Customer Reviews

Stories of Hawaii (Tales of the Pacific)

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"You cannot escape liking the climate....And I warn you, if you have some spot dear to you on earth, not to linger here too long, else you will find this dearer."
From The Sheriff of Kona

This is a terrific collection of short stories set in the Hawaiian Islands in the early years of the 20th century. London's stories are set pieces that capture a very specific time in the Hawaiian Islands, after the end of the monarchy and during the early years of American annexation. He writes with a vigor and directness that makes his stories engaging, enjoyable reading and his mastery of the short story structure is first rate.

I have one warning for modern readers with political or racial sensitivities, though. As a man of his time, London writes with a gentle but obvious racism that reflects his world view (and the common views of the era). People's characters are determined by their race, and race is often used as a shorthand stereotype to describe individuals. If seeing simple, sensual, superstitious Hawaiians, wily Asians, and rational, greedy (often heavy drinking) whites, you should avoid this book. It's never mean-spirited, but it is pervasive.

For those of us who appreciate good stories that capture a unique time and place and who are not offended by anachronistic views on race, these stories are real gems. I think they are better than most of London's more famous stories, myself.