborers who went to work in the sugar fields, and the Japanese laborers who followed them. And then, he masterfully weaves a complex web of the descendants of all four groups, as their cultures and religions interact, sometimes resulting in conflict and prejudice, and at other times leading to integration and harmony.

This book is a fascinating exploration of tradition, familial sacrifice, patriotism, capitalism, labor, and perseverance. Michener is an outstanding storyteller, and every single one of the 1,000+ pages is engaging and highly readable. I could set it down in the middle of a page and pick it up the next day, only to be instantly immersed back into the story.

I’ll have to resist the urge to immediately embark on another Michener epic, as I can’t afford to spend another month reading right away. But I’m now a devoted fan of his work and will undoubtedly read more of his books in the future.

Along with Michener’s ‘Alaska', this is probably the longest book I’ve ever read. I treated it like a series, reading a section and then picking up another book before returning to it. The novel simply wasn't captivating enough for me to devour it in one sitting, except for the part about the Tahitians emigrating by canoe across the Pacific Ocean.

Michener无疑做了一项惊人的研究工作，才创作出这部小说。

19世纪90年代，美国商业利益集团在美国武装力量的帮助下夺取这些岛屿的行为相当令人震惊，但考虑到当时欧洲人正在瓜分非洲，这在那个时代也并不罕见。有个角色认为，如果美国没有夺取夏威夷，英国也会这么做（但那样的话夏威夷现在可能就独立了）。

我很喜欢波利尼西亚人乘坐独木舟移民到夏威夷的故事，然而，书中其他一些部分我觉得相当冗长乏味，而且夏威夷人在书中的戏份如此之少让我感到失望。从波利尼西亚人到达夏威夷到“扫兴”的传教士到来并带来疾病使夏威夷人口大量减少，这期间有一千年的巨大空白。也许这段时期没有相关记录，不过他也许可以把库克船长的到访以及他在夏威夷的死亡包括进去。

这本书的主要焦点是新英格兰的传教士以及中国和日本的移民工人。这可能是因为这三个群体在岛上掌握了政治和商业权力，并在20世纪50年代末夏威夷成为美国一个州时造就了夏威夷的现状。

米切纳利用他对南太平洋的了解，将夏威夷与当时由英国统治的斐济以及至今仍是法国一部分的塔希提岛进行了比较。通过一个角色，他得出结论，夏威夷更加发达，但也承认这些岛屿的治理方式并没有像斐济和塔希提岛那样保护原住民的利益。我从未去过夏威夷，但我去过斐济的亚萨瓦群岛和奥诺岛，它们真的是南太平洋的天堂。

他的《阿拉斯加》以一种《夏威夷》所没有的方式把我带到了那里，所以总的来说，我不得不说我觉得它没有那么引人入胜，尽管我学到了很多关于中国和日本文化的有趣事情——或者至少是那些文化过去的样子。

What can I possibly say that hasn't already been said about a book that was published shortly after I was born?

I read this hefty 1,035-page tome several years ago. Now, with the public library still closed and it being in my personal library, I chose it for a re-read as I have lived in Hawaii for almost 15 years.

There is so much that I continue to learn from it! As historical fiction presented from an outsider's perspective, it feels extremely authentic.

Typically, Michener has done his research thoroughly. It is an easy read, albeit quite lengthy, and in the characteristic Michener style, it traverses the centuries.

I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in a captivating and informative read about the history and culture of Hawaii.

It offers a unique and engaging perspective that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

This book truly took me an eternity to get through. The sheer length of it is indeed its major drawback. I firmly believe that I might have had a more enjoyable reading experience if it were shorter than the whopping 900 pages and had larger fonts.

Yes, granted, the history of Hawaii is extremely fascinating, and it felt as though I had just devoured a textbook covering approximately 1400 years of it.

