Mark Twain's Letters from Hawaii
by Mark Twain
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mark TwainEditor: A. Grove Day
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1975-07-01
ISBN: 0824802888
Number of pages: 316
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Book Reviews of Mark Twain's Letters from Hawaii
Book Review: A Newbie's View of Hawaii Life
Summary: 5 Stars
The book itself cam in better shape than described. It appears to be brand new and unread.
The young Mark Twain is a character I hadn't met before. He was fresh from the goldfields and San Francisco -- and was fascinated by the beauty and grace of Hawaiian life. He wasn't Politicaly Correct in his view of the Native Peoples, but then - - seeing them as equals was not thinkable in the 1860s.
Nevertheless, his descriptions of songs, dances, chants, and especially hula are a valuable view of the authentic artistry. I have always questioned if hula and chants had become distorted during their periods of banishment by the Missionaries. I feared that what I saw at festivals today had been corrupted and "interpreted" by today's cultural masters.
Not to worry. What Twain described seems to be identical to what I see and hear today. The arts may have gone underground, but they were tended and cherished by genius.
A culture is termed "wealthy" if it has enough leisure time to develop a high art. By these terms, the Haida of the Pacific Northwest and the Native Hawaiians were as wealthy as any Aztec. They just didn't have metal to work with, and didn't need it, actually.
Twain went to visit Kilauea Volcano, then, as now, in eruption.
His enjoyment of social events, both high and low, make his stay in the islands what every traveller dreams of. He was enchanted.
Usually I pass on used books; but this one is a keeper.
Beverly in Honolulu
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