Hawaii is a tropical paradise with a rich culture and history, so it’s no wonder that there are many books about the islands ranging from historic novels to fun fictional stories. I’ve done tons of research looking for books to add to my collection, so I thought I’d share the ultimate list of Hawaii-related books to read before, during or after your next trip! I’ve also included a ton of surf books to immerse yourself in the sport that is rooted in the heart of Hawaii.
All books below include links to purchase directly on Amazon, but feel free to check your local book store to see if they have it in stock. You can also shop online while supporting local bookstores through Bookshop.org.
Local Icons
by Stuart Holmes Coleman (2009)
Fierce Heart is the biography of a community and a portrait of its people. Although Makaha is a small, isolated town on the Western coast of Oahu, it has produced some of the most intriguing Hawaiians of the twentieth century: world-class surfers Buffalo Keaulana and his sons Rusty and Brian; beautiful skin diver and surfing pro Rell Sunn; and larger than life singer and songwriter Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. What connects them is a love for their culture, their people, and various kinds of water sports. Fierce Heart combines stories of exciting big wave surfing competitions, dramatic water rescues, deep friendships, and touching family portraits with a look at the history and origins of one of the world’s most thrilling extreme sports.
Nothing beats sitting on Makaha Beach reading this book under the warm Hawaiian sun!
by David Davis (2015)
In Waterman, award-winning journalist David Davis examines the remarkable life of Duke Kahanamoku – swimmer, surfer, Olympic gold medalist, Hawaiian icon, waterman – in and out of the water.
Kahanamoku’s connection to his homeland was equally important. He was born when Hawaii was an independent kingdom; he served as the sheriff of Honolulu during Pearl Harbor and World War II and as a globetrotting “Ambassador of Aloha” afterward.
In Waterman award-winning journalist David Davis examines the remarkable life of Duke Kahanamoku, in and out of the water.
Be sure to check out the Duke Kahanamoku statue on Kalakaua Avenue in the heart of Waikiki
by Stuart Holmes Coleman (2004)
Eddie Would Go is the compelling story of Eddie Aikau’s legendary life and legacy, a pipeline into the exhilarating world of surfing, and an important chronicle of the Hawaiian Renaissance and the emergence of modern Hawaii.
As a fearless and gifted surfer, he rode the biggest waves in the world; as the first and most famous Waimea Bay lifeguard on the North Shore, he saved hundreds of lives from its treacherous waters; and as a proud Hawaiian, he sacrificed his life to save the crew aboard the voyaging canoe Hokule’a.
Eddie Aikau and Waimea Bay are forever tied together in history. Visit the North Shore beach to see the plaque dedicated to Eddie. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational takes place at this Bay during the winter, but only if waves reach a min. height of 60 ft!
(fun fact: my dog is named after Eddie!)
by Barack Obama (2004)
In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey—first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother’s family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family, confronts the bitter truth of his father’s life, and at last reconciles his divided inheritance.
Barack Obama (the 44th president of the United States) returns to his childhood home of Oahu each year with this family. Some of his favorite spots include Sandy Beach and Island Snow Shave Ice in Kailua.
by Bethany Hamilton (2006)
In this moving personal account of faith and fortitude, internationally ranked surfer Bethany Hamilton– a Kauai, Hawaii local–tells how she survived a shark attack that cost her arm–but not her spirit.
Soul Surfer is a moving account of Bethany’s life as a young surfer, her recovery after the attack, the adjustments she’s made to her unique surfing style, her unprecedented bid for a top showing in the World Surfing Championships, and, most fundamentally, her belief in God. It is a story of girl power and spiritual grit that shows the body is no more essential to surfing—perhaps even less so—than the soul.
