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The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles on Molokai Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

John Tayman (Author), Patrick Lawlor (Narrator), Tantor Audio (Publisher)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 270 ratings
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In the best-selling tradition of In the Heart of the Sea, The Colony reveals the untold history of the infamous American leprosy colony on Molokai and of the extraordinary people who struggled to survive under the most horrific circumstances.

In 1866, 12 men and women and one small child were forced aboard a leaky schooner and cast away to a natural prison on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Two weeks later, a dozen others were exiled, and then 40 more, and then 100 more. Tracked by bounty hunters and torn screaming from their families, the luckless were loaded into shipboard cattle stalls and abandoned in a lawless place where brutality held sway. Many did not have leprosy, and most of those who did were not contagious, yet all were caught in a shared nightmare. The colony had little food, little medicine, and very little hope. Exile continued for more than a century, the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Nearly 9,000 people were banished to the colony, trapped by pounding surf and armed guards and the highest sea cliffs in the world. Twenty-eight live there still.

John Tayman tells the fantastic saga of this horrible and hopeful place, at one time the most famous community in the world, and of the individuals involved. The narrative is peopled by presidents and kings, cruel lawmen and pioneering doctors, and brave souls who literally gave their lives to help. A stunning cast includes the martyred Father Damien, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London, Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt, John Wayne, and more. The result is a searing tale of survival and bravery, and a testament to the power of faith, compassion, and heroism.

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  1. Listening Length
    15 hours and 20 minutes
  2. Author
    John Tayman
  3. Narrator
    Patrick Lawlor
  4. Audible release date
    April 27, 2006
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Tantor Audio
  7. ASIN
    B000FIMFQO
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 15 hours and 20 minutes
Author John Tayman
Narrator Patrick Lawlor
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date April 27, 2006
Publisher Tantor Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B000FIMFQO
Best Sellers Rank #220,781 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#187 in Medicine History & Commentary
#506 in Viral Diseases (Books)
#776 in Sociological Study of Medicine

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
270 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style well-written, detailed, and informative. They also appreciate the documentation, saying it's well-researched and a fascinating account of a little-known bit of Hawaiian. Customers describe the book as a great read that they can't put down.

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ContentWriting styleReading experienceDocumentation
34 customers mention "Content"34 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating, engrossing, and uplifting. They also mention that the history of Molokai is interesting.

"...I thought I knew all about. Reading this book right now is revelatory. I found I knew very little.A must read." Read more

"...This is a story of real charity and sacrifice, not your Hollywood self-egrandizing charity, but a story of folks, who despite the worst intentions..." Read more

"A well documented and fascinating history of Molokai and the treatment and exile of those believed to have Hansen’s disease or leprosy...." Read more

"John Tayman's book is a fascinating account of a little known bit of Hawaiian history and the disgraceful treatment of victims of a horrible disease..." Read more

19 customers mention "Writing style"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style well-researched, fact-filled, and easy to read. They also appreciate the accurate narration.

"...In it, Mr. Tayman has provided a detailed, yet readable, history of leprosy in Hawaii...." Read more

"...I encountered cases of leprosy (Boston & Los Angeles) & Tayman's narration is accurate." Read more

"...The writing is excellent and reads like a novel- could not put it down...." Read more

"...It's well written with illustrations that define the life on Molokai during the leprosy invasion." Read more

18 customers mention "Reading experience"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a great read.

"...This criticism aside, I still found it to be an enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in this kind of story." Read more

"...The Colony" is a powerful read about the history of the peoples, politics, physicians, police, & plight of prisoner patients at the "lepersettlement"..." Read more

"...religious, history stirred up in an accessible haunting, irresistable tome...." Read more

"...Fascinating read! ." Read more

11 customers mention "Documentation"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the documentation wonderful, well-researched, and interesting. They also appreciate the factual accounts of brutality and the lives of the Hansen's.

"...In it, Mr. Tayman has provided a detailed, yet readable, history of leprosy in Hawaii...." Read more

"...It is a wonderful work of fact, detail, history, and emotion...." Read more

"A well documented and fascinating history of Molokai and the treatment and exile of those believed to have Hansen’s disease or leprosy...." Read more

"This is a great accounting of life on Molokai during the outbreak of leprosy on the islands...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Timothy Haugh
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent History
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2018
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I was recently fortunate enough to travel to Hawaii. While there, it had been one of my goals to visit the former leper colony on Molokai (which is now a National Park). This turned out to be considerable more difficult than I expected and I was unable to make the journey; however, in advance of my hoped-for trip, I read this book. In it, Mr. Tayman has provided a detailed, yet readable, history of leprosy in Hawaii.