There are certain likeable characters within the story. Nyuk Tsin, for instance, is likely one of my favorites. Her time spent on the island of lepers, her unwavering dedication to her family, and her remarkable intelligence are all highly admirable qualities. I also relished the part about the Japanese brothers who fought in the 2nd World War in Europe. That was truly captivating.

Michener delves into such minute detail that he doesn't overlook the description of even a chair or a table. However, I found it rather challenging to follow the story line as the novel lacked a smooth flow. It跳跃ed around from one family to another, from one drama to the next, and I felt that I couldn't fully latch on and savor the plot as I desired.

There were simply so many characters that it was arduous to remember who did what and how they were related to one another.

I'm not regretful for having read this book. I did manage to learn a great deal. Nevertheless, I don't think I'll be picking up another one of Michener's works anytime soon unless I have an abundance of free time on my hands...Like if I were incarcerated or something.

I was originally supposed to embark on a journey to Hawaii with my friends. However, due to the pandemic, that plan had to be scrapped. Instead, I delved into the book Hawaii.

Hawaii is an extensive historical epic that spans from the formation of the Hawaiian Islands all the way to statehood. It is an extremely long read, with each chapter having the potential to stand alone as a full-fledged novel. This length enables in-depth personal stories that vividly illustrate author James Michener's perspective on the development of the island.

My feelings towards the book were rather mixed. The writing style is generally okay, but there is something about it that feels a bit outdated, though I can't quite put my finger on it. As someone with a history degree, it reminded me of old-fashioned historical writings. The broad generalizations, the references to homogeneous cultural or racial traits, and the bold value judgments simply wouldn't be acceptable in today's context. Moreover, it can be long-winded and repetitive at times. There were long sections that I thought could have been completely removed, and even more that could have been significantly condensed (especially the numerous descriptions of sex). Nevertheless, the descriptions are vivid and the characters come to life. The book portrays Hawaii as a lively and distinctive place. I would really like to read a book with a concept similar to Last and First Men but in the style of Hawaii.

The more significant issue, however, is its treatment of race and imperialism. Hawaii is in a strange position. It is all about glorifying Hawaiian statehood, which is seen as the culmination of Hawaiian history according to this book. And this statehood emerged from the融合 of multiple races and cultures. While Michener seemed to respect and admire all the races, from Hawaiian to Japanese, he still approved of the white American domination of the islands. He acknowledges and points out the abuses, yet still celebrates the system that gives rise to them. He values Hawaiian culture but also proclaims its downfall. These contradictions made me feel deeply uncomfortable.

Despite all its flaws, Hawaii provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the broad sweep of Hawaiian history. I enjoyed that aspect and look forward to reading more history and fiction to expand on that knowledge. I know for sure that I want to read The Descendants by Hawaiian native Kaui Hart Hemmings in the near future. I may also explore more of Michener's historical fiction.

I'm guessing everyone who finishes this book has that moment where they're like, "I ACTUALLY FINISHED THE 1,100+ PAGE BOOK!" Here's the thing about that: in the modern publishing world, this wouldn't be one book, it would be a series. The six sections would each be their own books (well, five, as the first one would be cut.) Here's my advice for reading them:

Section 1: From the Boundless Deep -- SKIP THIS ENTIRELY. It's only about the geologic formation of the islands as scientists understood it in 1959. The geology of Hawaii has been more or less completely rethought since then.

Secton 2: From the Sun-Swept Lagoon -- Prettttttty sure this section served as the inspiration for the movie Moana, except (spoiler alert) Moana is way better and the songs are so catchy! Maybe just watch that instead? Also, LOTS of rape and sex with 15-year-olds (see Trigger Warning below.)

Section 3: From the Farm of Bitterness -- There are about 100 pages of this section that consist ENTIRELY of missionaries getting seasick and suffering extreme constipation. No, seriously. I did not think it was possible to hate missionaries as much as I did by the end of this section. Never has a book so needed a good editor.