Be sure to check out Soul Surfer (the movie about Bethany’s story starring AnnaSophia Robb) and Bethany’s documentary “Unstoppable” on Netflix.
by Greg Ambrose (2010)
This collection of intimate and emotional reflections about legendary water woman Rell Sunn is truly inspirational. Sunn s renowned skills as a lifeguard, diver, spearfisher, and bodysurfer and her role in pioneering the world of women s surfing has touched people both in Hawaii and internationally. At the heart of Rell Sunn was her spirited enthusiasm and passion for life, but it was her extension of aloha that really, truly made an impact on everyone she met.
by Vicky Heldreich Durand (2020)
Wave Woman is the untold story of Betty Pembroke Heldreich Winstedt, an adventurer whose zest for life and learning kept her alive for ninety-eight years.
In middle age, Betty finally followed her dream of living near the ocean; she moved to Hawaii and, at age forty-one, took up surfing. She lived and surfed at Waikiki during the golden years of the mid-1950s and was a pioneer surfer at Makaha Beach. She was competitive in early big-wave surfing championships and was among the first women to compete in Lima, Peru, where she won first place.
Betty was an Olympic hopeful, a pilot, a mother, a sculptor, a jeweler, a builder, a fisherwoman, an ATV rider, and a potter who lived life her way, dealing with adversity and heartache on her own stoic terms. A love letter from a daughter to her larger-than-life mother, Wave Woman will speak to any woman searching for self-confidence, fulfillment, and happiness.
by Ocean Ramsey (Author), Juan Oliphant (Photographer) (2019)
Author, marine conservationist, and owner & operator of One Ocean Diving, Ocean Ramsey’s book is must read for anyone that likes sharks.
One Ocean Diving operates out of Haleiwa Harbor on the North Shore of Oahu. Diving with sharks is an amazing experience I recommend to anyone visiting Hawaii! You can also call to order your signed copy to pick up in person if you’re planning to come dive with sharks in Hawaii soon.
Fiction Books that take place in Hawaii
by Alan Brennert (2010)
Honolulu is the rich, unforgettable story of a young “picture bride” who journeys to Hawai’i in 1914 in search of a better life. With the help of three of her fellow picture brides, Jin prospers along with her adopted city, now growing from a small territorial capital into the great multicultural city it is today. But paradise has its dark side, whether it’s the daily struggle for survival in Honolulu’s tenements, or a crime that will become the most infamous in the islands’ history…
With its passionate knowledge of people and places in Hawai’i far off the tourist track, Honolulu is most of all the spellbinding tale of four women in a new world, united by dreams, disappointment, sacrifices, and friendship.
by Alan Brennert (2004)
This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai’i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place – and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.
Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka’i. Here her life is supposed to end—but instead she discovers it is only just beginning.
by Alan Brennert (2020)
The highly anticipated sequel to Alan Brennert’s acclaimed book club favorite, and national bestseller, Moloka’i.
This companion tale tells the story of Ruth, the daughter that Rachel Kalama–quarantined for most of her life at the isolated leprosy settlement of Kalaupapa–was forced to give up at birth.
The book follows young Ruth from her arrival at the Kapi’olani Home for Girls in Honolulu, to her adoption by a Japanese couple who raise her on a strawberry and grape farm in California, her marriage and unjust internment at Manzanar Relocation Camp during World War II–and then, after the war, to the life-altering day when she receives a letter from a woman who says she is Ruth’s birth mother, Rachel.
by Kaui Hart Hemmings (2008)
Narrated in a bold, fearless, unforgettable voice and set against the lush, panoramic backdrop of Hawaii, The Descendants is a stunning debut novel about an unconventional family forced to come together and re-create its own legacy.
Matthew King was once considered one of the most fortunate men in Hawaii. His missionary ancestors were financially and culturally progressive–one even married a Hawaiian princess, making Matt a royal descendant and one of the state’s largest landowners.
George Clooney stars in the 2011 film adaption based on the book by Kaui Hart Hemmings.
by Kiana Davenport (1995)
Beginning with the fateful meeting of a nineteenth-century Yankee sailor and the runaway daughter of a Tahitian chief, and sweeping over a century and a half of passionate, turbulent Hawaiian history, Shark Dialogues takes its place as the first novel to do justice to the rich heritage and cruel conflicts of the beautiful and beleaguered islands and their people. At its center are Pono, the magnificent pure-blooded matriarch and seer, and her four mixed-blood granddaughters seeking to come to terms with the contradictions of their ancestries and the hungers of their hearts.
by Paul Theroux (2002)
In this wickedly satiric romp, Paul Theroux captures the essence of Hawaii as it has never been depicted. The novel’s narrator, a down-on-his-luck writer, escapes to Waikiki and soon finds himself the manager of the Hotel Honolulu, a low-rent establishment a few blocks off the beach.
