Customer Reviews

Lost Generations: A Boy, a School, a Princess (A Latitude 20 Book)

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"Lost Generations" is a personal and engaging story of how the charitable mission of the Bishop Trust to provide educational opportunities to native Hawaiians was corrupted by political appointees and greed but redeemed by the perseverance and resolve of the graduates and friends of Kamehameha Schools. It is a grassroots thriller told in a conversational style of why the mission went awry and the determination of the Schools beneficiaries to save the mission.

Pulitzer worthy non-fiction complete with heros, villans, true love and loves lost, family secrets, forgiveness, pride, and overflowing with the true spirit of Aloha! A book that quite simply will compel you to be the best person you can possibly be and to treat others as all should be treated.

A true story that continues to live even in this week's headlines. The hero's are real. The history is amazing. Learn of old Hawai'i, new Hawai'i, and learn again how your heart sings out loud when good vanquishes evil and the common man rises quietly and with great dignity to do what is right.

Princess Pauahi and Oz Stender - non-contemporary partners - committing all they have and all of their love for the children of Hawai'i, eternally!

This book belongs in every household. Give it to a child and that child will grow to make you proud. Give it to an adult and you might change the world.

Imua.

A fascinating history/memoir. Charming, entertaining, and a revelation. It covers a side of life and the culture of Hawaii one would never know from the colorful images of TV, movies and tourist attractions. When Hawaii became the 51st state, it was heralded as a mirror of the world of the future. A true rainbow of races, cultures, etc. Mr. Rath's book tells a story of a life that saw little of this future judgement. It is charming in its details of one boy's life, the influence of the missionaries, the repression of the native culture and the power of the Bishop Estate--the good, the bad, and everything in between. Especially interesting were the stories of the Japanese attack and life during World War 2.

From the foreword to the last page, this amazing true story is a page turner thriller. J. Arthur Rath's beautifully told personal tale intertwined with that of his classmates from Kamehameha Schools and the Bishop Estate scandal is a heart warming and equally wrenching story of reluctant heroes and unscrupulous villains. Although the events take place in Hawaii, the story and its conclusion are universal. The heroes of this book are proof that high integrity and strong personal conviction can overcome even the most overwhelming odds. In an era seemingly devoid of both, this book is a refreshing read.

Lost Generations: A Boy, a School, a Princess, gives an insiders view of the scandal that forever changed how the Bishop Estate conducts business. J.Arthur Rath also relates the dramatic effect the Kamehameha Schools had and has on Hawaiian and Part-Hawaiian children.
As an alumna of Kamehameha, I consider this book to be a must read for all that benefited from Princess Puahi's legacy.

I stumbled on this book while looking for "Broken Trust" after having read a review of that book. After reading the reviews of "Lost Generations" I thought I should order both books. What a mistake. I had hoped for a good telling of the Bishop Trust scandal. This is more of a diary of the life of a Hawaiian than any description of that scandal. If you like lots of Hawaiin slice of life stories then you will probably like this book. If you would like to read a coherent description of the Bishop Trust scandal, then look elsewhere.