ISLE PAGES
New releases by Hawaii authors
Reviewed by Burl Burlingame
bburlingame@starbulletin.com
University of Hawaii Indian Religions professor Lee Siegel must have all sorts of little gears spinning in his head. If this were a novel, it would be too clever by half. It's clearly fiction - being a fantabulist rondelay of way-colorful sideshow characters including sharpshooters, snake charmers, feral children, a Jewish tightrope walker and a drunken albino bear - but it is structured as a kind of puzzle and game, advancing from square to square in a snakes-and-ladders kind of way. Each piece is both vignette and clue. Siegel is wildly inventive when it comes to imagining the sideshow life of his hero, a Jewish circus performer at the turn of the last century who graduates from vaudeville to Hollywood. But each chapter is written as rambling torrent unbounded by the safety of paragraphical punctuation, and what may have seemed whimsical in sabstract becomes dauntingly difficult to plough through.
"Love and Other Games of Chance"
by Lee Siegel (Viking, $27.95)
"Ho'omalamalama - A Hawaiian Language Primer"
by Kimo Armitage and Keli'i Ki'ilehua,
illustrated by Michael Furuya
(Island Heritage, $8.99)Learning Hawaiian down on the farm, made fun by Furuya's brilliant illustrations.bounded by the safety of paragraphical punctuation, and what may have seemed whimsical in abstract becomes dauntingly difficult to plough through.
"Anno Domini 2000, or Women's Destiny"
by Julius Vogel
(Universtity of Hawaii Press, $14.95)A reprint of a classic New Zealand novel of speculative fiction. In 1889, Vogel imagined a world with a female prime minister, aircraft made of aluminum and every home having electricity! A charming tale and a handsome production.
"The Official"
by Paul J. Stam
(Wordsaid, price varies)Prolific local novelist Stam dives into Graham Greene territory in this tale of a politician swept up in darkest Africa a century ago. Since Stam himself was raised in the Belgian Congo, the descriptions ring true. The book is available in a variety of formats, including a downloadable version.
"Tongans Overseas Between Two Shores"
by Helen Morton Lee
(University of Hawaii Press, $21.95)Overly scholarly work that interviews overseas Tongans about how they're fitting in with alien cultures, plus piles of empirical data and added sociological context. Could be useful, but not a lot of fun.
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 ]
STORYTELLING
Barnes & Noble
10:30 a.m. Tuesdays 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 11 a.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. For toddlers and their accompanying adult; led by children's librarian Sandra Hall. Call 733-8423.
WORKSHOPS/Lectures
"Osteo-Biography: Bringing the Dead to Life"
Noon to 1:15 p.m. Thursday at UH-Manoa's Center for Biographical Research, Henke Hall 325. Sara Collins, an archaeologist with the state Historic Preservation Division, will lead this installment of the "Brown Bag Biography" series. Free. Call 956-3774.
SPECIAL
Poetry Contest
Hawaii residents are invited to enter poems of 21 lines or less into a nationwide contest for a share of 50 prizes, including a $1,000 grand prize. Mail entries by March 20 to Free Poetry Contest, 1257 Siskiyou Blvd. PMB No. 4, Ashland, OR 97520, or visit www.freecontest.com.
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.
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.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.
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.
"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.
Writers Support Group
3 p.m. every first Friday of the month at Borders Waikele; call 676-6699.
Click for online
calendars and events.