Honeymooners, vacationers, wanderers, mythomaniacs, soldiers, and families all check in to the hotel. Like the Canterbury pilgrims, every guest has come in search of something – sun, love, happiness, objects of unnameable longing – and everyone has a story.
by David Lodge (1993)
Bernard Walsh is in Hawaii on family business, escorting his querulous father to the bedside of a long-forgotten aunt. His mission transports him from quiet obscurity in Rummridge, England, to a lush tropical playground, from cloistered solitude into the unfamiliar company of package tourists: honeymooners; young women looking for Mr. Nice; families nuclear and fissile. But it is the island itself that holds the most astonishing surprises, as an accidental encounter opens up to Bernard possibilities of life, and love, never dreamed of in his normally overcast habitat. Paradise News is an enchanting–and very funny–portrait of the late flowering of an honest man.
by Swan Huntley (2017)
A mesmerizing story of friendship and manipulation set against the idyllic tropical world of the Big Island, The Goddesses is a stunning psychological novel.
When Nancy and her family arrive in Kona, Hawaii, they are desperate for a fresh start. As Nancy grows closer and closer to a new friend, Ana—skipping family dinners and leaving her twins sons to their own devices— she feels a happiness and understanding unlike anything she’s ever experienced, and she knows that she will do anything Ana asks of her.
Jessica is on the Hawaiian island of Maui, giving a lecture on community involvement in police investigations. Her co-lecturer is legendary retired detective Mike Kane, who shares his love of Hawaiian lore, legends, and culture with Jessica. But the talking stops when the body of a colleague is found at the rocky foot of a cliff. Now it’s up to Jessica and Mike to uncover who was driven to silence the scientist…and betray the spirit of aloha.
A fun read if you like mysteries or the classic TV show, Murder, She Wrote
by Lindsey Kelk
When Angela Clark’s best friend Jenny invites her to join a press trip to Hawaii, three days of sun, sea and sleep sounds like the perfect antidote to her crazed life.
A few days away with Jenny sounds like exactly what she needs but Angela’s talent for getting into a scrape guarantees nothing goes to plan – and not even the most beautiful beaches, blue skies and daiquiris will get her off the hook…
by Lindsey Kelk
After accidently answering her flatmate Vanessa’s phone, she decides that since being Tess isn’t going so well, she might try being Vanessa. With nothing left to lose, she accepts Vanessa’s photography assignment to Hawaii – she used to be an amateur snapper, how hard can it be? Right?
But Tess is soon in big trouble. And the gorgeous journalist on the shoot with her, who is making it very clear he’d like to get into her pants, is an egotistical monster. Far from home and in someone else’s shoes, Tess must decide whether to fight on through, or ‘fess up and run…
by Kay Bratt (2019)
Quinn Maguire has a stable life, a fiancé, and what she thinks is a clear vision for her future. All of that comes undone by her mother’s deathbed confession—the absentee father Quinn spent thirty years resenting is not her real father at all. With that one revealing whisper, Quinn embarks on a journey to Maui, her mother’s childhood home, a storied paradise that holds the truth about her mother’s past and all its secrets Quinn is determined to uncover. As time passes and she digs deeper into her family history and her own identity, one thing becomes clear: Maui is as beautiful as she’d always imagined, and its magic is helping uncover the woman that Quinn was always meant to be.
by Kay Hadashi (2020)
After losing her job, Maile Spencer needs money in a hurry. Setting aside her ego to work for her brother-in-law, she gets a job as a tour guide in her hometown of Honolulu.
