Books

Hawaii’s literary scene

Fornander's "Ancient History of the Hawaiian People."
See "Isle Pages," below.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Friday, January 24, 1997

Cultural understanding

Playwright, professor and author Vilsoni Hereniko, whose book "Woven Gods: Female Clowns and Power in Rotuma" explores his island's cultural practices, presents a video about the han mane ak su, female clown, and her victims and discusses the empowering effect of Pacific islanders expressing themselves in literature, film, art and theater, 3 p.m. Sunday at Borders, Ward Centre.

Writing love scenes

Fine-tune your skills at a Sensual Writing Workshop 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. The women-only seminar, presented by the Romance Writers of America, will be at a home near Kahala Mall. Costs $100 ($85 members). Call Sally at 739-7722.

Tsunami times

Juliet S. Kono, author of "Tsunami Years" and "Hilo Rain," will share poetry from her books and anecdotes about the tsunamis that hit her hometown of Hilo, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Salt Lake-Moanalua Library. The free forum also features Daniel Walker, a seismology professor at the University of Hawaii and an Oahu Civil Defense advisor. Walker will discuss the causes and characteristics of tsunamis in the Pacific. Call 831-6831.

January is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawaii.

Meetings

The Writers Group offers feedback and company 7 p.m. today at Borders, Waikele.

The Aloha Chapter of Romance Writers of America features Elizabeth Engstrom, 10 a.m. to noon tomorrow at Aina Haina Library.

The Reading Group discusses Keri Hulme's "The Bone People," 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Borders, Waikele.

The Asian-Pacific Reading Group takes on "Novel Without a Name" by Duong Thu Hong, 7 p.m. Wednesday at Barnes & Noble.

Author signings

The Hawaiian Institute for Creative Living presents psychiatrist Dr. Fred Weaver III, 2 to 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Hawaiian Prince Hotel. Weaver is author of "Creative Self-Discovery: A Spiritual Journey Into Self."

Antonia Levi, author of "Samurai from Outer Space: Understanding Japanese Animation," will discuss and show some examples of Japanese animation, known as anime, 1 p.m. Sunday at Borders, Ward Centre.

Heidi Bornhorst, author of "Growing Native Hawaiian Plants," gives a slide lecture on the Hale Koa landscape, 3 p.m. Sunday at Borders, Waikele.

Readings

Shakespeare on Sunday stages a reading of "Cymbeline" 7 p.m. Sunday at Barnes & Noble.

Students from Mid-Pacific Institute's advanced theater workshop perform monologues from "Romeo and Juliet," 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Barnes & Noble.

Library opens

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii celebrates its 10th anniversary by opening its Resource Center to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, and on weekends by appointment. Materials - more than 4,000 English and Japanese books, periodicals and other documents - focus on Japanese culture and history, especially in Hawaii. Resources include a photograph collection and oral histories. Call 945-7633 for information; 945-0144 on weekends.

"Read All About It presents news in brief from Hawaii's literary scene. Send items - at least two weeks in advance of publication date - to Read All About It, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802.

This photo of the ‘akiapola‘au is included in
H. Douglas Pratt's "Hawaii's Beautiful Birds."

ISLE PAGES

THIS listing of new books about Hawaii or by Hawaii writers is published on the last Friday of each month in the Star-Bulletin.

Friday, January 24, 1997

Mutual Publishing presents a collection of new books and reprints of older titles. The last three titles are part of Mutual's new Pa'aloha (souvenir) series, which presents island themes in a softcover, coffee-table format.

"Ancient History of the Hawaiian People"

Abraham Fornander, $7.95, 349 pages

Reprint of Volume II of the 19th-century judge and scholar's study of the Polynesian people. In the Introduction, Glen Grant says Fornander's most valuable contribution is "his chronicles of Hawaiian chiefs through the centuries, culminating with his detailed account of the unification of the Islands by Kamehameha." The book draws on oral histories collected by Native Hawaiian historians and assistants. Chants and their translations are in the appendix.

"Hawai'i's Glamour Days"

Maili Yardley, $13.95, 149 pages

The Honolulu Advertiser columnist recalls customs, places and people from the 1920s-40s in a collection of short essays illustrated with black and white photos. Find out why Hawaiians push a lei back so it doesn't rest against the back of the neck; how Christmas came to Hawaii in 1778; and when prostitutes were kept out of Waikiki. Artist and author Isobel Field tells of Kalakaua's funeral.

"Hawai'i's Beautiful Birds"

H. Douglas Pratt, $9.95, 64 pages

Naturalists describe the birds of Hawaii's beaches, forests and urban areas, and the refuges established to protect endangered birds. Color photography by Jack Jeffrey and Pratt.

