Books

Hawaii’s literary scene

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Friday, February 7, 1997

Author signings

Bobby Markels reads from her new book, "Before and After," 2 p.m. Sunday at Borders, Waikele.

"Zen Guitar" author Philip Toshio Sudo shares his music and his views on playing the guitar, 11:30 a.m. Feb. 15 at Honolulu Book Shops, Ala Moana.

Carol Wilcox presents "Sugar Water: Hawaii's Plantation Ditches," noon Feb. 15 at Borders, Ward Centre. The book describes planters' lives and examines the industry and its control of water.

Ralph Blum discusses his book, "The Healing Runes," 4 p.m. Feb. 15 at Borders, Waikele.

Can't be blue

Write a poem that starts with "Roses are red," and enter to win a neighbor island trip for two, with a $100 gift certificate from Wahiawa Shopping Center and Wahiawa Town Center. Poems should be 25 words or less. Entry deadline is noon Feb. 13, forms available at the centers. The winning poem will be read on KSSK radio. Call 841-8300.

Readings

William Styron, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Confessions of Nat Turner," joins readers for an hourlong chat and reading Saturday at the Lodge at Koele. His works include "Tidewater Morning," "Lie Down in Darkness" and "Sophie's Choice." Call Lanai Resorts, 800-321-4666.

The Shakespeare on Sunday acting troupe presents a reading of "Antony and Cleopatra," 7 p.m. Sunday at Barnes & Noble.

Rodney Morales presents fiction published and in progress, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Meeting Place Cafe, 401 Kamakee St. Call 373-2366.

Workshops

Susan Gregg, a clinical hypnotherapist, will introduce her book, "Set Yourself Free," Saturday at the Inward Healing Center, 258 N. Beretania St. She will discuss how to find your inner path and gain personal freedom, 10 a.m. to noon. Offerings accepted.

Moi Taylor, author of "Seasons of the Heart," leads a workshop on creating Valentine's messages for loved ones, 4 p.m. Saturday at Borders, Waikele.

Island publishing

Island Heritage publisher Dale Madden and author Carmen Geshell share their views on book publishing 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 15 at Hawaii Pacific University's Hawaii Loa campus in Kailua.

Admission to the conference, sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, is $25. Send a check to: SCBWI-Hawaii, 2355 Ala Wai Blvd., #502, Honolulu 96815. Or call Elaine Masters at 926-0115.

Essay contest

Sixth-grade students may write about "My Favorite Flower Growing Here in Hawai'i Nei" for a competition offering $100. The A. Grove Day Writer's Prize is sponsored by the Program to Preserve Hawaiian Place Names in memory of the late Hawaii writer.

Essays should be under 500 words, with Hawaiian words and names spelled according to standard references published by the University of Hawai'i, available at libraries. Entries must be postmarked by March 1 and mailed to: Judges, Box 4349, Honolulu 96812.

Volunteer judges for the third annual competition are O.A. Bushnell, historian and professor emeritus at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, and UH English professors Gay Sibley and Robert "Chip" Hughes.

"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.

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

LOCAL BEST SELLERS

December 1996 Favorites

CHILDREN'S

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

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

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

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 Story of Aloha Bear Dick Adair, Island Heritage

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

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

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

10. The Legend of Guava Bear Gale Bates, Island Heritage

GIFT AND TRAVEL

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

2. Scenic Hawaii Series Island Heritage (7)

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

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

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

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

7. Islands of Hawaii Ray Helbig, Hawaiian Service

8. Made in Paradise: Hollywood's Films of Hawaii and the South Seas Luis Reyes, Mutual Publishing

9. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas in Hawaii Barbara Ewald, Bess Press

10. Retail Selling Made Easy Ron Martin, Success Dynamics

LITERATURE

1. Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen Lydia Liliuokalani, Mutual Publishing

(6)

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

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

4. The Three-Inch Golden Lotus Feng Jicai, University of Hawai'i Press

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

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

7. The Betrayal of Liliuokalani Helena G. Allen, Mutual Publishing

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

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

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

HAWAIIANA

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

2. Chicken Skin: True Spooky Stories of Hawai'i Rick Carroll, Bess Press (1)

3. Hawai'i's Glamour Days Maili Yardley, Mutual Publishing

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

5. Hawaiian Journey Joseph Mullins, Mutual Publishing (4

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

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

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

9. Shoal of Time Gavan Daws, University of Hawai'i Press

10. To Steal a Kingdom Michael Dougherty, Island Style Press

REFERENCE

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

2. Growing Native Hawaiian Plants Heidi Bornhorst, Bess Press (3)

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

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

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

6. Atlas of Hawaii O.A. Bushnell, Gavan Daws and Andrew Berger, Island Heritage

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

8. Pocket Place Names of Hawaii Mary Pukui, University of Hawai'i Press

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

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

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.