On her first day, Maile realizes the tourists know more about world famous island sights than she does. Once their attention drifts, the trouble starts. When the drunk in the tour group staggers off, Maile goes in search of him. What she finds is a dead man next to a dumpster–and the knowledge that she’s the worst tour guide ever. She’d simply like to walk away from the drama, until she feels the clasp of handcuffs on her wrists.
More from this series:
Surf Central
by William Finnegan (2016)
Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Autobiography
Barbarian Days is William Finnegan’s memoir of an obsession, a complex enchantment. Raised in California and Hawaii, Finnegan started surfing as a child. He has chased waves all over the world, wandering for years through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa. A bookish boy, and then an excessively adventurous young man, he went on to become a distinguished writer and war reporter. Barbarian Days takes us deep into unfamiliar worlds and immerses the reader in the edgy camaraderie of close male friendships forged in challenging waves.
A must-read for anyone who loves surfing or wants to dive into the mind of someone obsessed with the all-consuming sport.
by Gerry Lopez (2015)
Written by one of the most revered surfers of his generation, Gerry Lopez’s Surf Is Where You Find It is a collection of stories about a lifetime of surfing. But more than that, it is a collection of stories about the lessons learned from surfing. It presents 38 stories about those who have been influential in the sport – surfing anytime, anywhere, and in any way. Lopez, an innovator in stand up paddle (one of the fastest growing water sports in the world), now shares his stories about pioneering that sport. Written with Gerry’s unique voice, this audiobook is a classic for surf enthusiasts everywhere.
by Kelly Slater (2014)
Soon to be an ABC reality series entitled Ultimate Surfer, starring 11-time World Surf League champion Kelly Slater.
Six-time world surfing champion, actor, and American heartthrob Kelly Slater tells his inspiring story of triumph over adversity. He has won more world championships than any other competitor, and he continues to change peoples’ minds about what can and can’t be done on a surfboard.
In Pipe Dreams, Kelly takes the reader into oceans around the world to take on thunderous walls of water and shares the outrageous stories, solemn moments, and undeniable spirit that have made him a superstar.
by Michael Fordham (2009)
Gorgeously illustrated, The Book of Surfing covers everything readers need to know about surf trips, iconic surf movies, profiles of the sport’s greats, practical advice for being a greener surfer, travel essentials—and how surfing conquered the world—from surfer and journalist Michael Fordham. Supplemented by 300 never-before-seen photos and beautiful how-to illustrations!
A cool book to thumb through if you are thinking of surfing for the first time or if you’re interested in learning about the sport!
by John R. K. Clark (2011)
Hawaiian Surfing is a history of the traditional sport narrated primarily by native Hawaiians who wrote for the Hawaiian-language newspapers of the 1800s. An introductory section covers traditional surfing, including descriptions of the six Hawaiian surf-riding sports (surfing, bodysurfing, canoe surfing, body boarding, skimming, and river surfing). This is followed by an exhaustive Hawaiian-English dictionary of surfing terms and references from Hawaiian-language publications and a special section of Waikiki place names related to traditional surfing. The information in each of these sections is supported by passages in Hawaiian, followed by English translations. The work concludes with a glossary of English-Hawaiian surfing terms and an index of proper names, place names, and surf spots.
by Matt Warshawk (2010)
Matt Warshaw knows more about surfing than any other person on the planet. After five years of research and writing, Warshaw has crafted an unprecedented history of the sport and the culture it has spawned. At nearly 500 pages, with 250,000 words and more than 250 rare photographs, The History of Surfing reveals and defines this sport with a voice that is authoritative, funny, and wholly original. The obsessive nature of this endeavor is matched only by the obsessive nature of surfers, who will pore through these pages with passion and opinion. A true category killer, here is the definitive history of surfing.
Join the celebration of the diverse, vibrant, and engaged community of women riding and making waves around the globe. While surfing is usually seen as a male domain, women have long been nurturing their own water stories and claiming their rightful place in the world of this sport. She Surf hails the females, past and present, who are engaged in expanding the art of surfing. Through exclusive interviews and evocative imagery, the book travels from the iconic waves of Hawaii to remote locations in Morocco. Learn about the forgotten stories of Polynesian surfing princesses, pioneering wave riders from the 1960s, and the contemporary movers and shakers shaping the scene. This book is an exciting reflection on what it means to be a female surfer and what it means to be moved to action by the beauty of the sea.
