Ka'a'awa: A novel about Hawaii in the 1850s

by O.A Bushnell

Book by Bushnell, O. A

506 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Stephanie Launiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a masterpiece by O.A. Bushnell. I'm not sure someone who knows nothing about Hawai'i would enjoy this book, but for those who know some of Hawai'i's history and are familiar with its language and people, this book is a must read. Bushnell's intimate knowledge of Hawai'i is evident throughout the book. Especially impressive is his description of the land on O'ahu island, and the Ko'olaupoko and Ko'olauloa areas. The plot of the story is a little uncertain as Hiram Nihoa starts out on his round-the-island trip for Kamehameha III. But at the end, Bushnell ties up all of the loose ends and it all makes sense. This book immersed me into Hawai'i of the 19th century with a realism that made me glad I didn't have to stay there.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinion, Bushnell had more than enough material for a book in his imagining of Hiram Nihoa's journey around the windward side of O'ahu and the sobering events that he witnesses there. Bushnell is a fine writer, able to pull off the difficult trick of weaving together the disparate threads of travel narrative and threnody. I sense that he felt compelled to go beyond this feat by introducing an element of psychological complexity in the story of Saul Bristol. In the end, I think Bushnell tried to do too much in this novel.

[Leilehua Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished "Kaʻaʻawa," by O.A. Bushnell.

If you can find a copy, get it. Read it. It is masterfully written. Bushnell was a microbiologist and medical historian, and wrote fiction as a hobby. When others were trying to eradicate pidgin, he was a strong proponent for writing in our local vernacular.

The first half of the book is written from the viewpoint of a fictional character who is a contemporary of our great Hawaiian writers, such as ʻIʻi. Bushnell's text show that he was intimately familiar with the writing style.

Of course, I do not agree with all he has written, but that is more a matter of interpretation than of basic fact.

If you can find a copy of "Kaʻaʻawa," I strongly recommend you read it. In the phrasing and cadence of his prose, I heard the voices of my kūpuna and saw the landscapes that they loved.