"Kauai Travelogue"

Curt Sanburn, $9.95, 64 pages

Portrait of the island covers notable historic and cultural sites and well-known local stories. Edited by Jan TenBruggencate, with color photography by Douglas Peebles.

"Waikiki Yesteryear"

Glen Grant, $12.95, 96 pages

Informal 150-year history contains more than 200 photographs from private and public archives. The book was inspired by requests from people who took Grant's walking tour of Waikiki.

LOCAL BEST SELLERS

November 1996 Favorites

Children's

1. The Musubi Man Sandi Takayama and Pat Hall, Bess Press (2)

2. The Goodnight Gecko Gil McBarnet, Ruwanga Trading (1)

3. A Is For Aloha Stephanie Feeney and Hella Hamid, University of Hawai'i Press

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

5. Aloha Bear and the Meaning of Aloha Dick Adair, Island Heritage (5)

6. The Legend of the Laughing Gecko Bruce Hale, Geckostufs (9)

7. Three Whales Who Won the Heart of the World Suzanne Kita, Island Heritage (8)

8. Sand to Sea Stephanie Feeney and Ann Fielding, University of Hawai'i Press

9. Native Animals of Hawaii Patrick Ching, Bess Press (3)

10. Adventures of Aloha Bear and Maui the Whale Mark A. Wagenman, Island Heritage (10)

Gift and travel

1. The Choy of Cooking Sam Choy and Catherine Enomoto, Mutual Publishing

2. Waikiki Yesteryear Glen Grant, Mutual Publishing

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

4. Hawai'i's Natural Wonders Jan TenBruggencate and Douglas Peebles, Mutual Publishing

5. Kauai Travelogue Curt Sanburn, Jan TenBruggencate and Douglas Peebles, Mutual Publishing

6. Hawai'i's Beautiful Birds H. Douglas Pratt and Jack Jeffrey, Mutual Publishing

7. Scenic Hawaii Series Island Heritage (1)

8. With Sam Choy: Cooking from the Heart Sam Choy, Mutual Publishing

9. Reflections of Kauai edited by Paul Turley, Island Heritage

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

Literature

1. Twilight Over Burma: My Life as a Shan Princess Inge Sargent, University of Hawai'i Press

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

3. Hawai'i Chronicles Bob Dye, University of Hawai'i Press

4. Legends and Myths of Hawaii David Kalakaua, Mutual Publishing (1)

5. Tales of the Tikongs Epeli Hau'ofa, University of Hawai'i Press

6. Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen Lydia Liliuokalani, Mutual Publishing (2)

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

8. Mark Twain in Hawaii Mark Twain, Mutual Publishing (5)

9. A Hawaiian Reader edited by A. Grove Day and Carl Stroven, Mutual Publishing

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

Hawaiiana

1. Chicken Skin Rick Carroll, Bess Press (2)

2. Obake Files Glen Grant, Mutual Publishing (1)

3. Fornander's Ancient History of the Hawaiian People Abraham Fornander, Mutual Publishing

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

5. Shark Bites: True Tales of Hawai'i Greg Ambrose, Bess Press

6. Hawaii This 'N That LaRue W. Piercy, Mutual Publishing

7. Obake - Ghost Stories in Hawaii Glen Grant, Mutual Publishing (4)

8. Hawaiian Names English Names Eileen Root, Press Pacifica (6)

9. Pele - Goddess of Hawaiian Volcanoes Herb Kane, Kane Press (7)

10. Honolulu Mysteries Glen Grant, Mutual Publishing (5)

Reference

1. New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary Mary Pukui and Samuel Elbert, University of Hawai'i Press

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

3. Growing Native Hawaiian Plants Heidi Bornhorst, Bess Press

4. Ghost Fleet: The Sunken Ships of Bikini Atoll James Delgado, University of Hawai'i Press

5. The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage Rachel Laudan, University of Hawai'i Press

6. Pearl Harbor: The Way It Was Scott C.S. Stone, Island Heritage

7. A Hawaiian Florilegium: Botanical Portraits from Paradise Mary Grierson and Peter Green, University of Hawai'i Press

8. Tropical Trees of Hawaii Dorothy & Bob Hargreaves, Island Heritage (6)

9. Hawaii's Birds Hawaii Audubon Society, Hawaiian Service (5)

10. Handy Hawaiian Dictionary Compiled by Henry P. Judd, Mary Kawena Pukui and John F.G. Stokes, Mutual Publishing (1)

These are best-selling books in Hawaii during the period noted. 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.

Write to Features, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, HI 96802 or send a fax to 523-8509 or E-mail at features@starbulletin.com. Please include your phone number.