Books

Musician Michael Feinstein talks about his autobiography, "Nice Work If You Can Get It," and his CDs 3 p.m. Sunday at Barnes & Noble, Kahala.

Jim Hall draws upon his experiences as a foreign service officer in Vietnam for his first novel, "To Win the Hearts," 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Borders, Waikele. "Hearts" follows civilians and patriots caught in the twists and turns of "a war of liberation."

Cajun musician Queen Ida talks about growing up in the bayou country of Louisiana, where French, Spanish, African and Native American people and influences mixed, 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Borders, Ward Centre. Her new cookbook, "Cookin' with Queen Ida," is available.

Linda Spalding, who edits and publishes the literary journal "Brick" from Toronto, returns to Hawaii for a reading 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at UH-Manoa's Kuykendall Hall, Room 410. Her first novel, "Daughters of Captain Cook," was set in Hawaii. Her second, "The Paper Wife," has recently been published. Call Craig Howes at 732-4250. The reading is sponsored by the Hawaii Literary Arts Council.

The Meeting Place Cafe hosts readings of experimental poetry from the Pacific, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tony Quagliano, Joe Balaz, Eric Chock, Susan Schultz, Red Flea and others will read in celebration of the new journal "Tinfish." Call 373-2366. Sponsored by the Hawaii Literary Arts Council.

Blaise, one of Canada's leading short-story writers, gives a reading 7:30 p.m. May 18 in the Yukiyoshi Room at Krauss Hall. His works include "I Had a Father: A Postmodern Autobiography" and "Lusts." A reception is at 6:30 p.m.

Mukherjee, author of "The Middleman and Other Stories" and "Jasmine," gives a reading 2 p.m. May 19 in the Campus Center Ballroom. She is an English professor at the University of California-Berkeley and received a National Book Critics Circle Award.

The two co-wrote "Days and Nights in Calcutta" and "The Sorrow and the Terror."

Both writers will lead a workshop in fiction writing 10 a.m. to noon May 18, and appear for conversation on the immigrant experience, American literature, marriage and other topics 4:30 p.m. May 19, in the Yukiyoshi Room.

They will also sign books 7 p.m. Friday at Borders, Ward Centre.

Literary agent Roger Jellinek and children's author Nancy Mower are among the 15 scheduled speakers. In a new workshop, Yvonne Toma from Kipapa Elementary and Liz Foster from Punahou School discuss how to motivate young writers. Participants receive lists of local writing groups and publishers.

Registration is $85 general, $50 students. Forms are available at major bookstores and public libraries, or call 395-1161. Registration will also be taken at the door.

Author Lois Lowry and illustrator Trina Schart Hyman are the featured speakers at the Eighth Biennial Conference on Literature and Hawaii's Children, June 10 to 12 on Oahu and June 15 to 16 on Maui.

"Sharing Tradition, Story and Language" is the conference theme. Darrell Lum and Lois-Ann Yamanaka debate the pros and cons of using pidgin. Keiki Ka-wai'ae'a and Lilinoe Andrews discuss Hawaiian literature for children. Other sessions explore developments in books for children, presenting profound evil to child readers, the popularity of the "outsider" protagonist, the books of Maurice Sendak and more.

Registration costs $15 in advance, $20 at the conference - at the Hawaiian Regent Hotel in Waikiki and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. For a registration form, write to: Conference on Literature and Hawaii's Children, Department of English, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1733 Donaghho Road, Honolulu 96822. Academic credit is available. Mail-in deadline is May 31.

For further information, call 956-7559 after May 20.

John Saul, Jackie Collins and Sue Grafton will attend the 1996 Maui Writers Conference from Aug. 30 through Sept. 2 at the Grand Wailea Resort.

The conference features a "Manuscript Marketplace," operating via resumes for authors and their books, for a quicker connection to interested agents.

Saul, who has several New York Times best-sellers, will conduct a master fiction workshop using the Top 10 manuscripts submitted for critique.

Other conference participants include authors Terry Brooks, Richard Paul Evans, Ann Rule and Dan Millman, and more than 30 agents and publishers. Registration is $425 through July 15; $495 after. The Manuscript Marketplace, manuscript critique and pre-conference are optional.

For a free brochure, write to: MWC, P.O. Box 968, Kihei 96753. Or call 879-0061, Maui. The MWC web site is http://www.maui.com/~sbdc/writers. E-mail address:mauicon@aol.com.

Novel tells the story of the middle son of a Japanese plantation worker in 1950s Maui, and of the family ties and expectations that bind and support him. The story revolves around Spencer's guilty secret, kept with his younger brother, William, about their older brother's death in childhood.

This first novel made its debut at the 1994 Maui Writers Conference, where it took the grand prize.

Biography of Hawaii's first female territorial senator, a woman who worked for improvements in education, health and social equality for Asian Americans and who served as the territorial Senate's conscience on women's and children's issues.

The book, by a UH professor of American studies, also looks into the historical development of Kauai and the state.

The preserved bones of Kamehameha are the key to two linked stories in this science -fiction novel of genetic engineering, space exploration and the growing political activism of Hawaiians.

Goonan's first science fiction novel, "Queen City Jazz," was dubbed the New York Times Notable Book of the Year in 1994.

Puzzles and games teach children about Big Island places and wildlife as well as science, ecology and history. Illustration by Barbara Downs. (Answers provided.)