Section 4: From the Starving Village -- By the time you get to this section, you will be so glad you're not reading about missionaries anymore that you will forgive Michener for making you read 100 pages about the past 2000 years of Chinese history in the middle of a book that's supposed to be about Hawaii. Then you'll get to the part about the leper colony and wish you had the missionaries back again. Seriously, where is that editor?

Section 5: From the Inland Sea -- This section deals primarily with the Japanese immigrant and Japanese-American experience in Hawaii, and yet despite that, the long-winded Michener only gives about 40 pages to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Like, NO BIG THING. JUST ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS TO HAPPEN IN HAWAII IN MODERN HISTORY. Then instead he has you read 100 pages about the (mostly Japanese-American) Hawaiian Army regiment's experiences in... Italy? EDITOR!

Section 6: The Golden Men -- Not exactly a spoiler, but after spending the past 500 pages doing an almost admirable job of exploring multiracial viewpoints and storylines, this is the section where Michener brings it all back together and mostly spends the whole section lionizing the "incredible leadership and forward-thinkingness" of the white men at the core of the story. Bonus points for introducing a writing device on literally the LAST PAGE of the 1,100+ page novel that made for a slightly interesting twist to the narrative.

Overall, I wanted to fault him for his mostly 2-dimensional female characters (although he gives ample page time to several key female characters, almost every woman in the book is distilled down to a happy hooker or a wise wife.) However, his male characters tend to be pretty 2-dimensional as well, though they do seem to at least express a wider cross-section of humanity.

That said, even though the book is sometimes ENDLESS and sometimes you want to throw it at things, I have to admit that there is something warm and engaging about it -- memorable characters, an incredible amount of plot, and of course that beautiful tropical setting. I sense that the historical events described in the book are rendered VERY hazily at best, so don't treat it like an academic history of Hawaii. But as a storyteller, I have to admit Michener has a gift. Many nights, as I got into bed to read it, I felt like Fred Savage in The Princess Bride, excited to hear what Grandpa Columbo's crazy tale held next.

*Trigger warning: there is a LOT of rape in this book (because doesn't everyone know that pre-contact tribes were always raping? and also OMG THE LEPER COLONY) and the totally blase way rape is written about literally made me want to throw the book at a wall. Also, oh my God if one more main character/old man had had sex with a 15-year-old girl like it was totally normal and no big deal, and the absolute pinnacle of sexual experience one could hope for, I swear I would have thrown this book on the fire. LIKE WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS EXACTLY 15? SAY THE WORDS 'NUBILE BREASTS' ONE MORE TIME AND I SWEAR I WILL PUNCH THINGS! (My overarching takeaway from this novel is that Michener was just pissed that Nabokov beat him to writing Lolita.) Also, this book was written in 1959. You will see the N-word used occasionally (almost always in dialogue) as well as descriptions of Asians as "Orientals," "slant-eyes," "Japs," and "yellow-skinned." (The fact that these descriptions were often employed in parts of the book where Michener was trying to illustrate the rocky road toward harmonious diversity in Hawaii DID remove the sting slightly.) He also has the REALLY unfortunate habit of overusing the word "niggardly." You have been duly warned.

I simply cannot believe that I have just managed to read my very first Michener! It's truly astonishing.

After I'm done with this moment of self-reproach for not having discovered him earlier, I'm already looking forward to picking out another one of his works.

He is an absolutely fabulous storyteller! His ability to craft engaging and immersive narratives is truly remarkable.

The way he weaves together characters, plots, and settings is nothing short of masterful.

Reading his work is like embarking on a thrilling adventure, where you are completely captivated from start to finish.

I can't wait to see what other wonderful stories Michener has in store for me.

I completely relished this book.

My parents were both born and brought up in Hawaii. My mom was only 9 years old when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

I vividly remember her sharing all the alterations that occurred in Hawaii after World War II.

If you have an interest in the history of Hawaii and wish to know what the territory was like prior to becoming a state, I highly suggest this book.

