Rating: 
Summary: spellbinding, great details and background of hawaii
Review: I really enjoyed this 40+ year old book (classic?) by James Mitchener. I was spellbound and kept turning those pages late into the nights.I thought his discussion of the Chinese Hakka woman, the queen mother of the successful Chinese on the islands, to be very interesting and representative of that ethnic group. However, I did have a problem with this woman, particularly at 90+ years old, going through the intricacies of tax loss carry-forwards. The internal and external dialogue was a little out of character. But Mitchener is one of the great masters. I highly recommend this book if your going to Hawaii, if you just want an adventure story, or if you want to read about how different ethnic groups learned to muddle along together. There's a ton of supporting detail that is quite interesting to read, and the book felt that there was nothing extraneous. The pace was very quick and the characters interesting. It was easy to visualize the story as it unfolded. John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX
Rating: 
Summary: Solid historical fiction
Review: Prior to "Hawaii", I've been introduced to the author's style in "The Source" and "Poland". Generally speaking, it's rather engaging and undoubtedly vivid. Thus, the reader may consume one of his works with unprecedented ease. However, that alone does not constitute a worthy novel. Mr. Michener's objective is clear - to create a aura of the place or people he is documenting. That is where "Poland" fails to deliver. "Hawaii", however, does. Though by no means a consummate novel, I feel it is worth the read, and educationally sound. I do wish he had put a small "fact/fiction" prologue to discriminate between what exactly is true and not (much like in his later works). No matter though, because this sweeping account exudes Michener's (and to a great degree the reader's) romantic facination with the islands.
Rating: 
Summary: Way Too Long For Me
Review: Wow, this is the biggest book I have read in a long time. I just did not have the stamina for it. I read the book on a trip to Hawaii. I will say it did give a good feel for the place and the history of it. But it was just way too long with what I fealt was too much detail in many parts. Also I found it impossible to keep track of the characters. There are 5 missionary families that intermarry and use last names for first names. I could not keep Hoxforth Hale straight from Hale Hoxforth. (Yes I know there were family trees in the back, but I could not spend my whole time flipping back and forth). So if you are going to Hawaii or just interested in the place and you have lots of time and patience this book may be for you. But for me, I would prefer something shorter.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest books of this century.
Review: This epic story by Michener is undoubtedly one of the best works of our century. It is filled with over 1000 pages of great writing, you wont be able to put it down!
Rating:
Summary: History, anthropology and romance rolled up in one
Review: This novel has so many different parts to it that it is hard to describe it succintly. First, there are the two traditional aspects present in all Michener novels, history and romance, intertwined to give the reader first hand knowledge of what history felt like to the people enacting it and the bystanders. In Hawaii, Michener continues this tradition by creating some of his most memorable characters and driving the reader to understand them and their interactions with each other. I believe the anthropological aspect of this novel makes it superior to other Michener novels that focus simply on history and romance. We see vividly the interactions between missionaries brought to convert the natives and the Hawaiian people; it is often humorous, sarcastic, and even sad. Overall, Michener readers will enjoy this one as a quintessential Michener book. Non readers, or new inductees, may also enjoy the anthropological side of this book, as it not only explores the history of the people, but analyzes in depth the changes that face them until modern days.
Rating: 
Summary: From a bump in the ocean floor to Pearl Harbor
Review: First read as an adolescent. I was fascinated by Michener's development of the islands from a geographical phenomenon to our fiftieth state. I found the western colonization accounts especially fascinating. 1
Rating:
Summary: An All-Time Favorite Of Mine
Review: My mother and my aunt read this book when it first came out and discussed it endlessly. Out of curiosity, I started reading it and became so immersed in it, I faked being sick so I could stay home from school to finish reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Enchanting!
Review: I LOVE this book! I am a huge fan of the islands, and often get "homesick" and heartsick for the islands between vacations. This book brings me back there, it is absolutely my most favorite book and I have worn out 2 copies already.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Book
Review: Another epic, another success. James Michiner never failed to to satisfy my thirst for knowledge.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Story
Review: Compelling characters, fabulous story, and amazing command of several time periods makes this one of the best novels ever printed.
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