Rating: 
Summary: A realistic and helpful guidebook to moving to Paradise...
Review: A book was published last year entitled "The Death of Distance", by Francis Cairncross. In it she describes how things will change in the next century because communications and the Internet will allow people to operate virtually from any part of the globe. For evidence of this trend, one has to look only as far as the Corona beer commercials urging us to "change our latitude", or to the sell-out crowds and legions of "Parrotheads" that follow Jimmy Buffet, the troubadour of a life in the tropics. Moving to Hawai'i may seem an impossible dream, but it can be done. More and more people have the means -- and in the coming years many places like Hawai'i will cater to the cybercommuter, to the artist, to the entrepreneur. Toni Polancy provides valuable wisdom to aid in such an important decision as a move to one of the most beautiful, but remote spots on our shrinking planet. "So you want to live in Hawaii" is a well written, funny, warm and above all -- realistic look at life in one of the last magical places in our country. You simply cannot afford to consider moving here without reading this book first. Or even if you are just considering a vacation here, the knowledge in this book will add depth to your experience.
Rating:
Summary: A realistic and helpful guidebook to moving to Paradise...
Review: A book was published last year entitled "The Death of Distance", by Francis Cairncross. In it she describes how things will change in the next century because communications and the Internet will allow people to operate virtually from any part of the globe. For evidence of this trend, one has to look only as far as the Corona beer commercials urging us to "change our latitude", or to the sell-out crowds and legions of "Parrotheads" that follow Jimmy Buffet, the troubadour of a life in the tropics. Moving to Hawai'i may seem an impossible dream, but it can be done. More and more people have the means -- and in the coming years many places like Hawai'i will cater to the cybercommuter, to the artist, to the entrepreneur. Toni Polancy provides valuable wisdom to aid in such an important decision as a move to one of the most beautiful, but remote spots on our shrinking planet. "So you want to live in Hawaii" is a well written, funny, warm and above all -- realistic look at life in one of the last magical places in our country. You simply cannot afford to consider moving here without reading this book first. Or even if you are just considering a vacation here, the knowledge in this book will add depth to your experience.
Rating:
Summary: What a great book!
Review: After visiting Hawaii a couple of times, this book helps you look at the facts of life in Hawaii and not just the things you see as a tourist. I found the cost guide for moving expenses very helpful along with the names and phones numbers to use. I would highly recommend this book to anyone thinking of moving to the Hawaiian Islands and until I actually get to move, it helps me dream of the day go.
Rating:
Summary: Goes beyond the basic "it's expensive" numbers
Review: As a "military brat" who lived in Hawaii when my father was stationed at Hickam AFB in the early 70s and a former airline employee who has visited Hawaii at every opportunity, I have recently acquired and read several books on this subject. (I've got the bug!) This is BY FAR the best of the bunch. It gives much of the same statistical information as the others but goes beyond the raw numbers with analysis and interviews with a variety of people who have actually DONE IT. Note to military: Excellent section on "Assignment Paradise."
Rating: 
Summary: EVERYTHING I WISH I'D KNOWN BEFORE MOVING HERE
Review: FIRST, MAHALO FOR THE GREAT RECEPTION OF READERS FOR SO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN HAWAII. I SPENT TWO SOLID YEARS INTERVIEWING AND COLLECTING DATA FOR THE BOOK...COMPELLED, I GUESS, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT LIFE HERE IS REALLY LIKE...GREAT FOR THOSE OF US WHO SUCCEED BUT IT MAY BE HARDER THAN YOU IMAGINE. MAHALO ALSO TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SHARED PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR THE BOOK AND AGENCIES WHO HELPED. HOPE YOU LOVE THE BOOK. FILL OUT A REVIEW AND LET US KNOW. ISN'T AMAZON GREAT!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Take it with a grain of salt....
Review: Having lived my whole life on the mainland, I was interested in a move to Hawaii. I found Toni's book and hoped that it would help me with the logistics of a move. Although there are some good tips on moving there, I found her chief audience to be haoles (whites). Instead of encouraging an assimiliation into the culture and appreciation for the people, there were cautionary notes as to how 'they' were different. I found most of the book quite superficial. Only a few chapters at the end about the actual logistics of moving and finding a job were of any help.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book for haoles
Review: Having lived my whole life on the mainland, I was interested in a move to Hawaii. I found Toni's book and hoped that it would help me with the logistics of a move. Although there are some good tips on moving there, I found her chief audience to be haoles (whites). Instead of encouraging an assimiliation into the culture and appreciation for the people, there were cautionary notes as to how 'they' were different. I found most of the book quite superficial. Only a few chapters at the end about the actual logistics of moving and finding a job were of any help.
Rating: 
Summary: Should've been titled So You Want to Live in Oahu
Review: I am reviewing this book after also having read Affordable Paradise, and How To Live in Hawaii on $1,000 a month. Of the three, So You Want To Live in Hawaii is the best, since it provides the most even-handed review of Hawaii, although mainly from an Oahu perspective. Also I feel that this book is geared more towards people buying a home on Oahu rather than renting an apartment. If you want to move to Lanai, Molokai, Maui, or Kauai, this book will contain some helpful pointers, but will generally be of less use to you since the author only devotes a small portion of this book specifically to these islands, though it is more space than any of the books I mentioned above give. Of all of the books on moving to Hawaii that I have read, this one gives the best discussion of reasons not to move to Hawaii, although it could be more detailed and throrough in this regard. For instance it makes no mention of seismic activity on the islands (particularly in the Big Island) or the fact that there are many fault lines around the islands. I have to applaud the author for mentioning tsunamis and hurricanes, as well as insect problems, although I wish there was more than just a few anecdotal accounts regarding these aspects. In summary, this is a fine book if you are considering moving to Oahu. I think a more appropriate title would have been, So You Want to Live in Oahu.
Rating:
Summary: Take it with a grain of salt....
Review: I think this book's "secret" intention is to dissuade any more people from moving to Hawaii. The tone of it is very negative and its overall effect depressing. Yes, it contains useful information (see the other comments posted), and for some it may provide a useful reality check, but overall it feels negative and overstated to me. The section on "creatures" made me feel as if there were going to be armies of them swarming all over the walls (whereas, on my recent trip I didn't see even one). I would even challenge the extent to which some of the money-related statements are made. I think compared to many parts of the mainland, Hawaii's costs are not much different. And there is a large population of regular working people who manage to live there for years. Do your own research as to how conditions would relate to the lifestyle you would lead. Moving to Hawaii is not going to be without effort, but get additional information and form your own opinion, and don't let this book discourage you.
Rating:
Summary: A well written book... very useful tool for moving to hawaii
Review: I wish this book had been plublished before I moved here... It would have saved a lot of money we spent in trips to find out just this type of information. Even in reading it post-move... I find a tremendous number of facts that I had not previously known. A good and accurate book. A must for anyone intending to live here, and even for those who have recently moved here.
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