ISLE PAGES
New releases by Hawaii authors
Reviewed by Burl Burlingame
bburlingame@starbulletin.com
This is a brilliantly realized and executed guide that takes the armchair craftsman through every step of creating a variety of Hawaiian musical instruments, ranging from nose flutes to ipu to a smorgasbord of drums. The instructions start with very basic materials (one instrument calls for "two sticks"), gives a bit of history and appropriate usage, and then gets right into a DIY-fest of techniques and skill samplings. Even though the instruments are prehistoric, Widess uses modern methods and tools to create them, including steel-curl scouring pads, X-acto saw blades, a quiver full of chisels and spray-on varnishes. The results are often quite beautiful and stand on their own as works of elegant craftsmanship. The photographs and reproduction are first-rate. This is the first of a very promising series of Hawaiian arts and crafts books from Mutual.
"How to Make Hawaiian Musical Instruments
A Step-By-Step Guide"
by Jim Widess (Mutual, $14.95)
"Letters from the Lanai"
by Maili Yardley
(Editions Limited, $19)Long-time Honolulu Advertiser food columnist Yardley was known as the lady who always wrote back to her readers. Now retired, Yardley has written this deceptively simple romance novel that concerns a couple of bereaved souls who find each other through the lost art of writing letters. The story takes place in the '50s, when letter-writing was still taken seriously, and the characters are rather aristocratic and similar, so it's rather far removed from what we know as real life in the islands -- which is pretty much all one demands from a romance. Rather than rely on traditional narrative, Yardley constructs the book as a "found" series of letters, and the design uses various typefaces the way other novels use character description. It's kind of a local "Love Letters." The romance proceeds delightfully, but because of the format, the book is rather thin. It'll inspire some letter-writing, however.
"Samoan Art & Artists -- O Measina a Samoa"
by Sean Mallon
(University of Hawaii Press, $19.95)A bargain, considering the extraordinary scope and content of culturalist Mallon's reseach. Ranges from ship builders to weavers to tattooists to more traditional Western-style art such as theater, film and -- ahem -- hip-hop music.
"English-Tahitian Tahitian-English Dictionary"
by Sven Wahlroos
(Ma'ohi Heritage Press, $60)This is a privately financed labor of love that is also a big, solid reference that will get loads of use. E puta maita'i roa teie!
Send items at least two weeks in advance of publication to 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu, 96813; or fax 529-4750. [ Read All About It ]
AUTHOR SIGNINGS
"Primitive Secrets"
By Deborah Turrell Atkinson, 7 to 7:45 p.m. tomorrow at the Mililani Public Library. Call 627-7470.
"Magnolia Creek"
By Jill Marie Landis, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. Thursday at the Hawaii State Library. Landis will give a short presentation before the signing, and attendees will be given a chance to win door prizes. Call 586-3499.
"Night is a Sharkskin Drum"
By Haunani-Kay Trask, 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. Thursday at the Manoa Public Library. Call 988-0459.
"Images of Aloha"
By Luryier "Pop" Diamond, 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Borders Waikele. Call 676-6699.
"Master of Surf Photography: Warren Bolster"
By Warren Bolster, 2 to 3 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 Opera Theatre
Volunteers will read stories at 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Hawaii State Library. To book an opera reader for school presentations, contact Stephanie Conching at 596-7372, Ext. 18.
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
Sports Literature Workshop
5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through Feb. 19 at Iolani School, Room N-104. Iolani English teacher Peter Greenhill will lead in reading, discussing and analyzing good writing about sports. Cost: $165. Call 943-2262.
"Honolulu Cop"
Noon to 1:15 p.m. Thursday at UH-Manoa's Center for Biographical Research, Henke Hall 325. Gary Dias, manager of security at Queen's Medical Center and retired Honolulu Police Department officer, will lead this installment of the "Brown Bag Biography" series. Free. Call 956-3774.
SPECIAL
Member Recruitment
The Honolulu Chapter of the National Writers Association is currently offering free membership to all interested Hawaii residents. Send a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope to Robert T. Tanouye, 1015 N. School St., No. A-802, Honolulu 96817 for enrollment materials.
CONTINUING
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.
Bestsellers Reading Group
Meets at 7 p.m. every second Wednesday of the month at Borders Waikele; 676-6699.
Crafts and Stories: 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Barnes & Noble; call 737-3323.
Literature Readers Group
Meets at 7 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month at Borders Ward Centre; call 591-8995.
Moonlight Storytellers
7 to 9 p.m. every second Friday of the month. Novice and experienced storytellers are welcome to swap tales and develop storytelling skills at these informal meetings. Call Vicky Dworkin at 262-2049 for topics and locations.
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.
Romance Readers Anonymous
6:30 p.m. every second Thursday of the month at Borders Waikele; call 676-6699.
Romantic Borders Readers Group
7 p.m. every second 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 will be studying Dr. Phil's book "Self Matters" during its meetings. Call Sue at 988-8618 for details.
Click for online
calendars and events.
