“Kolea” by Russell Cahill —
This is a beautiful story of Hawaii: of kings and queens (titled or not) and of Hawaii culture and mythology, weaponry and warfare and most of all a story of perseverance. Although the book is titled “Kolea”, which is the name of the main character and also of a bird, there are several other interesting characters in the book, both male and female. I have learnt so many new things about Hawaiians and their islands from this book : from various species of birds and whales to building and riding canoes, to making weapons and war techniques, to Hawaii cuisine , lifestyle and women’s role. The story line is quite dense and I can easily envision a very successful new TV series based on the book.
Book Review by: Mihaela Stoops, Sept. 2015