It provides a detailed and engaging account of the events and circumstances that shaped Hawaii during that crucial period.

You will gain a deeper understanding of the island's past and how it evolved into the beautiful and unique place it is today.

Whether you are a history enthusiast or simply curious about Hawaii, this book is a must-read.

Hawaii - the place where I was born. My father was stationed there during his tour in the US Air Force, and I came into this world at that time. Since we left when I was only 18 months old, I have no memories of this beautiful and enchanting place. Many years later, although I have a connection to the island, I only have the most basic knowledge of its history. I have always wanted to read some Michener, and I thought this would give me a chance to try out his writing style and learn more about my home state.

However, is it historically accurate? According to the introduction, only one of the characters was a real person. Nevertheless, most of the major characters seemed to be based on actual people or amalgamations of several people. I'm just guessing, but I think Michener didn't use their real names to give himself more freedom to write creatively. Each chapter introduces a new set of main characters and families, and the storylines follow these families and their children in subsequent chapters to add continuity. It's probably a little easier for the reader to think, "oh, that's so and so's kid" rather than introduce a new non-fictional character. I was looking things up as I read along, and there was a lot to keep track of - haha.
The events in the story seem to follow history pretty closely from what I can tell. I could tell that Michener did a thorough job of researching people, places, and events. After establishing this basic framework, he had the task of building an interesting story that interconnected all of these characters and events into an epic tale covering millions of years and well over a thousand pages. OK, not so easy, but Michener did it brilliantly.
The book is divided into six main chapters/parts. Chapter 1 - From the Boundless Deep - This is the "millions of years" part of the story. Michener goes into great detail about how the island was formed from a geological perspective. Although this was written in the late 1950s, I think the science underlying this part of the story is pretty sound. The science geek in me really enjoyed this - I love this kind of stuff.
Chapter 2 - From the Sunswept Lagoon - This chapter presents a theory about how the first native Hawaiians arrived on the island. The idea is that a group of people from Bora Bora sailed north in canoes around 800 AD. These original inhabitants discovered that the new island lacked many of the things they needed to survive. Because of the isolation of the island, many types of plants and animals that were abundant in other parts of the world did not exist there and had to be brought in. This chapter did not draw on specific historical people and events, but I still really liked it. Michener created some interesting characters and plausible explanations for how this all happened.
Chapter 3 - From the Farm of Bitterness - This chapter is about the first missionaries who traveled to Hawaii to spread Christianity. Two main characters and families are introduced here - Abner Hale and John Whipple. Both are sent to save the Hawaiians from their heathen ways. Hale, who is based on Hiram Bingham, is a staunch Calvinist and has a "my way or the highway" approach to conversion. Whipple, on the other hand, is more pragmatic and walks away from the conversion part of his missionary role to become a successful businessman. I found the story of their trip to Hawaii to be quite interesting.
Much of this chapter focuses on Hale and his wife Jerusha in their interactions with the Queen of Hawaii. She is determined to educate herself and her people to be at less of a disadvantage when dealing with westerners. Secondary to this is the conversion to Christianity. There is a lot of conflict with the native Hawaiians on this latter point, as many do not want to simply abandon their old ways. In addition to the religious aspects, there are also many fascinating aspects of Hawaiian society that evolved during this time, including a strict set of laws that not only pushed them towards a more western way of thinking but also tried to protect them from the whalers and other traders who took advantage of the hospitality of the islands.
Chapter 4 - From the Starving Village - This chapter mentions that when Captain James Cook visited Hawaii in 1778, the native population was estimated to be between 400,000 and 800,000. After 100 years of diseases being introduced to the islands from Westerners, that same population dwindled to 40,000. To sustain the island's economy, Chinese workers were brought in to supplement the diminishing workforce. This introduces two new characters, Kee Mun Ki and his wife Char Nyuk Tsin, to the story. The chapter spends a lot of time dealing with the integration of the new immigrants to the island, including the horrors of the Molokai leprosy colony. It also talks about the attempted overthrow of the monarchy and the US annexation of Hawaii, as well as how the plague impacted the Chinese community and the great fire that ravaged much of it.
Chapter 5 - From the Inland Sea - Bringing in Chinese workers was a big help to the Hawaiian economy, but what wasn't expected was that these same Chinese would save their money and become entrepreneurs and develop their own businesses. So the next group to fill the "cheap labor" role were the Japanese. This is where Kamejiro Sakagawa enters the story. This part of the story talks about the growth of the pineapple industry in Hawaii, which in the story was Whip Hoxworth's doing (descendant of John Whipple and Rafer Hoxworth), although in reality it was probably James D. Dole. Sakagawa works for Whip. The next major historical event is the Pearl Harbor invasion and its aftermath. Four of Sakagawa's children enlist in the military to fight for the US and are placed in the 222 (in reality, it was the 442). This was a primarily Japanese American group that was sent to fight in the European war theater. I found this story fascinating and looked up more about this fighting unit on the web.
Chapter 6 - The Golden Men - This chapter is about the generations of Hawaiians who, because of their diverse cultural backgrounds, look both to the East and the West to shape Hawaii's future. It's probably my least favorite chapter, but I did learn several things from it. I was unaware of the tsunami that hit the island in 1946, and I didn't realize that Island Records was formed and based in Hawaii. The politics behind making Hawaii a state was also pretty interesting to me. There was also a lot of discussion about introducing labor unions and breaking up the oligarchy in the book called "The Fort" (which was really called "The Big Five" and represented five major companies that controlled much of the business on the islands).
This is the longest single volume book I have ever read, but it was very entertaining. I plan to read more Michener in the future.

