I first read this story when I was 16 years old, and it made me cry buckets.

The most heart-wrenching part for me was the description of how the Hawaiians died of measles in a very short time because they had no immunity to it.

This truly touched my heart and made me realize the vulnerability of human beings in the face of diseases.

Intending to re-read it and perhaps gain a deeper understanding, I obtained another copy.

However, to my surprise, I was unable to get as deeply involved in the story the second time around.

Maybe it was because the initial impact had been so powerful that it was difficult to recapture the same level of emotion.

Or perhaps my perspective had changed over time.

Nevertheless, this story will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will never forget the profound effect it had on me when I first read it.

My third attempt at reading Michener’s HAWAII has come to an end, and I have to admit that I give up!

It's really a struggle for me. What's more, at the same time I purchased this book, I also bought The Covenant and Texas.

I'm assuming that they will be equally unriveting as Hawaii.

I really tried my best to get into the story of Hawaii, but it just didn't work for me.

Maybe it's because of my personal taste or maybe the writing style didn't suit me.

Anyway, I'm a bit disappointed.

But I still have hope for The Covenant and Texas.

Maybe they will surprise me and turn out to be great reads.

Only time will tell.

I'll give them a chance and see how it goes.

For now, I'm just going to move on and look for other books that might capture my interest.

It took me a full 3 months to finish reading this book.

This is an extremely long period of time.

I had expected to complete it much more quickly, but unfortunately, it dragged on and on.

During these 3 months, I found myself constantly struggling to stay engaged.

The content might have been interesting in parts, but overall, it failed to hold my attention for an extended period.

Perhaps the writing style was a bit too dry or the story lacked the necessary excitement.

Whatever the reason, by the time I finally reached the end, I was relieved but also a little disappointed.

I had hoped for a more satisfying reading experience, but instead, I was left with a sense of having wasted a significant amount of time.

Nevertheless, I guess every reading experience is a learning opportunity, and I'll be more cautious in choosing my next book.

My very first encounter with Michener's work was when I was just 18 years old.

I picked up one of his books and was immediately captivated. The story was so engaging, the characters so vivid, and the descriptions so detailed that I couldn't put it down.

I devoured every page, completely immersed in the world that Michener had created.

To this day, that initial experience has stayed with me.

Although I still have not had the opportunity to visit Hawaii, which was so beautifully described in the book, I know that one day I will.

I long to see the lush landscapes, the sandy beaches, and the vibrant culture for myself.

Until then, I will continue to cherish the memories of that first Michener novel and look forward to the day when I can make my own memories in the real Hawaii.

After taking a trip to New Zealand with a stopover in Hawaii, I made the decision to re-read this book.

The Maoris of New Zealand and the Polynesians of Hawaii have the same origins, and I was eager to learn more about the Hawaiian history that I had forgotten. I had read this book shortly after it was published in the early '60's. That was clearly a long time ago, and it was astonishing to me to observe my reactions upon re-reading it.

The role and perception of women have changed significantly since Michener wrote Hawaii. When I read it for the first time, I found it extremely interesting as a history of Hawaii. This aspect remained very interesting. What surprised me on the second reading was how the female characters in the book were portrayed.

With the exception of a few strong female characters, the vast majority of the female characters were almost invisible, existing only as someone's wife or daughter or as a prostitute. I attempted to view this in its historical context, but it was very challenging. We have come a long way, even though we still have a long way to go.

Ugh. This book stands out as one of the most blatantly misogynistic works I have ever had the misfortune to read.

Every female character seems to be pigeonholed into one of several demeaning archetypes. There's Nyuk Tsin, the dutiful wife who engages in extreme self-sacrifice for some rather unworthy man. Then there's the teenage prostitute who absurdly "loves her work." And let's not forget the nameless beautiful woman who is simply married off without any agency.

The only women who don't neatly fit into these categories are Malama, Queen Liliuokalani, and the nameless "woman writer." However, Michener still manages to find ways to belittle them. Malama is repeatedly described as huge and portrayed as gluttonous, with "huge" seemingly being the only adjective Michener can come up with for the Hawaiian characters. The Queen is depicted as completely inept at running her kingdom, and the "woman writer" makes a brief appearance only to be told by a repulsive male character that her book is worthless.

Some might argue that Michener is simply portraying the reality of that time. But this fails to excuse his total lack of interest or ability in imagining the inner lives and feelings of the women in his story, which is what a novelist should do. For example, he describes the women who first arrive in Hawaii as begging the men to bring them children, even though they all have newborn babies. Seriously, are we supposed to believe that women struggling to survive in a harsh new land would want to take on the responsibility of random five-year-olds just because they love children so much? Michener also describes Hawaiian women naked and eagerly swimming to meet the Thetis to prostitute themselves to sailors. But why are these women so desperate for money that they would allow themselves to be raped by strangers? How do they feel about this? What do the girls whose fathers sell them think about their situation?

