By Dave Donnelly
Thursday, March 6, 1997
Nora Okja Keller, Guy Kawasaki
Nora Okja Keller, Guy Kawasaki
BACK when she worked part time as a clerk at the Star-Bulletin while attending UH, Nora Cobb Keller used to occasionally write editorial pieces in the "My Turn" column. Now it's her turn completely. As Nora Okja Keller, she's written a first novel called "Comfort Woman," published by Viking Press. While it's a work of fiction, it is set in Hawaii and contains unmistakable biographical elements. The daughter of the woman in the title, for example, works as an obituary writer for the Star-Bulletin and, among other things, shops at Safeway Manoa. Viking is a first-class publishing house, and Nora, who still lives with her husband and daughter in Waipahu, appears to be well on her way to making a name for herself as an author. "Comfort Woman" is slated to be released on April 3 and shortly thereafter, the author will begin a three-week nationwide tour to publicize it ... Former SB staffers
hit author circuitTHEN there's former Star-Bulletin assistant editor Richard Pollak. He also has a new book out, an expose of psychotherapist Bruno Bettleheim called "Creation of Dr. B." It's already in bookstores locally and nationally ... And literary entrepreneur Lawrence Schiller, who's done books both pro and con on O.J. Simpson, was featured in a big story in the Chicago Tribune recently. It mentions that Schiller, brother of local adman Marty Schiller, was listed on the cover of the book, "Ladies and Gentlemen - Lenny Bruce." The credit read, "By Albert Goldman from the journalism of Lawrence Schiller," because Schiller "found" Honey Bruce, widow of the late comedian, and interviewed her at length for background material. What wasn't revealed was that I was the one who put Honey in touch with Schiller, something for which she may never forgive me ...
SINCE things have taken a literary turn thus far today, it seems appropriate that Guy Kawasaki, an Apple Fellow and computer book author, continues to demonstrate his "nice guy" image. The son of former local politico Duke Kawasaki, Guy threw open his Palo Alto home for a luau reunion of Iolani grads in Northern California. Kawasaki is an Iolani grad himself - Class of '72 - and was originally told about 50 fellow Raiders were expected. But when three times that number RSVP'd, alumni director Chris Shimabukuro and Kawasaki turned to Plan B, moving the luau from inside the house to the outside patio. Portable heaters were rented to warm the air for those not accustomed to the sometime cold spells that waft through the area. A San Jose caterer put together a Hawaiian luau, and Iolani's longtime football coach Eddie Hamada brought poi for all ... Generous Guy
THE Barefoot Players was the name a group of actors came up with to call themselves when they presented Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" here last year. And they're sticking with that name as they follow in "Barefoot" footsteps, so to speak, with the Hawaii premiere of Craig Lucas' "Prelude to a Kiss" at the Academy of Arts Theater March 12-17 ... And wasn't it ironic that a group of New Jersey-ites was outraged when a black actor with the unusual name Desi Arnaz Giles was chosen to play the role of Jesus in "Passion Play." These same people were somehow silent when another black actor, Carl Anderson, was featured in "Jesus Christ Superstar" on stage and in the film. But then, perhaps that's because he played Judas, and that was somehow OK ...
YES, gambling IS legal in Hawaii, or at least it will be Saturday night when the American Cancer Society holds its "Casino Night" at the Japanese Cultural Center. One of the prizes up for grabs is a round trip for two to Paris, including a trip through the canals of France on a restored barge, the "Lanikai," owned by Hawaii's Skip Brestle. Ask anyone who's traveled on the restored Dutch vessel, and then sit back and prepare to hear rave reviews. There'll be other prizes as well - call the Cancer Society for more info ... Gambling on a gambol