As a Catholic, I was initially interested in the recently canonized saints, Damien and Marianne Cope, who spent decades working with the exiles on Molokai. Certainly, Mr. Tayman gives them their due. Fr. Damien, who was only meant to spend a few months on the island, is thrust into fame, and spends the rest of his life there, eventually contracting the disease himself. Sr. Marianne, on the other hand, leads a group of nuns to the island and works for decades before succumbing to old age.

However, Mr. Tayman has much more to tell us than the story of two saints. He describes the origin of the colony in the nineteenth century and the struggle of making it even barely functional in its early years. He recounts its rise to prominence/infamy with famous visitors like Mark Twain, Jack London, and Robert Lewis Stevenson. He also takes the time to describe the disease itself: it two types, the rarity of being able to develop the disease even when infected, the progress of the disease, and the efforts made to understand and combat it.

And yet, in the end, the most important thing in this book is probably his stories of the native Hawaiian who were horribly impacted by the existence of the colony. They were systematically rounded up and forced to live in this substandard place because of misunderstanding and fear of leprosy. For many years, until the disease was better understood, a number of people without the disease were exiled. Most shocking of all, perhaps, is the fact that this colony was kept in use until very recently, late into the twentieth century. Even now, people who were once exiles, continue to live there (which is why visiting is restricted).

I had known stories about the colony on Molokai since I was a little kid. The story of St. Damien was well known in my Catholic school. I learned so much from reading this book, however. It is a story that deserves to be better known and this is a good place to start.
12 people found this helpful
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Margaret Goettelmann
5.0 out of 5 stars Fact filled but easy reading
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024
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I live on Oahu & have been to Kalaupapa. I thought I knew all about. Reading this book right now is revelatory. I found I knew very little.
A must read.
One person found this helpful
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D. Langhorne
4.0 out of 5 stars Overall a good read
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2008
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Overall I liked this book. I think the author largely achieved what he set out to, which was to tell the story of the lepers of Molokai and tell it in a way that could hold your attention throughout the book.

This book was not however perfect. My main criticism was the constant flow of characters coming in/out of the story, especially all the outsiders (IE members of the board of health). I was often left with questions such as "who was this person again?". I must admit I read this somewhat sporadically over a months time, so that could have had some to do with it, but I did find the sheer number of people presented a bit over the top. This criticism aside, I still found it to be an enjoyable read and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in this kind of story.
6 people found this helpful
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AJC
5.0 out of 5 stars A Story That Needed To Be Told In Its Entirety
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2007
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The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai by John Tayman tells the full history of the Leper Colony on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. It is a wonderful work of fact, detail, history, and emotion. The author does a wonderful job of piecing together those stories we hear in the background about the history of Hawaii, public health, and how we approached the treatment of Hanson's disease in the United States. John Tayman reveals to us how, when it comes to public health, the road to hell can be paved in our own back yards. It is a story of fear, ignorance, bad science, and bad public policy. The word "Hawaii" in most our minds conjures up pictures of palm and orchid covered islands surrounded by blue waters. But, at one time in its history and ours it was synonomous with the word "leprosy." While we may be somewhat familiar with the life and works of Blessed Damien, this book fills in the blanks. This is a story of real charity and sacrifice, not your Hollywood self-egrandizing charity, but a story of folks, who despite the worst intentions of men and government sacrificed their lives to those in need of love and care. It is a history of how society handles the interests of public health when it conflicts with economic desires of of public and private leaders. At the end of this book I felt as if I knew all the people whose stories had been told. In closing this is a great story and a better history. Read this book.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Marti
5.0 out of 5 stars It arrived in excellent condition and very promptly
Reviewed in Canada on July 3, 2014
Verified Purchase
We are visiting Molokai this winter so that is why I ordered this book. It arrived in excellent condition and very promptly.
Well written and so interesting. An excellent read that gave me so much insight into Father Damien and Hansens disease.
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Laura O'Reilly
5.0 out of 5 stars The human spirit is strong
Reviewed in Canada on July 19, 2016
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Heart breaking story. You become deeply involved in this narrative. You will cry and laugh and be inspired. Couldn't put this book down.
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David Griffith
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2013
Verified Purchase
Although cheap to buy, I did not expect to find several underlined sections and marked paragraphs by the previous owner, which distracts reading and spoils the book! Almost every page defaced.
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in Canada on March 5, 2018
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It was good, very informative
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