Moloka’i by Alan Brennert

This award winning novel by Alan Brennert is a rare and touching story about Father Damien’s famed leper colony on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, told through the eyes of a young girl growing up there. Set in the late 19th and early 20th century, she lives on the island separated forever from her family and learns to bond with the land and those around her with the disease. In quarantine, her expectations on life are changed by the landscape of Hawai’i and the world around her.

“This book truly paints a portrait of Hawai’i that is not that long past. To this day, although the colony is officially closed, there are still several people still living there. As kids you can go visit the island and see the small graves and feel connected to this history and how the world viewed the Hawaiian islands not so long ago”

Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani

One of the few remaining works written by Hawaiian royalty, Don Wallace of Honolulu Magazine recommends this book as one of the top Hawaiian stories to read, period.

The book begins lighthearted enough, but takes a turn as colonialism and the changing political landscape take over, threatening the monarchy and traditional Hawaiian leadership.

“You hear so much about the Hawaiian monarchy but reading it directly from the Queen is something different. The beaches, the fruit, the land and volcanos are all something unique when you perceive them through the eyes of those who ruled the land first”

Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku

You can’t talk about Hawai’i without talking about surfing. Known globally for pioneering what the world now knows as the sport of surfing, the story of the famous Duke Kahanamoku cannot be missed. Surfing didn’t originate in Hawai’i, but it certainly matured there, and with the celebrated accomplishments of “Duke”, surfing is now an Olympic sport, practiced worldwide.

“Hawai’i’s surf scene would not be what it is today without Duke. In fact, the world would not know surfing the way they do without him. He brought surfing to the world stage as something uniquely Polynesian and also uniquely Hawaiian. Waking up early to catch the waves is a way of life here that cannot be ignored”.

Freckled: A Novel about growing up wild in Hawai’i by TW Neal

Of all the books recommended by locals, this is the one that made everyone’s list. Freckled follows the tale of a caucasian hippie family who move to Kaua’i to surf, take drugs and live off the grid from what they consider to be a corrupt society.

Written by award winning autho TW Neal, the memoir is captivating, frustrating and real. The reader follows the life of the protagonist learning how to survive in wild Kaua’i and the skills that go along with navigating the land.

“This is hands down my favorite tale of the Hawaiian life. It is so interesting to read the story of alternative, off the grid lifestyle that happens all over the islands. You’ll often see communities of people who look to the islands for this type of life, but it’s not all tropical paradise. We see it as locals and know that it’s here.”