University of Oklahoma Press
James Houston's understanding of Hawaii
is evident in his new novel.

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‘Paradise’ a
love letter to Hawaii

By Greg Ambrose
Special to the Star-Bulletin

The Last Paradise: By James D. Houston, 364 pages, University of Oklahoma Press, $22.95

THOUSANDS of novels have been written using Hawaii as a backdrop, but in most cases, it's a Hawaii that few of us recognize. The locations are all wrong, the dialogue is laughable, the characters are caricatures and the stories miss the heart of Hawaii.

But there is the occasional gem, which reads like a love letter to the islands from an ardent suitor.

Santa Cruz author James Houston has been under Hawaii's romantic spell ever since he listened to "Hawaii Calls" on the radio while his father played island tunes on the steel guitar in their San Francisco home.

That Houston is absolutely smitten by Hawaii is evident in every page of his latest novel, "The Last Paradise." It is equally evident that he deeply understands the ineffable magic that beguiles all of us, though most of us can't express our feelings for Hawaii as eloquently as does Houston.

"The Last Paradise" is loosely fashioned around the geothermal wells that have generated controversy on the Big Island, and delivers sufficient dollops of sex, romance, adventure and mystery to satisfy mainstream readers.

But Houston has spent a gratifying amount of time in Hawaii, and gives the book a splendid resonance by inserting bits of his own colorful life and the wisdom learned from some of Hawaii's most charismatic kupuna and awe-inspiring sites.

The inspired dialogue, complex character development and resolution of the internal and external conflicts are masterful, strengthened by Houston's insightful but low-key storytelling.

Houston reveals the spiritual, physical, cultural and magical undercurrents to which most visitors and many residents are oblivious, but that make the islands delightfully unique.

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Author signings

Sharmai Amber: Author of "The Melding," 7 p.m. today, Barnes & Noble. Call 737-3323.

Arthur Suehiro: Author of "Honolulu Stadium -- Where Hawaii Played," noon tomorrow, Borders, Waikele, call 676-6699; noon-2 p.m. Sunday, Walden Books, Kahala, call 732-1060; and 4-5 p.m. Sunday, Borders, Ward, call 591-8995.

Corky Trinidad: Cartoonist for "The Book of Zeus," noon tomorrow, Borders, Ward, call 591-8995; and 2 p.m. tomorrow, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

Michael W. Perry: Presents "The Best of the Hawaiian Moving Company" video, 2 p.m. tomorrow, Borders, Ward. Call 591-8995.

Don Miguel Ruiz: Author of "The Four Agreements," 7 p.m. Tuesday, Borders, Ward. Call 591-8995.

Readings

Shakespeare on Sunday Troupe: Presents "All's Well That Ends Well," 7 p.m. Sunday, Barnes & Noble. Call 737-3323.

Groups

Borders Bestsellers Reading Group: Discusses "Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

Barnes & Noble reading group: Discusses "Secrets" by Nuruddin Farah, 7 p.m. Wednesday. Call 737-3323.

Borders' Other Reading Group: 7 p.m. last Tuesday of the month, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

Honolulu Chapter of the National Writers Association: Meets 7 p.m., the second Tuesdays of every month, Manoa Gardens, 2790 Kahaloa Drive. Manuscript critique too. Call 845-9585.

Literature Readers Group: 7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month, Borders, Ward. Call 591-8995.

Romance Readers Anonymous: 6:30 p.m. second Thursday of every month, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

Professional Writers Group of Hawaii: Meets 4-6 p.m. the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Call Susan, 941-1768.

Romance Readers Group: 7 p.m. the last Tuesday of the month, Borders, Ward. Call 591-8995.

Science Fantasy and Fiction Reading Group: 7 p.m. the last Wednesday of the month, Borders, Ward. Call 591-8995.

Miscellaneous

Book sale: Friends of Pearl City Library summer sale, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. tomorrow-Sunday. Members of the Friends of Pearl City Library can enter at 9 a.m. Customers wearing a Friends of Pearl City Library T-shirt will receive a 10 percent discount on book purchases. Renewals and new memberships will be taken at the door. Membership fee: $5-$15. For information, call Lisa at 453-6566.

"Tail Tales and Tail Tunes": James McCarthy, the singing storyteller, 11 a.m. Monday, Waipahu Public Library. Call 675-0358.

Job seminar: Stacy Hasegawa from Altres Staffing speaks on how to write the perfect resume and "wow" potential interviewers, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

Workshops

"Script Breakdown: The Next Stop Towards Production": Bob Enrietto covers casting, sets and props, insurance, financing, locations, and above and below the line considerations in this one-day workshop, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 27, UH-Manoa, Kuykendall 207. Cost: $175. Register at 956-7221.

"Empowering Teenage Writers": Tom Peck shows how writers ages 13-18 can free the writer within them, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Aug. 1, Volcano Art Center. Cost: $25. Reserve at (808) 967-8222.

Specials

New magazine: Several University of Hawaii-Manoa students and graduates are looking for creative and critical works for their new literary magazine, Hybolics: The Voices of Hawai'i. Submissions must have a connection to Hawaii, be typed double-spaced with a title. Blind submissions must have name, address, phone number, brief biography and title written on a separate paper and enclosed with submission. Pidgin entries can be sent on audio tape because "pidgin is bettah sed than read." Limit: Three poems, two prose pieces. Artwork must be submitted as slides. Payment made in copies. Send entries to: Hybolics Inc., P.O. Box 3016, Department HS, Aiea, Hawaii 96701. For response, include a self-addressed stamped envelope with submission. Information, 530-5955. Deadline: June 30.

Maui Writers Conference: Annual publishing and screenwriting conference, Sept. 4-7; and Writers Retreat, Aug. 29-Sept. 3. For information, call (808) 879-0061 or connect to http://www. mauiwriters.com.

"Makana Akamai": Friends of the Library is asking for book donations to help the library's book budget. A brochure of wanted books is available at 536-4174. The books listed are selected by the library staff to expand the library's collection and provide requested materials. Books may be donated to a favorite library.

Contests

Screenwriting: In conjunction with the annual Maui Writers Conference being held Sept. 4-7. Organizers are holding a screenwriting competition with cash prizes and paid admission to the Maui Writers Retreat and/or conference. Screenplay entries must not have been optioned or sold, be in standard screenplay format, 3-hole punched, typed and bound with metal fasteners, be between 90 and 140 pages, and postmarked by July 1. Only feature film screenplays will be considered. Entry forms available by mail from Peter Scott, Maui Writers Conference Screenwriting Competition, 2118 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 726, Santa Monica, Calif., 90403-5784; by e-mail at mauiscript@aol.com; or by downloading from http://www. mauiwriters.com. Entry fee: $35 per screenplay. Guidelines at the website. Call (808) 879-0061.

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"Read All About It" presents news and notices 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.