Michener shows no interest in exploring these questions. Instead, he uses the sexual exploitation of women as a means of titillation in the book. Take Nyuk Tsin, for instance. She is raped, beaten, and tied up in a brothel. Her future husband then comes in, unties her (out of curiosity, Michener emphasizes, not out of humanity), and rapes her again. We get no sense of her perspective at all. All that happens is that the brothel owner walks in and sees "what the young people were up to" (i.e., Mun Ki raping Nyuk Tsin) and says, "Use her as you wish, but tie her up again when you're through." It's impossible to escape the feeling that Michener is deliberately callous and cruel towards women. There are numerous other examples of this throughout the book, such as the beautiful young woman who is gang-raped and killed by lepers, or Nancy who is cruelly used and abandoned by "Wild Whip."

As you can probably tell, the misogynistic tone of the book completely ruined it for me. However, I did give it two stars because the first two-thirds of the book is actually quite an engaging story. But the last third became rather tedious. I simply didn't care enough about the characters anymore, and as a result, I lost interest in the historical narrative. I was initially looking forward to reading Michener, as my mother loved his books. But after this experience, I can't bring myself to read another one of his works.

I DID IT!!!!

I was completely astounded by the in-depth scientific and historical research that was incorporated into the book.

Undoubtedly, it is an extremely educational volume, and quite substantial as well. However, the act of reading it was astonishingly effortless, despite the vast number of characters and events that unfold over the course of millennia.

This is truly an epic book that narrates an epic tale about Hawaii. And there is no doubt that James Michener is a genius.

His ability to bring together such a wealth of information and present it in a captivating and accessible manner is truly remarkable.

The book takes the reader on a journey through time, exploring the rich history and diverse cultures of Hawaii.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in history, science, or simply a good story.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read.

Review | Hawaii, James A. Michener | 3.5 Stars

You guys, I finally finished Michener. This is a big deal. Let's be clear: Big books don't scare me. The unabridged Les Mis is one of my favorites. I'm a fast reader. That being said, it took me almost a month to finish James A. Michener's Hawaii.

Here's why: Hawaii is an epic. There's no other word for it. It's a thousand onion-skin pages of tiny, tiny words, crammed full of history and conjecture. It's fascinating, it's captivating, it's vividly written – but it's also incredibly dense. For every hundred pages of thrilling ocean voyage, there's another hundred pages on the economy of pineapples.

I had the good fortune to start reading Hawaii while I was actually living on Maui. My mom sent me this book without telling me she had (nice move, Mom), and when it arrived, I was a little bit skeptical. Technically, it's non-fiction. I'm always skeptical of non-fiction, because it can be so painfully dry. There are, of course, exceptions. Michener is one.

When I did grudgingly crack this book open, it didn't take me long to realize that I should have done so weeks before. Hawaii begins with the prehistoric formation of the Hawaiian islands and carries the reader all the way through the 1950s. Because it's such a lengthy piece of work, it's split into six different 'books'.

The second book was by far my favorite, as it follows a group of Bora Borans as they leave their home island and travel 2,000 miles north in a canoe. Michener makes history read like a novel and is just as eloquent as his contemporaries. Consider the following quote: "For nearly forty million years the first island struggled in the bosom of the sea, endeavoring to be born as observable land."

If I could just give the first and second books five stars, I probably would. However, the third book focuses on a group of missionaries from New England and their misguided crusade to Christianize Hawaii. While I understand the necessity for this section, it started to feel repetitive very quickly. By the time I got to the fourth book, I was so sick of Abner Hale that I considered skipping a hundred pages.

The fourth book was considerably less painful. It follows Nyuk Sin and her Chinese family as they establish themselves on Oahu, as well as the growth of the missionary families. In this section, we also have the plague, the leper colony of Molokai, and lots of prostitutes.

The fifth book shifts to the Japanese family of Kamejiro Sakagawa and explores the prejudices between the races in Hawaii during its absorption by the United States. Here also is where World War II takes place. The final book brings the heroes of the previous four installments together and ends on a political note.

That being said, Hawaii is certainly worth reading. The Baltimore Sun's description of it as a "mammoth epic of the islands" is spot on. It's partly fiction, partly fact, and you'll learn more in these 900-odd pages than in ten other novels. Michener's characters are complete and colorful, and have a tremendous capacity to capture the reader.

There are a few points of critique, of course. Despite the inclusion of family trees, characters are almost impossible to keep track of. The book can feel schizophrenic at times, and Michener sometimes interrupts the narration with first-person pronouns. Events that seem important are sometimes glossed over, and the ending is a bit abrupt.

Still, for a book about as long as the Bible, these are pretty minor complaints. Ultimately, I'm glad I tackled this book, as it gave me a deeper understanding of Hawaii. I can't say for certain if it would be as captivating for anyone who hasn't been there, but if you can't get to Hawaii, this might be the next best thing. Three and a half stars.

