Hawaii Books

This book is actually titled "Plumes from Paradise". Excellent maps, readable text covering the trade in Bird of Paradise feathers and other contacts in the colonial and pre-colonial periods.

Great little book about a great little island. Filled with all kinds of info, from secret beaches to hidden hiking trails. I loved there! so I should know. If you or anyone you know is going to the islands and planning to visit Lana'i, buy this book!

For all that he's one of the most influential thinkers of the Tokugawa period in his own time and even today (for better or worse, depending on who you ask), translations of Motoori Norinaga's voluminous writings are a bit on the sparse side. We can read a fair amount about him in various relevant studies, but it's not so often that we get to hear him make his own case in his own words, so this "hermeneutical journey" is definitely a step in the right direction. What we have here is also the kind of scholarly treatment that Norinaga deserves. The translation is careful and accurate--more academic than literary all in all, but never clunky and dull. Kanji are inserted in the text when the detailed nature of Norinaga's etymological discussions require them for clarity, plus there's a character glossary in the back. Each poem is given in the original in romanji alongside the English translation. Annotation is extensive, as is necessitated by his frequent direct and indirect references to Japanese poetry collections (The "Manyoshu" and the "Kokinshu" especially but not only), fictional narratives and diaries from the Heian period, and mythohistorical accounts like the "Kojiki" and the "Nihongi"--all texts that Norinaga expected his friends and disciples to be more or less familiar with given their common interests. In addition, Norinaga frequently mentions theories by scholars prior to or contemporary with himself, supporting some and refuting others, and pretty much all of these are painstakingly traced to their source--giving one a pretty vivid impression of the lively world of Tokugawa thought in the process.

The core of the book is Norinaga's "Sedge Hat Diary" of 1772. This is a literary diary somewhat similar in format to works like Matsuo Basho's "Narrow Road to the Deep North" and such, and features a rambling account of a trip taken by Norinaga and some acquaintances ostensibly to see the cherry blossoms of Yoshino but to explore the historical/literary/religious/linguistic traces of the Yamato region in general along the way, with moments of emotional aesthetic intensity punctuated by waka poems composed on the spot. In addition to showing a lighter side of Norinaga out sightseeing with his friends, we can see how he enacted his theories of "mono no aware" in practice, out on the field as it were. On a personal note, for someone like myself who poked about this area extensively in the 1990's checking out the shrines and temples and such, reliving those happy trips through the record of a fellow intellectual tourist preceding me by a few centuries is something of a rare treat.

This record of a sentimental journey (as Doris Day might put it) is supplemented by a selection of Norinaga's waka poems explicitly thematizing his concept of "mono no aware" (all taken from his poetry collection "Suzunoya Shu" compiled between 1798 and 1800), giving a clearer idea of how his ideas were articulated within the framework of verse in dialogue with the larger Japanese poetic tradition. Then follows an extensive number of essays in section four, mainly excerpts from "Isonokami no Sasamegoto" (1763) and "Tamakatsuma" (1793-1801). Here we definitely get the serious side of Norinaga, the scholar at home in Matsuzaka formally elaborating on his ideas and theories in exhaustive detail, all of which casts light on the more carefree narrative of the travel diary. Topics range from the etymologies of place names and deities inhabiting the ancient landscape, interpretations of classical poems, the aesthetic appeal of different flowers, grouchy ruminations on his almost crassly mimetic taste in paintings, and important theories on the sources and functions of poetry and aesthetic sensitivity as these work into his overall ethical vision.

These three sections of translation are preceded by a helpful and erudite introduction by the translator and editor Michael Marra, who discusses Norinaga's life and thought especially as they inform the works that follow both within the Japanese context closer to home as well as the wider framework of philosophy, aesthetics, and literary theory in general. It is very easy pickings to bash Norinaga for what many might see as the proto-nationalist and retroactive culturally essentialist character of his ideas. Marra thankfully avoids this tendency and focuses on elucidating those ideas to the best of his ability, allowing Norinaga to speak to us as directly as possible given the temporal, spatial, and linguistic distances between us. Then we can make up our own minds, making this book something of a hermeneutical journey for the reader as well.

If you live in Hawaii and have one or more young children, put this book on your shelf. If you garden in Hawaii, you'll find this an intriguing and informative book. Even if you don't fit either of those descriptions, this is a marvelous book to have, beautifully done, lucid text, remarkable photos.

Initially I was worried this book might be a polemic. However, it is not. In fact, despite the title, I found the book to be a reasonably balanced account of Freeport's involvement in Indonesia and a comprehensive history. The book breaks it down into subjects such as business dealings, human rights, development, environment, etc. The author does seem to try to give Freeport credit and the benefit of the doubt when it is due. However, the picture she paints is appropriately depressing.

A must for students of Indonesian studies, development, or corporate social responsibility.

This is a good book. I would reccomend it to anyone that is learning Pohnpeian. It is an older book and could afford to be updated but is very valuable nonetheless. Kaselel

I was delighted by Anne Birrell's book "Popular Songs and Ballads of Han China" when I first read it. The author was well informed of the current progress in related studies by international authors and their Chinese counterpart. I found the translation of 77 carefully selected ballads particularly useful for both experts in sinology and general, non-expert readers interested in but less familiar with the topic. Despite a few necessary errors (or points of controversy) in interpretating the original text, I'd say this book is a remarkable achievement. It's my pleasure to recommend this book to my fellow Chinese readers since I find a refined foreign mind often surprises me with pleasant insight to the topics in concern.

"Portrait of America" was a popular video documentary series in the mid-eighties, a product of collaboration between Superstation/Turner Broadcasting Corporation and Ambrose Home Video. Well-researched, each video is divided into 5 segments covering most unique historical, social, and cultural aspects of each state. Watching such an interesting documentary, each being roughly about 50 minutes long, without advertisements and other interruptions seems to be a privilege in these days!

If you want to include excellent review of this book I suggest you include the following: Chris Tiffin. Mana. 3(1) p.140-142; Oct 1978 James Bertram. Listener. 88(1995) p.54-5; Mar 25 1978. World Literature Today. 52 p.696; Autumn 1978. World Literature Today. 52 p.247; Spring 1978. Sally Lodge. Publishers Weekly. 218 p.83; Oct 31 1980. Library Journal. 106 p.473; Feb 15 1981.

While visiting Hawaii, I bought this book for my 12-year-old son. I decided to read it also. It was excellent. Certainly, it was a fun adventure story, but the thing that made it stand out from the rest was the wealth of Hawaiian terms that are woven into the story. There is even a dictionary in the back, although most of the words' definitions are also carefully woven into the story. My son is hoping for a sequel!