SHOAL OF TIME: A History of the Hawaiian Islands

by Cavan Daws ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 30, 1968

From the golden age of Polynesian kings to the invention of the plastic lei, the story of the adulteration of the Hawaiian life style. The writer, a young Australian historian who teaches at the University of Hawaii, adopts an unfortunate Golden Bough tone in the early chapters and switches to a breezy journalese when his chronicle reaches the twentieth century. Starting with the arrival of the first haole (foreigner), Captain Cook in 1778. Daws continues through the Kamehameha dynasty, to the turbulent 1840's when Hawaii was up for grabs (Britain and France annexed, the United States refused), settling finally on the HUAC witchhunts of the 1950's and the achievement of statehood. The latter event had the effect of boosting tourism and causing a kind of identity crisis. As one Hawaiian said, ""Now we are all haoles."" Daws' book, a hodgepodge of historical methodology, states the situation, but provides no particular insight.

Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1968

ISBN: 0824803248

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1968

Categories: NONFICTION