Shoal Of Time: A History Of The Hawaiian Islands (Fiftieth Anniversary Edition) Kindle Edition

As a resident Haloe currently living in Hawaii, I have a true appreciation for these beautiful islands back lacked a detailed understanding of the events that resulted in the current culture here in Hawaii. Shoal of Time did a wonderful job of helping understand the complex and numerous events that directly resulted in the Hawaii that I know and love today.

After some Hawaiian relatives left a copy, I finally got around to reading this history of Hawaii when I returned from a two-week vacation on Oahu. I thought I knew something about Hawaii, having read about Captain James Cook, Kanakas in the Pacific Northwest, and David Douglas's demise. Wrong. The inter-island wars, intrigue, violence, and cannibalism astonished me. How Kamehameha united the islands surprised me. Sort of felt like reading Brothers Karamazov, taking notes to keep the names straight; not kidding when the preface forewarns that many names start with a K and go on interminably.

It is true that Daws has a western scholar's perspective, he is, after all, a western scholar. This hardly invalidates the history he has written any more than it would invalidate a history of the continental U.S. not written from the perspective of the native people. Similarly, it is unfair to criticize a book because it is not all-inclusive. This book outlines the history of Hawaii between Cook's discovery and statehood. Anyone who would like a history of Hawaii before 1778, or a history of Hawaii from a Polynesian perspective, or would like more details of people and events from this period should read a lot more books. Kuykendall's three-volume History of the Hawaiian Kingdom (available at the University of Hawaii Press) is wonderful and should probably be considered essential reading for anyone interested in this period of Hawaiian history but at over 1700 pages it's a bit of a slog (Kuykendall's one-volume history of Hawaii from pre-discovery to statehood might be a good alternative but I have not read it so I cannot say).The Shoal of Time is extremely well written. The author's dry wit and clever turns of phrase make this very enjoyable reading. I can see where it would be possible for someone to read this book and not understand the use of irony and sarcasm. When Daws says something like, "Toward the end of his life Lorrin Thurston reviewed the accomplishments of the `mission boys' and he found, unsurprisingly, that they were a `splendid body of men'", he certainly doesn't mean that he himself thinks they were a splendid body of men. It is obvious throughout that Daws has no great admiration for the missionaries and their descendants. The businessmen who overthrew the monarchy are portrayed as hypocritical, self-serving schemers who paid lip service to Christian virtues while assuming that the poor of the world were put on God's Earth to supply them with laborers. They believed that what was best for themselves was best for everyone and that they were entitled to their wealth by way of their superior intellects (and race). In other words, they were pretty much the same as right-wing businessmen today. As we watch modern-day developers build multi-million dollar condos along the beaches and as a new wave of wealthy haoles takes over the islands, the primary lesson presented in the Shoal of Time should be well learned: The one thing at which the rich excel is taking care of their own interests and you should not expect them to do otherwise.

This is an incredibly detailed account of Hawaiian history. It reads more like a history book than a story and it becomes difficult to keep track of so many characters over the course of the book. But, if you are looking for a book on the history of the islands and don't care about the author setting the scene or describing the characters in much detail, this book is for you.

I have had several memorable visits to the Islands. On each visit, however, I felt that my ability to appreciate what I was seeing and experiencing was impaired by my superficial knowledge of the Islands’ history. How exactly did it come to pass that this Kingdom became an American state? What was life like there before the first western contact? Feeling guilty about the inadequacy of my knowledge of such matters I decided to remedy the situation. It was with that sense of obligation in mind that I acquired this book. I confess that the book sat on my shelf for a while, as I looked upon the educational exercise as something of a “chore.” I was quickly disabused of this mindset. Gavin Daws is a wonderful writer with a wry and judicious sense of humor. He takes the reader from the earliest history of the Islands to the battle for statehood. He introduces us along the way to a seemingly never-ending cast of characters from all over the world. He brings these characters to life and tells their stories in a truly engaging manner. His mastery of the subject matter is self-evident. One quibble: The story of Hawaii’s last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, trails off without telling us the details of her last days as ruler, during which she penned her song of lament, “Ke Aloha o Ka Haku.” Nor is anything said of her death. Those omissions aside, the author has brought us a comprehensive, but not unduly lengthy history. If you have any interest in the subject matter, I recommend this book highly.

Having been to Oahu in 2012 we loved the island and have decided to visit Kauai in 2014, so we wanted to gain a good insight into the history of the islands. This book has provided that: The style of writing is clear and easy to digest, covering the period from Captain Cook landing (it would appear initially on Kauai) up to the end of the 1950s. The book provides in depth look at cultural and social history, weaving the impacts of religion and war into the mix. A sweeping panorama of Hawaiian history and if not the definitive account, definitely a significant one.

Well written book, not too deep and easily read, a must for anyone wishing to understand Hawaiian culture and history.

Not the most readable history (and certainly not concise), but I found any history of the Hawaiian Islands very hard to find. I bought this book before visiting the islands so that I could appreciate the history of the place a bit more. It is probably too heavy a read for most people as pre-vacation research, but good for history buffs who like to learn about a place before visiting.

Todo tal y como esperaba. El libro estaba en perfecto estado y se correspondía con la foto del producto anunciado en amazon.

As promised