This Is Paradise: Stories (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780770436254)

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, fa ade 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.

Author: Kristiana Kahakauwila
ISBN-10: 0770436250
ISBN-13: 9780770436254
Publisher: Hogarth Press
Language: English
Published: 07/09/2013
Pages: 240
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 7.96h x 5.44w x 0.69d

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 04/29/2013
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2013
Booklist 06/01/2013 pg. 35