Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
This book was quite the journey. As a history lover and someone who will be traveling to Hawaii in six days, this was the perfect read. It was also awesome to read my mom's copy of this novel from the 1970's. Though some of the language was outdated, understandably so, I loved both the rich characters and their stories in "Hawaii." I have read other amazing contemporary historical books about Hawaii so I felt like I had a good base of knowledge going onto Michener's classic book. But I am happy to report that "Hawaii" opened my eyes even further to the extensive and fascinating history of Hawaii. Michener's work is historical fiction but the diverse range of characters portrayed in the book gave me a deep understanding of Hawaii throughout the ages. What surprised me the most about "Hawaii" was the huge diversity of the islands. For anyone who is traveling to Hawaii or just gravitates towards historical fiction and can hang in for 1,000 pages, this is the book for you. I am so happy I read this book!
Proud to say I've finally read a Michener book, but boy was it a challenge. I love Hawaii and looked forward to learning about it. For that reason alone I'm glad I read it. Don't think I'll tackle another Michener though.
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Typical Michener sweeping narrative and descriptions. Also demonstrates Michener's typical 1950's-esque racist language while treating multiple races' stories with compassion.
I first read this book almost 20 years ago, when I was just out of High School. Since it's not a trashy romance novel, it fell out of my life until I recently took a two week cruise to Hawaii and figured it might be an interesting re-read. Boy, was I right! I took an old, falling apart paperback copy of the book on the cruise and read it until it fell apart, finishing it the day before the end of the cruise. I only wish that I had downloaded the kindle version of it before the trip because it was hard to put down each night when we turned the lights off in our cabin. I could have kept reading in the dark if I had the kindle version!
A very good overview of Hawaiian history and culture, the story gave me the background I needed to truly enjoy our trip. Like other Michener books I've read, it seems that by the time you get to the end of the book, the story becomes a rush to the ending. I left feeling like I needed something more.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering a trip to Hawaii, or to anyone who just wants to feel like they've been on a trip to Hawaii.
Loved, loved, loved it!
A very good overview of Hawaiian history and culture, the story gave me the background I needed to truly enjoy our trip. Like other Michener books I've read, it seems that by the time you get to the end of the book, the story becomes a rush to the ending. I left feeling like I needed something more.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering a trip to Hawaii, or to anyone who just wants to feel like they've been on a trip to Hawaii.
Loved, loved, loved it!
A pretty good look into all the different people and cultures who immigrated to Hawaii, and finishes on the eve of Hawaii's statehood.
Sometimes I think this is my favorite Michner book and other times I know it is The Source.
An intensely lonnn.....ng but beautiful read, this one ! :) :)
Six chapters, that have their own throughput.
From the Boundless Deep, is such a well-put story of the process of how the geological forces through their temporally long ages brought forth into being the beautiful islands that would be later called as 'Hawaii'. :)
From the Sun-Swept Lagoon, is the story of the people of the Polynesian Islands, their fights, their gods, their ideas, and how they (from the island of Bora Bora) eventually became the first to inhabit the Hawaiian islands.
From the Farm of Bitterness, speaks about the intrusive oncomings of the Christian missionaries in the early 1800s, and how they later play their part in transforming the Hawaiian's 'old' ideas into 'new'. The sea-voyage of the ten missionaries to Hawaii from Boston, around Cape Horn (the southern tip of South America) was a very interesting part indeed.
From the Starving Village, describes the continuing transformation of the Hawaiian society, but now with the influx of immigrating Chinese from their starving villages of their homeland, to work on the pineapple and sugar plantations. Contains quiet a few pages dedicated to the effect on the society after leprosy reached the islands, and its related happenings on the island leper colony of Molokai. This was scary, sad, and extremely touching. But so much worth reading and knowing, and understanding what people have gone through. That is the best part of a historical-fiction over typical history non-fiction.
From the Inland Sea, covers the Japanese immigrants on the Hawaii Islands, and how they are set to replace the Chinese Workers. Also contains the bombing of the Pearl Harbour, and how the Japanese on the islands fight for America in the Second World War in Europe.