Hawaiian History & Mythology
by James A. Michener (1959 / 2002)
Pulitzer Prize–winning author James A. Michener brings Hawaii’s epic history vividly to life in a classic saga that has captivated readers since its initial publication in 1959.
Based on exhaustive research and told in Michener’s immersive prose, Hawaii is the story of disparate peoples struggling to keep their identity, live in harmony, and, ultimately, join together.
by Martha Beckwith
Ancient Hawaiian lived by the animistic philosophy that assigned living souls to animals, trees, stones, stars, and clouds, as well as to humans. Religion and mythology were interwoven in Hawaiian culture; and local legends and genealogies were preserved in song, chant, and narrative.
Martha Beckwith was the first scholar to chart a path through the hundreds of books, articles, and little-known manuscripts that recorded the oral narratives of the Hawaiian people. Her book has become a classic work of folklore and ethnology, and the definitive treatment of Hawaiian mythology.
by Kawai Strong Washburn (2020)
Named one of the Best Books of 2020 by the New York Times.
Sharks in the Time of Saviors is a groundbreaking debut novel that folds the legends of Hawaiian gods into an engrossing family saga; a story of exile and the pursuit of salvation.
In 1995 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on a rare family vacation, seven-year-old Nainoa Flores falls overboard a cruise ship into the Pacific Ocean. When a shiver of sharks appears in the water, everyone fears for the worst. But instead, Noa is gingerly delivered to his mother in the jaws of a shark, marking his story as the stuff of legends.
When supernatural events revisit the Flores family in Hawai’i–with tragic consequences–they are all forced to reckon with the bonds of family, the meaning of heritage, and the cost of survival.
by Julia Flynn Siler (2011)
Deftly weaving together a memorable cast of characters, Lost Kingdom brings to life the ensuing clash between a vulnerable Polynesian people and relentlessly expanding capitalist powers. Portraits of royalty and rogues, sugar barons, and missionaries combine into a sweeping tale of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s rise and fall.
At the center of the story is Lili’uokalani, the last queen of Hawai’i. Born in 1838, she lived through the nearly complete economic transformation of the islands. Lucrative sugar plantations gradually subsumed the land, owned almost exclusively by white planters, dubbed the “Sugar Kings.” Hawai’i became a prize in the contest between America, Britain, and France, each seeking to expand their military and commercial influence in the Pacific.
Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen is a book written by Queen Liliuokalani, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai’i. It was published in 1898, five years after the overthrow of the Kingdom. In it, Liliuokalani gives her account of her upbringing, her accession to the throne, the overthrow of her government by pro-American forces, her appeals to the United States to restore the Hawaiian monarchy, and her arrest and trial following an unsuccessful 1895 rebellion against the Republic of Hawai’i.
by James L. Haley (2015)
James L. Haley’s Captive Paradise is the story of King Kamehameha I, The Conqueror, who unified the islands through terror and bloodshed, but whose dynasty succumbed to inbreeding; of Gilded Age tycoons like Claus Spreckels who brilliantly outmaneuvered his competitors; of firebrand Lorrin Thurston, who was determined that Hawaii be ruled by whites; of President McKinley, who presided over the eventual annexation of the islands. Not for decades has there been such a vibrant and compelling portrait of an extraordinary place and its people.
by Martha Warren Beckwith (1951)
The Kumulipo is rich in references to other creation lore of Hawaii, invoking its Gods and rituals, and the society and culture of the Hawaiian Islands. Before she proceeds to translate and narrate the actual text, Martha Warren Beckwith begins this book with a description of Hawaiian life. Its hierarchical culture; the customs and taboos surrounding first-born males of the chieftains; and the dynastic lineages which presided over Honolulu, with the monarchs responsible for uniting the biggest isle with those around it.
