Hawaii Books

Business historian Mansel Blackford does a fine job in highlighting several key environmental issues concerning U.S. development in the region known as the "Pacific Rim." As Blackford himself points out in his conclusion, there have been many environmental studies done on particular issues in the Pacific. Many of these have tended to be highly detailed and technical, and therefore not acessible to the general public. One of the positive aspects of this book is that it is highly readable, quite a feat when considering the complex issues Blackford tackles in his book.

I found Blackford's chapter on the island of Guam particularly fascinating. Here, Blackford focuses on three important issues: the controversy over the U.S. Navy's decision in the early 1970s to build an ammunition wharf at Sella Bay, efforts by the Federal Government to establish two national parks during the same period, and the devestating enviromental impact of the brown tree snake. Blackford ultimately argues that the Navy was forced to incorporate political, cultural, and environmental concerns into a compromise package that spared Sella Bay, and which helped spur the development of tourism on Guam.

I also found Blackford's analysis of legislator and Chamorro rights activist Paul Bordallo surprisingly nuanced and incisive. Blackford largely avoids the binary trap of "government" versus "natives" by illustrating the opposition Bordallo faced from Chamorros and local residents, as well as U.S. Navy and Federal officials, in fighting to stop development at Sella Bay. Guam government officials and businessmen saw a good deal in exchanging Sella Bay with the Navy for greater civillian access to port facilities in Apra Harbor. Bordallo disagreed, arguing that Sella Bay's pristine environment must be preserved for future generations of Chamorros, local residents, and tourists to enjoy. Bordallo's vision, with the support of fifteen thousand signatures from local residents, ultimately prevailed, and one of Guam's most scenic locations was spared from becoming an ammunition wharf.

Overall, "Pathways to the Present" is a well-written examination of several cases of U.S. development in the Pacific Rim. Blackford does an excellent job in including both the "big picture" issues and the smaller "pictures" of indigeneous peoples, local residents, and individuals. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone familiar or unfamiliar with U.S.-Pacific history.

Living in Hawaii one often has to reckon with visiting family/friends and this is the book I give them before I send them on their island travels. The information is accurate and practical-the kind of material that helps you meet your travel needs. There are some contemporary cultural events (on Oahu especially) that are covered in the book that will contribute to the Hawaii experience for the first time visitor as well as the returning one.

This text, Battle Book No. 10 in the Ballantine Illustrated History of World War II Series, is truly a gem.

While clearly an early text in the Pearl Harbor string of books, and just 160 pages long, it provides many notable comments on a wide range of topics. For those interested in one of the first "takes" on Pearl Harbor, this supplies a very good start.

PERL HARBOR

This book was about the war in pearl harbor. It said that the japanis people that were in the war got some of their plains. they had 350 plains that went to the perl hrabor. only 29 were lost. The war was taken in Hawii.It was taken in the land, it was very small. this book was very interesting because it was talking about the guy in the erly 1800 that he was the ruler of jupan and that the guy that said that he wanted war was very mean. this book was very good because it was very realistic.

very insightful as to the acts that would be come upon the attack on pearl harbor. very well written essays that explain different views on how other countries perceived the attack.

Pearl Harbor Recalled with text by James P. Delgado and illustrations by Tom Freeman places the attack in a new perspective. In place of multiple poor quality black and white prints which is all we have to envision the Day of Infamy, Tom Freeman has supplied a visually stunning chronology of the attack beginning with aerial views of the harbor as the attack commenced and ending with a beatiful view of the battleship Arizona as she lies today in the mud of Pearl Harbor. Each episode in the drama is portrayed from the sailing of the Kido Butai (First Striking Force) to the launching of the midget submarines to the first skirmish with the latter and Tone's scout plane confirming the presence of the fleet in harbor. Freeman then potrays the assaults on US airfields preventing any air opposition and then the smashing of battleship row, culminating with a breathtaking portrayal of the Arizona blowing up at approximately 810 am. Individual heroics are portrayed with one G.I. firing his .45 caliber pistol at an A6M Zero as it races close overhead and firemen putting out fires at Hickam Field.
The vast expanse of the fiery inferno is vividly portrayed and places the attack on Pearl Harbor in the world of color for I believe the first time. If not the first, then it is certainly the best artistic impression made of the attack, well researched and executed. Mr. Delgado's narrative is informative and complements the paintings extremely well. This is an excellent book which I would recommend to any naval student, wargamer or naval historian.

Pearl Harbor Story is the fascinating and informative memoir of Major General H. D. Russell, who was a member of the U.S. Army Pearl Harbor Investigation Board, an entity that completed its work in October 1944. Major Russell dictated his recollections in early 1946, shortly after finishing six years of active duty in the Army and returning to civilian life. Major Russell's memoir is at last being published with consent of the general's heirs. His first-person account lends an urgent, up-close and unforgettable insider's view to events that shaped history. Major Russell's personal anger with the attack and with attempts to veil the essence of what was truly happening afterward shows clearly throughout. The official report's conclusion that U.S. government officials knew little or nothing about the likelihood of a Japanese attack are starkly challenged by the dissenting opinion of a knowledgeable investigator. Pearl Harbor Story is a must-read for anyone who wants more than just a surface verdict of a singular event that changed world history.