The Golden Men, deals with how the commingling of various peoples in Hawaii in the past, have produced something called as 'The Golden Man', someone who now has a different way of thinking than his progenitors. Four such Golden Men have been described in this chapter, narrated from a POV of one of them. This chapter also covers the changes that are brought about in the culture, economics, and politics of the society of Hawaii, mainly brought about by intermarriages between groups.
Overall, I loved the book, but certain places became slightly boring. However this was due to monotony and my personal interest of matters laid within the scope of the book. Michener's writing style, is no doubt, smooth, rich, vivid, sweeping, and terrific! Covers several areas: Geological, Sea-Voyages, Shamanism, Christianity, Migrations, Feudalism, Democracy, Poverty, Disease, Suffering, Progressiveness, Economics, Politics, War, Marital Bondings and Familial Lives, etc. Based upon all of this, 5-stars to the first four chapters (the first 2/3 of the book) and 4-stars to the final two chapters (the final 1/3rd of the book).
If compared, although I am a hundred percent satisfied with "Hawaii", as far as enjoyment goes, [b:Alaska|42953|Alaska|James A. Michener|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413750588s/42953.jpg|1987481] and [b:The Source|12657|The Source|James A. Michener|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412531751s/12657.jpg|1251662] are the titles which I enjoyed quite more than this one. :)
"Hawaii" was Michener's first epic writing of extravagant length, and for a start at that time, I would say it deserves a Big Thumbs-Up !! :D
Six chapters, that have their own throughput.
From the Boundless Deep, is such a well-put story of the process of how the geological forces through their temporally long ages brought forth into being the beautiful islands that would be later called as 'Hawaii'. :)
From the Sun-Swept Lagoon, is the story of the people of the Polynesian Islands, their fights, their gods, their ideas, and how they (from the island of Bora Bora) eventually became the first to inhabit the Hawaiian islands.
From the Farm of Bitterness, speaks about the intrusive oncomings of the Christian missionaries in the early 1800s, and how they later play their part in transforming the Hawaiian's 'old' ideas into 'new'. The sea-voyage of the ten missionaries to Hawaii from Boston, around Cape Horn (the southern tip of South America) was a very interesting part indeed.
From the Starving Village, describes the continuing transformation of the Hawaiian society, but now with the influx of immigrating Chinese from their starving villages of their homeland, to work on the pineapple and sugar plantations. Contains quiet a few pages dedicated to the effect on the society after leprosy reached the islands, and its related happenings on the island leper colony of Molokai. This was scary, sad, and extremely touching. But so much worth reading and knowing, and understanding what people have gone through. That is the best part of a historical-fiction over typical history non-fiction.
From the Inland Sea, covers the Japanese immigrants on the Hawaii Islands, and how they are set to replace the Chinese Workers. Also contains the bombing of the Pearl Harbour, and how the Japanese on the islands fight for America in the Second World War in Europe.
The Golden Men, deals with how the commingling of various peoples in Hawaii in the past, have produced something called as 'The Golden Man', someone who now has a different way of thinking than his progenitors. Four such Golden Men have been described in this chapter, narrated from a POV of one of them. This chapter also covers the changes that are brought about in the culture, economics, and politics of the society of Hawaii, mainly brought about by intermarriages between groups.
Overall, I loved the book, but certain places became slightly boring. However this was due to monotony and my personal interest of matters laid within the scope of the book. Michener's writing style, is no doubt, smooth, rich, vivid, sweeping, and terrific! Covers several areas: Geological, Sea-Voyages, Shamanism, Christianity, Migrations, Feudalism, Democracy, Poverty, Disease, Suffering, Progressiveness, Economics, Politics, War, Marital Bondings and Familial Lives, etc. Based upon all of this, 5-stars to the first four chapters (the first 2/3 of the book) and 4-stars to the final two chapters (the final 1/3rd of the book).
If compared, although I am a hundred percent satisfied with "Hawaii", as far as enjoyment goes, [b:Alaska|42953|Alaska|James A. Michener|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413750588s/42953.jpg|1987481] and [b:The Source|12657|The Source|James A. Michener|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412531751s/12657.jpg|1251662] are the titles which I enjoyed quite more than this one. :)
"Hawaii" was Michener's first epic writing of extravagant length, and for a start at that time, I would say it deserves a Big Thumbs-Up !! :D