The chant of the Kumulipo represents not only a summation of the mythologies and creation lore of the Hawaiian isles, but also the unification of its people. We explore notions of how the lands, seas and first peoples were made, the mighty creatures of antiquity, and concepts like the serene stillness of nature forming the conditions for Gods and men to enter existence.
Suspenful Short Stories
by Robert Lopaka Kapanui (2020)
Welcome to Mysteries of Honolulu – A collection of “chicken skin” Hawaiian tales about mysterious happenings in this island paradise. Lopaka Kapanui is Hawaii’s Ghost Guy who collects and shares the stories that reveal a haunted Hawai’i that many don’t even realize exists.With a mix of factual accounts and stories of fiction, Kapanui weaves spooky tales that highlight the eclectic blend of Hawaii’s cultural identity. Within this collection are stories of discovery; a death long past, a family thief, a strange woman from the sea, something hiding in the midst of Downtown Honolulu, and more. Let Lopaka transport you to a Hawai’i seldom seen by visitors. Beyond the cool waters and trade winds of our idealistic paradise is the thin veil which separates our world from the place where shadows talk back.
by Rick Carrol (1997)
True, inexplicable stories of old and new Hawaii, told by many people in many voices, from many points of view. An added feature is the ‘Guide to Spooky Places,’ showcasing structures and natural phenomena imbued with the special power and mystery found only in Hawaii.
On Display:
Coffee Table Books
In 1939, Georgia O’Keeffe, who was among the most famous artists in the United States, accepted a commission from the Hawaiian Pineapple Company to produce two paintings for advertising campaigns. Her nine-week trip to Hawai’i resulted in more than 20 paintings, which reveal that O’Keeffe–most commonly associated with the stark deserts of New Mexico–was profoundly inspired by what she saw and experienced on the lush, tropical Hawaiian Islands.
Glowing with color, these paintings demonstrate O’Keeffe’s unique ability to make any place her own. This landmark volume offers a unique perspective by foregrounding the ecological complexity that is hidden behind O’Keeffe’s depictions of Hawai’i-one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth.
Peek inside the homes of longtime enthusiasts and dedicated newcomers that reflect not just a sport or passion, but also a way of life.
With vibrant photographs of design details and bright beaches, this book captures the soulful milieu of a lifestyle we all aspire to.
I dare you to visit North Shore and not immediately want a surf shack of your own! This will provide all the inspo you need.
by Thom Gilbert (2019)
Professional photographer Thom Gilbert spent four years among surfer royalty at the top of their game—in Spain, New York, California, and Hawaii—with his camera trained not only on tiny figures disappearing in the waves, but also on the surfers’ faces and bodies back on land.
He returned from the beaches with intimate portraits of the world’s best—from the newest talent to the oldest and most revered—and also with dramatic action shots and revealing images of the culture around this sport and lifestyle. The book features not only 300 photographs, but some Q&As with, and hand-written contributions from, prominent figures in the scene. Ultimately, Waves is an ode to surfing and to the men and women who live it every day.
by Dale Hope (Author), Gerry Lopez (Introduction), Greg Tozian (Contributor), Yvon Chouinard (Contributor), Patagonia (Publisher) – 2016
The most colorful and complete book published on the most enduring souvenir ever invented: the Hawaiian shirt. The Aloha Shirt is both a dazzling, fun-to-browse art book, and a fascinating chronicle of the world’s love affair with Hawaii.
Drawing from hundreds of interviews, newspaper and magazine archives, and personal memorabilia, the author evokes the world of the designers, seamstresses, manufacturers, and retailers who created the industry and nurtured it from its single-sewing-machine-shop beginnings to an enterprise of international scope and importance and its revival today.
A cool book published by Patagonia! You will probably find a copy for sale at the Patagonia store in Haleiwa on Oahu’s North Shore along with special Hawaii-themed merch only found at this store’s island location.
by Stephan Vanfleteren (2018)
An incomparable photo book about the international surf culture showcasing captivating portraits of some of the world’s surf icons.
With Surf Tribe, photographer Stephan Vanfleteren shows that there is far more to surf culture than just sport and competition. Surfing is also about a deep admiration and respect for the ocean, as well as the feeling of insignificance when confronted with the forces of nature. Surfers use the waves for fun, but also to forget and to battle, both with others and with themselves.
