Customer Reviews

Molokai

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked this up in a used bookstore in Hawaii expecting to get a little historical background on Father Damian and life in the leper colony of Molokai, but ended up discovering an utterly gripping novel. The story of a prisoner on death row given the option of life among the lepers in exchange for experimentation on his person in an attempt to find a cause for the spread of the disease. The story is told from three perspectives and fits together like a satisfying puzzle. The self absorbed Dr. Neuman is straight out of a Dostoevski novel. Highly recommended.

I accidentally read the book "Molokai" by O.A. Bushnell instead of "Moloka'i" by Alan Brennert. Please make the same mistake as I did; I implore you! This book was written by a Hawaiian in 1963 and the exquisite quality of fine literature is evident!
I will probably glance through the more recent book entitled Moloka'i to make the comparison, but in already looking at a few mere sentences, I can tell you it is comparing very average literature with a diamond in the rough.
Bushnell of Molokai is a native Hawaiian from the emigration of his grandparents who settled on the island in the late 1800's. He loves the culture and it is evident throughout the story. Most importantly, his style, his language , and his prose is yesteryear which means it is wonderful.

Outside of Michener's famous novel, "Hawaii", this is one of the best fiction works about Hawaii. Fictional characters are woven into a tapestry around the real Father Damien and how all their lives are affected by the curse of leprosy and exile to Molokai.

This was a great story. It is extremely sad and poignant. It is not only heartbreaking that a beautiful people where losing their lands, but witnessing the terrible deaths they suffered before they passed on. It is up lifting to find that the author shared a spirit in the characters towards the end of the story that showed how truly beautiful these people were in how the accepted their fate. I believe Bushnell has a great voice of old Hawai'i. Like every great book it leaves you wanting more at the end.

I read this book in college while living in Hawaii and then read it again ten years later and it is still excellent! The three faces of the book bring a new dimension to the reader's experience. Bushnell uses each of the three characters to teach the reader about the time period and about the experiences of living on Kalapapa. He weaves a wonderful story about the lives of the Hawaii people who suffered from leprousy. Used the book for a book club and was loved by everyone!! Historical fiction!! Wonderful story!!!

I found this to be one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It tells a story of the tenacity of people suffering from a terrible disease. They knew their fates, but they lived their lives with courage. To have had Father Damien in their midst was truly a blessing for them.

Pubished in 1963 by the University Press of Hawaii, Molokai (one of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands), the book, discusses and analyzes the desolate leper colony Kalaupapa (The Given Grave) where the people with the dread disease of leprosy were sent to die and to halt the spread of the disease in the rest of society. They were definitely the forgotten people and not slated to return to regular society - just die and disappear. The book discusses Father Damien and Dr. Newman who were attempting to cure the sick and to bring a degree of respect and dignity to the suffering and dying patients. The book is written in rather stodgy language, maybe even 19th Century style, but it is informative and gives us tremendous insight into historical events and compassion by some and not by others. The Hawaiian King refers to the lepers in this manner: "You can see how ghastly is their fate, how hopeless is their lot..." The book is a slow, but worthwhile read if you're interested in the Pacific Islands, history of medicine and leprosy, or just plain curious about how people can be mistreated, but still their spirits remain strong; and there are other valiant humans wanting to help them and relieve their pains and anguish.

I wanted to like this book. Interesting topic - good locale - but then the author kept ending the paragraphs with a trite summary sentence. Hey - I knew that - I just read it in the paragraph before. So does the author think I'm not smart enough to understand the paragraph or does he need a good editor?

This is a very good book, but I really wanted to purchase the other Moloka'i, not knowing there were 2 books with the same name. Now I have read them both and this one tells about an earlier time on Molokai. They are both worth reading.

I think this was a different book also called Molokai - which is about a young leper girl who gets sent to the leper coleny - which is wonderful and a terrific read.
As for this book...I couldn't get through enough of this book to even tell you what is about.