This is an outstanding book penned by a master.

He presents an excellent history of the state of Hawaii, delving into its rich past and providing detailed accounts of its evolution.

The only drawback I find in this author's writings is that it takes him an incredibly long time to set the scene.

He seems to go on and on with unnecessary details before finally getting to the heart of the matter.

However, once he does get started, the story becomes quite engaging and interesting.

Overall, this is a great book that offers a lot of valuable information about Hawaii, but it could have been more concise and to the point in the beginning.

Despite this flaw, I would still recommend it to anyone interested in learning about the history of Hawaii.

Where do I begin with this remarkable book?

It is, without a doubt, the longest work of fiction I have ever delved into, consisting of a whopping 1095 pages!! Published way back in 1959, it has stood the test of time.

The story commences with the very formation of the islands and then unfolds over a span of more than a thousand years, encompassing the lives of 50+ generations. We witness the adventures of Polynesian seafarers, the arrival of American missionaries, the influx of Asian immigrants, and the creation of the unique microcosm that is modern-day Hawaii.

The genealogical charts in the appendix proved to be extremely useful, and I was truly amazed at how the characters came alive through the power of storytelling.

The book is divided into six parts. Part one takes us from the boundless deep as the islands emerge from the ocean. Part two follows the journey of Polynesian seafarers to the Hawaiian islands. Part three, which was particularly difficult to read due to the character of Abner Hale, a self-righteous missionary, shows the arrival of missionaries from New England. Part four details the arrival of Chinese laborers, and part five focuses on the arrival of the Japanese. Finally, part six, "The golden men," portrays the political and societal landscape in the islands in the early 1900s.

Although the book is long and some parts may seem slow, overall, I am extremely glad that I read it. It has rekindled my love for history and provided me with a fascinating insight into the complex and diverse history of Hawaii.

There were no perfect characters or heroes in this book, but there were a few that I particularly liked, such as Teroro, Char Nyuk Sin (my favorite), Kelly (Kelolo) Kanakoa, and Elinor Henderson. On the other hand, there were also some characters that I could not stand, like Abner Hale, Ishii, and Lucinda Hale.

All in all, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in history, culture, and the human experience.

Millions upon millions of years ago, when the continents were already formed and the principal features of the earth had been decided, there existed, then as now, one aspect of the world that dwarfed all others. It was a mighty ocean, resting uneasily to the east of the largest continent, a restless ever-changing, gigantic body of water that would later be described as pacific.

Will Hawaii be the longest book I read this year? That's WAY too early to call. I first decided to pick this one up after watching the film adaptation of Hawaii starring Julie Andrews as one of the missionary wives. The film adaptation covers a little less than one chapter of this one. For those that are curious, this book has SIX (and only six) chapters. The film adaptation keeps some things the same, (Abner Hale is an a**) but varies from the book in many ways.

I would not pick this one up if you are looking for lovable, likable, pleasant, charming characters. The book thrives on conflict and dysfunction. Conflicts between husbands and wives, men and women, parents and children, employer and employee, and perhaps more significantly between races and cultures. The 'native' Hawaiians, the American missionaries, the Chinese, the Japanese, etc. The second chapter is about the original would-be inhabitants who fled Bora Bora and discovered Hawaii. The third chapter is about the arrival of the missionaries. The fourth chapter is about the arrival of the Chinese. The fifth chapter is about the arrival of the Japanese. The sixth chapter is set after the Second World War, and is about the journey to statehood and the synthesis of culture(s), this blending of East and West. The book is also about the conflict between VALUES and morals.

It tackles about a dozen plus subjects--in varying detail--spanning roughly one hundred and fifty years. It uses about a dozen (maybe a little less) families to tell this story of ideas. For example, the descendants of the missionary families stay on in the background for the remaining chapters. The chapters do build on one another.

Business and economics, politics and religion--these are things he covers throughout the book. One of the main questions being -- What is best for Hawaii? Do outsiders do more harm than good? What makes Hawaii, Hawaii?

I thought many of the characters were horrible people. They just weren't likable. Especially some of the men. They were just jerks. It was easy to HATE some of the characters. Some of the scenes were just hard to take. Like when a grandfather takes his thirteen year old (maybe, maybe fourteen year old grandson) to a brothel and pays for him "to become a man." I really didn't want to be there for that--nor did I want to know about how excited the prostitutes were to have such a young client. There were other scenes as well that proved this one was out of my comfort zone.

The language is DEFINITELY not clean. It contains vulgar and offensive words that may shock some readers. However, this is also a reflection of the times and the cultures that are being described in the book. Despite its flaws, Hawaii is a fascinating and engaging read that offers a unique perspective on the history and culture of the Hawaiian Islands.