Tropical Flavors
by Thom Gilbert (2019)
In Aloha Kitchen, Alana Kysar takes you into the homes, restaurants, and farms of Hawaiʻi, exploring the cultural and agricultural influences that have made dishes like plate lunch and poke crave-worthy culinary sensations with locals and mainlanders alike. Interweaving regional history, local knowledge, and the aloha spirit, Kysar introduces local Hawaiʻi staples like saimin, loco moco, shave ice, and shoyu chicken, tracing their geographic origin and history on the islands. As a Maui native, Kysar’s roots inform deep insights on Hawaiʻi’s multiethnic culture and food history.
In Aloha Kitchen, she shares recipes that Hawaiʻi locals have made their own, blending cultural influences to arrive at the rich tradition of local Hawaiʻi cuisine. With transporting photography, accessible recipes, and engaging writing, Kysar paints an intimate and enlightening portrait of Hawaiʻi and its cultural heritage.
My favorite Hawaiian cookbook! This makes a great gift for that Hawaii-obsessed person in your life, or for the person who has always wanted to go!
by James Gould-Porter (2018)
Poké (pronounced Po-Keh) means to ‘slice’ or ‘dice’ in Hawaiian but it has evolved to become the Hawaiian staple of sliced raw fish served on rice with many condiments and toppings. James, the author and founder of Island Poké, became hooked on this delicacy as a child on the beach in Maui.
The book includes over 65 recipes including popular poké dishes such as classic Spicy Ahi and Golden Beet with Chile Lime Shoyu and multicultural Pacific Rim inspired dishes such as Sea Bass Crudo, Teriyaki Salmon Chirashi and Baja Poke Tostadas. Famous Luau feasting recipes include Kalua Pork, Pacific Chowder and Huli Huli Chicken. Finally, a chapter showcasing tropical brunches and bakes includes Acai Bowls and zucchini and Pecan Loaf.
by Martin Cate and Rebecca Cate (2016)
Featuring more than 100 delicious recipes (original and historic), plus a groundbreaking new approach to understanding rum, Smuggler’s Cove is the magnum opus of the contemporary tiki renaissance. Whether you’re looking for a new favorite cocktail, tips on how to trick out your home tiki grotto, help stocking your bar with great rums, or inspiration for your next tiki party, Smuggler’s Cove has everything you need to transform your world into a Polynesian Pop fantasia.
Recipes to recreate some of your favorite tropical drinks from your vacation!
by Shannon Mustipher (2019)
Tiki is the endless summer, an instant vacation, a sweet and colorful ticket to paradise with no baggage fees. Romanticized since midcentury but too long overlooked as the province of suburban lodges and family resorts, the tiki cocktail is stepping into its moment with sophisticated spirits lovers, skilled mixologists, and intrepid foodies. In Tiki, Brooklyn-based rum expert Shannon Mustipher brings focus on refreshing flavors, fine spirits, and high-impact easy-to-execute presentation.
Featuring dozens of easy-to-follow recipes present new versions of classic tiki drinks along with original cocktails using quality rums, infused and fat-washed spirits, liqueurs, fresh fruit juices, and homemade syrups.
by Chloe Frechette and editors of PUNCH (2020)
Easy Tiki examines the modern tiki revival offering sixty transporting recipes that re-jigger the classics with minimal ingredients while still maintaining the delicious balance, spices, and stunning garnishes that define tiki cocktails. Drinks include classics such as the Beachcomber’s Gold and Fog Cutter and modern cocktails such as Elusive Dreams and Paradise Lost. Easy Tiki also includes an overview of the origins of the tiki genre, from Don the Beachcomber and the mid-century tiki craze to Trader Vic’s and beyond.
With Easy Tiki it’s easier than ever before to sit back with a Mai Tai or Pearl Diver and enjoy the island life–wherever you are.
Pin for later!
What’s on your bookshelf? Is your favorite on the list? If not, let me know in the comments below so I can check it out and add it to the ever-growing list!