I read this many years ago and was immediately captivated by it. The family history presented in the story was truly fascinating. It delved deep into the past, uncovering secrets and events that had shaped the lives of the characters. The amazing setting added another layer of allure. Whether it was a grand old mansion or a secluded countryside, it created a vivid backdrop that enhanced the overall atmosphere of the story.

But what really pulled me in were the individual struggles of the characters. Each one had their own set of challenges and obstacles to overcome, and I found myself empathizing with their plights. Their stories were relatable and engaging, making me root for them every step of the way.

Overall, this was a truly remarkable piece of work that left a lasting impression on me. It combined elements of family, history, setting, and personal struggle to create a narrative that was both entertaining and thought-provoking. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great read.

My 10th grade reading teacher, "Mrs. Fine," introduced me to a very large book. I only took her "Hooked on Books" class because I thought it was an easy A. The plan was to read several books, do book reports, and get a good grade. Hawaii was the first book she chose for me. I read the first 50 pages, but there was no dialogue, just information about how the island was formed by volcanoes. I went back to complain that it was boring, but she encouraged me to keep reading. The next 50 pages were just as boring, with natives from other lands discovering Hawaii and coming to it. There was still very little dialogue. I complained to the teacher again, and she encouraged me to read just a little bit more. I did, and then BAM!!! The story exploded. People came to life, and there was exciting interaction. It easily became one of my favorite books of all time.

I am so very thankful for Ms. Fine, who taught "Hooked on Books" at East Brunswick High School in East Brunswick, NJ in 1973. She introduced me to several other great books during that semester, such as The Great Gatsby and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and made me a reader. More than that, she made me a lover of books. I wish I could thank her face to face.

You changed my life, Ms. Fine. I'm forever grateful!

Beth Holtz McKinney

Thank you to all who have responded to my review of this book. I had never spoken to Ms. Fine again after 10th grade to express my appreciation. However, her niece was on our school's alumni page and saw a post I had written about her aunt. She reached out to me and let me know that Ms. Fine was still alive and doing well. She assured me that she would pass on my message and let her know how much she had impacted my life. Thank you all again! Keep reading and discovering!