Isle Pages
New releases from Hawaii authors
CORRECTION
Tuesday, June 1, 2004Retired U.S. Gen. Eric Shinseki was appointed chief of staff of the Army by President Clinton in 1999. In a book review on Page G17 in Sunday's Mauka Makai section, Shinseki's first name was incorrectly listed as Richard.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.
"My Name is Shinseki and I am a Soldier"
by Richard Halloran
(Hawaii Army Museum Society, $9.95)After a productive career strengthening and modernizing the U.S. Army from within, Gen. Richard Shinseki was appointed Chief of Staff of the army by President Clinton in 1999. Although Kauai-born Shinseki was the first Japanese-American in the position, he is one of a new generation of AJAs who are not defined wholly by the relocation or 442nd experience. Shinseki immediately set to work trying to bring military effectiveness into the new century, but ran afoul of new defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who wanted a push-button military that fought from afar. Shinseki, who led coalition forces in Bosnia, argued that "boots on ground," putting infantry right on the scene, was the solution, both militarily and politically. Shinseki's strategy worked brilliantly in Afghanistan, but when Shinseki testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that Rumsfeld's and Paul Wolfowitz' troop estimates to stabilize Iraq were inadequate, he was ridiculed by the White House. A year later, Shinseki, now retired, has been proven correct, and we also have this monograph from the splendid army museum in Waikiki to inspire future commanders. Written by former Star-Bulletin editor Richard Halloran, it's a guide to Shinseki's exemplary career in the military. The lessons are simple -- officers lead, they do not follow; leaders know how to listen; leadership is a life-long learning process. It's too soon to pass judgment on Shinseki's role in military history, but it's not too early to learn from his example. Available from the museum gift shop or online at www.hiarmymuseumsoc.org.
"Place Names of Pohnpei Island
Including And (Ant) and Pakin Atolls"
by Thomas Panholzer and Rufino Mauricio
(Bess Press, $14.95)Does every home library need this? Probably not. But if you want to know more about this corner of the Pacific, this guide is invaluable. There are, for example, an awful lot of places that begin with the prefix "nan," like Nanawekidikid (a peak located in Pihs Kousapw) and Nandolenpahnais (a battle site). Spelling like this makes one worry about typos. Some place names are self-explanatory, however, such as "post office building."
"Whan All Else Falters"
by Patrice Wilson
(New Women's Voices Series, $12)This is what is called a "chapbook" in the publishing biz, a slim volume of either poems or religious tracts, and they fall barely into the legal definition of a book. University of Hawaii English scholar Wilson has assembled here some of her poetry, in the solumn cadence of those who take the language arts VERY seriously. Some will find it delightful and insightful, others will be glad books of poetry are so thin. Includes some beautiful art-paper endsheets.
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