Forty-five tales, stories and legends adapted from various sources about the natural history of Hawaii and the customs, crafts, arts and history of Polynesian Hawaiians. Includes one original story by the compiler.

Elegant, brutal, and profound—this magnificent debut captures the grit and glory of modern Hawai'i with breathtaking force and accuracy. In a stunning collection that announces the arrival of an incredible talent, Kristiana Kahakauwila travels the islands of Hawai'i, making the fabled place her own. Exploring the deep tensions between local and tourist, tradition and expectation, façade and authentic self, This Is Paradise provides an unforgettable portrait of life as it’s truly being lived on Maui, Oahu, Kaua'i and the Big Island. In the gut-punch of “Wanle,” a beautiful and tough young woman wants nothing more than to follow in her father’s footsteps as a legendary cockfighter. With striking versatility, the title story employs a chorus of voices—the women of Waikiki—to tell the tale of a young tourist drawn to the darker side of the city’s nightlife. “The Old Paniolo Way” limns the difficult nature of legacy and inheritance when a patriarch tries to settle the affairs of his farm before his death. Exquisitely written and bursting with sharply observed detail, Kahakauwila’s stories remind us of the powerful desire to belong, to put down roots, and to have a place to call home.

This text presents a collection of people-focused stories emphasizing family living, traditional vocations and the land of Hawaii in the days long before Westerners arrived. The text was previously published under the title Life in Old Hawaii.

"How ancient Polynesian explorers found the Hawaiian Islands, the most remote in Earth's largest sea; how they navigated, how they viewed themselves and their universe, and the arts, crafts, and values by which they survived and prospered without metals or the fuels and inventions believed necessary for life today." -- Amazon.com viewed August 7, 2020.

Uncle Kawaiola's Dream is a story that focuses on the important values of family, working together, respect for elders, and having goals or dreams. This title has a two page glossary of Hawaiian words used in the story as well as a Study Guide for Understanding and learning.

Book on old native horticulture of the Hawaiian Islands with a focus on the cultivation of the soil. Descriptions of areas of habitation is covered in detail for each island: Kauai, Niihau, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Hawaii. Various plants and animals used in a Hawaiian economy are covered in detail: taro, sweet potato (ʻuala), breadfruit, banana, coconut, yam, arrowroot, sugar cane, pineapple, ʻawa, pandanus, bamboo, wauke (paper mulberry), gourds, ti, olona, ʻilima, ʻolena (turmeric), kukui, kou, wild plants, dogs, hogs, wild goats, chickens, birds, grasshoppers, and fish. Includes information on demography, social and family structures, and cultural practies such as makahiki around planting, homesteading and cultivating land.