Revised second edition of guide to hikes on the Valley Isle, from strolls to many-day backpacking trips. Each hike is prefaced by a chart estimating time, distance and elevation gain and is described in detail.

Morey has also written trail guides for Kauai, Oahu and the Big Island.

Novel follows a group of people, Americans and Vietnamese, in wartime Vietnam, 1962-1975. It explores the twists and turns of wars of liberation - particularly from the perspective of American civilians who fought for the ideals of freedom and democracy.

For his first novel, Hall, a writer in the Honolulu mayor's office, drew upon his experiences in Vietnam as a foreign service officer. Hall includes his analysis of the war and prefaces each chapter with quotes from people and songs of the time.

Short stories on the fate of a ka'ai seeker, a man who fears skin cancer, a fired employee and others capture the "grotesque comedy" of life in Hawaii.

2. Three Whales Who Won the Heart of the World Suzanne Kita, Island Heritage (1)

3. Gecko Hide and Seek Gil McBarnet, Ruwanga Trading (4)

4. Aloha Bear and the Meaning of Aloha Dick Adair, Island Heritage (7)

5. Adventures of Aloha Bear and Maui the Whale Mark A. Wagenman, Island Heritage (6)

6. The Whale Who Wanted to Be Small Gil McBarnet, Ruwanga Trading (9)

7. Native Animals of Hawaii Patrick Ching, Bess Press (5)

8. Fishes of Hawaii Susan and Thomas Kelly, Bess Press (10)

9. The Whale's Tale Gil McBarnet, Ruwanga Trading H

10. The Legend of the Laughing Gecko Bruce Hale, Geckostufs (8)

2. Viewbook (series) Douglas Peebles, Hawaiian Resources (3)

3. From the Skies of Paradise (series) Glen Grant, Chris Cook, Tom Stevens and Douglas Peebles, Mutual Publishing (5)

4. Maui on My Mind Rita Ariyoshi, Mutual Publishing (1)

5. Islands of Hawaii Ray Helbig, Hawaiian Service (4)

6. Maui's Hana Highway Angela Kay Kepler, Mutual Publishing

7. Hawaii Blossoms Dorothy and Bob Hargreaves, Island Heritage (6)

8. Kauai, The Garden Island Allan Seiden, Island Heritage (8)

9. Flowers of Hawaii Allan Seiden, Island Heritage

10. The Essential Guide to Maui Island Heritage (10)

2. Legends and Myths of Hawaii David Kalakaua, Mutual Publishing H (3)

3. Myths and Legends of Hawaii W.D. Westervelt, Mutual Publishing H (7)

4. Mark Twain in Hawaii Mark Twain, Mutual Publishing H (8)

5. The Betrayal of Liliuokalani Helena G. Allen, Mutual Publishing H

6. Mark Twain's Letters From Hawaii Mark Twain, University of Hawai'i Press H

7. Stories of Hawaii Jack London, Mutual Publishing H (9)

8. Hawaiian Mythology Martha Beckwith, University of Hawai'i Press

9. A Hawaiian Reader edited by A. Grove Day and Carl Stroven, Mutual Publishing H (5)

10. South Sea Tales Jack London, Mutual Publishing

2. Hawaiian Journey Joseph Mullins, Mutual Publishing (3)

3. Memories of Duke: The Legend Comes to Life Sandra Kimberley Hall and Greg Ambrose, Bess Press

4. Honolulu Mysteries Glen Grant, Mutual Publishing (1)

5. Hawaiian Names English Names Eileen Root, Press Pacifica

6. Pele - Goddess of Hawaiian Volcanoes Herb Kane, Kane Press

7. Hawaii: Truth Stranger Than Fiction LaRue W. Piercy, Mutual Publishing (5)

8. Na Mele O Hawaii Nei Samuel Elbert and Noelani Mahoe, University of Hawai'i Press (8)

9. Hawaii This 'N That LaRue W. Piercy, Mutual Publishing (4)

10. Big Island History Makers LaRue W. Piercy, Mutual Publishing

2. Chamorro-English Dictionary Donald Topping, Pedro Ogo and Bernadita Dungea, University of Hawai'i Press

3. Handy Hawaiian Dictionary Compiled by Henry P. Judd, Mary Kawena Pukui and John F.G. Stokes, Mutual Publishing

4. Hawaii's Birds Hawaii Audubon Society, Hawaiian Service (7)

5. Hawaii's Fishes: A Guide for Snorkelers, Divers and Aquarists John Hoover, Mutual Publishing (5)

6. Exotic Tropicals of Hawaii Angela Kay Kepler and Jacob R. Mau, Mutual Publishing

7. Pearl Harbor: The Way It Was Scott C.S. Stone, Island Heritage (8)

8. Atlas of Hawaii O.A. Bushnell, Gavan Daws and Andrew Berger, Island Heritage (9)

9. Maui's Floral Splendor Angela Kay Kepler, Mutual Publishing

10. New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary Mary Pukui and Samuel Elbert, University of Hawai'i Press (2)

These are best-selling books in Hawaii during March 1996. Figures are courtesy of the Hawaii Book Publishers Association and Book-lines distributors, and reflect sales by Hawaii-based publishers. A star () denotes a title that has been on the market at least five years or more; a number in parenthesis indicates a title's previous ranking.