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New releases by Hawaii authors

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"Life's Lesson's from a Father to his Daughter" by Bob Grossman (Trafford, $16.95)

Just in time for Father's Day, indeed. Grossman is a Honolulu Ph.D. who works as an artist, but it's clear his real passion is raising daughter Maya. The print-on-demand title is a series of pithy epigrams on living your life well and honestly, and Grossman draws on his experience as an Africa Peace Corps volunteer to illustrate points. He claims his daughter wrestles with "metaphysical issues" before entering Kindergarten. If so, maybe she benefited from Grossman's superior, lecturing tone. The rest of us won't get much out of this, and our average-brained kids will be looking out the window if we try to read this to them. A heartfelt try, "Life's Lessons" could also benefit from professional typography and proofreading.

"Ka Hula Kohukohu -- Animal Sounds in the Hawaiian Language" by Na Kimo Armitage a me Lilia Wahinemaika'i Hale in haku Na Richard Kupihera Romero in kaha ki'i (Island Heritage $9.99) The pig goes "oink" in English and "oinque" in French, but did you know the pig goes "Nu!" in Hawaiian? Just in time to rescue the Dr. Dolittles in the Hawaiian-immersion community, this clever little book does for barn-yard noises what Mary Kawena Pukui did for Hawaiian legends -- that is, turns Hawaiian a living language instead of a lost art. And the dog goes "Aoa!" And the donkey goes "Hoho!" And the kitty-cat goes "Owau!" And the sheep goes "Ma'a'a!" But you knew that already.

"From a Joyful Heart -- The Life and Music of R. Alexander Anderson" by Scott C.S. Stone (Island Heritage, no price) Robert Alexander Anderson died a week short of his 101st birthday. A Honolulu businessman of boundless talent, he was also a pilot of the Great War and a natural songwriter with a gift for catchy melodies. He wrote more than 200 songs about the islands in his long career. This biography is long on hero worship, but then Anderson doesn't seem to have been a man of many demons. It's also a superb package, containing a compact disc of his songs embedded right in the front cover and many well-chosen illustrations throughout. Anderson's life paralleled the rise and popularity of "hapa-haole" Hawaiian music -- a characterization for which he was largely re-sponsible -- and reading about him is also a lesson in the power of 20th century pop culture.

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Reviewed by Burl Burlingame
bburlingame@starbulletin.com

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AUTHOR SIGNINGS

"Marshall Islands Legends and Stories"
By Daniel Kelin, 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Ewa Beach Public Library; also 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Waipahu Public Library. Call 734-7159.
"Hawaiian Legends of the Guardian Spirits"
By Caren Loebel-Fried, 2 p.m. Saturday at Borders Ward Centre. Call 591-8995.

STORYTELLING

Barnes & Noble
10:30 a.m. Tuedays; and 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Call 737-3323.
Borders Waikele
10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays. Call 676-6699.
Borders Ward Centre
10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and 11a.m. Saturdays. Call 591-8995.
Hawaii State Library
10:30 to 11 a.m. Saturdays at the library's Edna Allyn Room for Children. Keiki of all ages are welcome. Call 586-3510.
Kaimuki Public Library
10:30 to 10:50 a.m. Thursdays at the library. For toddlers and their accompanying adult; led by children's librarian Sandra Hall. No signup needed. Call 733-8423.

WORKSHOPS/LECTURES

"Patrick Ching, A Hawaiian Adventure"
11 a.m. Wednesday at the Pearl City Public Library. Join the local author and illustrator for a slide show on Hawaiian wildlife. Part of the 2003 HSPLS Children's Summer Reading Program. Call 453-6566.
"Get Published!"
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at UH-Manoa. Kim Taylor Reece will serve as keynote speaker at this one-day course for aspiring writers and publishers. Learn the basics of the book publishing business and meet other local authors and publishers. Cost: $75. Call 956-8400 to register.

CONTINUING

AAUW Multicultural Book Group
6:30 to 8 p.m. every fourth Monday of the month. Call 537-4702 for location.
African American Literary Book Group
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every second and fourth Monday of the month at 1132 Bishop St., Suite 1404. Call 528-5037 to confirm attendance and book title.
Crafts and Stories: 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Barnes & Noble; call 737-3323.
Book Sale
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 7:45 p.m. Wednesdays; also 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at the Kaneohe Public Library. Call 233-5676.
International Women's Writing Guild
Bring your muse, pen and notebook. 7 p.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month at Borders Waikele; call 676-7820.
Online Fun
Barnes & Noble author chat room at www.barnesandnoble.com or America Online (keyword: bn). Call Elke Villa at (212) 414-6157 or e-mail evilla@bn.com.
Open Mic
Poets and writers are welcome to share their works, 7 p.m. every third Friday of the month at Barnes & Noble; call 737-3323.
The "Other" Reading Group
7 p.m. every last Tuesday of the month at Borders Waikele; call 676-6699.
Poetry Writers Circle
7 p.m. every third Thursday of month at Borders Ward Centre; call 596-8194.
"Sammath Naur"
The Mythopoeic Society of Hawaii meets every third Saturday of the month to discuss fantasy, science fiction and other literature; 638-7497.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Group
7 p.m. every last Thursday of the month at Borders Ward Centre; call 591-8995.
Shakespeare on Sunday
7 p.m. every second and fourth Sunday of the month at Barnes & Noble. A different play is presented every other week. Call 737-3323.
Spiritual Book Club
10 a.m. Thursdays in Hawaii Kai. Sponsored by Church of Keauhou. The club is currently studying Dr. Phil's book "Self Matters" during its meetings. Call Sue at 988-8618 for details.

NOTICES

Call for Submissions
Hybolics is currently accepting submissions for an upcoming "Gen X Local" issue. Original poems, plays, stories, songs, raps, artwork, comic strips, essays and other works may be sent to Hybolics, Inc., attn: Gen X Local Anthology, P.O. Box 3016, Aiea 96701. E-mail hybolics@lava.net.

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calendars and events.