Harry Spiller adds to the legacy with oral accounts of 24 servicemen who were at Pearl Harbor on that fateful December morning. Even though he offers no new insight into the battle or the indomitable human spirit, there is something compelling in his accounts from men who continue to feel anger, pain, and loss more than 60 years after the attack. For those who think only in terms of history and tactics, strategy and battles, this book reaffirms the trimph of the human spirit.

LTC David G. Rathgeber, USMC, Retired, Fallback, CA

Penina Uliulu is a rare and precious black pearl of the Pacific. This book uses its title as metaphor; its aim is to be a "precious, rare, and colourful resource" for the current issues in mental health of Pacific peoples. It is, of course, refreshing to encounter studies of Pacific people written by Pacific people themselves. It is also rare, precious, and colourful to find so many voices unified by their Pacific distinctiveness yet reflective of their own unique cultures and experiences. This edited volume contains nineteen contributions, consisting of mainly essays, but also interviews and poetry. The end of the book includes a substantial categorized bibliography pointing to further resource material in Pasifika mental health. Divided into four sections, the book covers the broad topics of Pacific identities, spirituality, the Pacific unconscious, and trauma and healing.
The subjectivity and attached perspective of the essayists is definitely a major strength of the book. While the contributors are readily equipped to avoid the pitfalls of assumed Western objectivity, their first hand experiences are written down carefully and critically, unafraid to analyse and critique the sometimes negative aspects of their own cultures. This leads to an insightful read not only for Pacific people, but also those interested in learning how Pacific people see themselves.

George Hatem was a the son of Lebonese Maronite Catholic immigrants to the East Coast of the United States. I want to say that his childhood was uneventful, but that would not really be accurate, because it is quite certain that his childhood had a tremendous influence on him, and was a big part of his decision to stay in China and give up his American citizenship. So let's put it this way: He was the son of immigrants. He tended to be picked on a bit while he was growing up. During his later grammar school years, he became unmanageable, and was placed in a reform school by his parents. He eventually went back to Lebanon for medical school. After medical school, he went to China, perhaps more out of curiosity than anything else, and that is where he stayed for the rest of his life. Now, I could spend quite a bit of time speculating on what elements of his childhood predisposed him toward rejecting the land of his birth and becoming a Chinese citizen. But I don't want to do that, because that is not what this book is about, and when it comes right down to it that is not what George Hatem was about. So I will leave you with the brief summary, and let you draw your own conclusions.

The world waited. World War II was over. The Japanese had been defeated, and the conflict between the Communists and the Guomindang was heating up. Nobody knew for sure who would come out on top. There were problems with both options. The Guomindang reeked with corruption. The Communists had some weaknesses in their organizational structure which allowed a few people at the top to wield too much power. One thing is certain: if the Communists had not come out on top, this story would probably not have happened. George Hatem was a good doctor. But there are lots of good doctors in the world. George Hatem's defining quality was not some sort of dazzling, unreal brilliance. He shined because he happened upon a society, a world, a system that really, really needed what he had to offer, and because, by temperament, he was essentially apolitical. But most of all, he had an uncanny knack for finding what he was good at, and sticking to it with a pertinacity which outshone all his peers.

Do men make history, or does history make the man? Nobody knows the answer to that question, but, when it comes to George Hatem, I would say that history made him. Definitely. The greatness of Hatem is that he took what history had made and used it to again make history. Dogged persistence, the ability to stick to his work and not put his nose in where it didn't belong, and the tireless pursuit of a goal which was of benefit to the masses-these were the traits that defined him as a person, and these are the traits that he used to define the way he would approach the monumental events happening around him.

While we are on the subject of history, let me say that history is the main reason I read this book. Of course, I always like a good story, and I liked this one. But the historical value of this book should not go without mention, because it is, in fact, my primary reason for reading it. Whatever his reasons for coming to China when he did, the fact is that George Hatem was quiet closely acquainted with all the major players of the Communist revolution in China, both among the Chinese, and among the expatriate community. He knew Mao well, he was always on good terms which Zhou Enlai. He was a close friend of Zhu De, Mao's general. He treated Anna Louise Strong for some time. He knew both Sydney Shapiro and Sydney Rittenberg quite well. Of course he was close to Edgar Snow, whose book, Red Star Over China is still the definitive chronicle of the Long March, and he was also a close personal friend of Rewi Alley.

I have told you what was important to me as I read this book. But I would be remiss if I did not at least touch on what was important to George Hatem. The two public health problems which consumed his time and passion throughout his life were venereal disease and leprosy. George Hatem at first horrified, then impressed his Chinese colleagues by his insistence on touching his leprosy patients. His treatment approach usually combined what he found to be the best balance between western and oriental medicine. And his work involved a lot of travel and necessitated living for extended periods of time under very adverse conditions.

One of the strengths of this book is its appeal, for different reasons, to a variety of people. This really is an excellent story, and a very useful addition to the history of the Communist revolution in China.