DANIEL INOUYE

Goodsell, who contributed a most personable and succinct portrait of the Mayo brothers to this series, doesn't manage to bring Inouye to life in this admiring biography of the senator from Hawaii. From little Dan's mother's early reminder that he is ""as good as anyone else but no better than anyone else,"" through his disadvantage as a brown-skinned Nisei in Hawaiian schools, his ambition to be a surgeon, and his bravery in the war--where the loss of his right arm forced a switch to law and politics--Goodsell projects a model citizen (""Daniel Inouye cared more about serving the people of his state than he did about gaining power for himself"") without a hint of personality or a moment of drama. A worthy purchase, but a bit too pious to make a real impact even as role model.