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Lili'uokalani: A Royal Album
This year, 2017, will be the 100th anniversary of the Queen's passing. This photo album tells her life story. Taking pictures and design from Liliuokalani s own photo albums, filled with what were called carte de visite...left behind after a social call, or exchanged at gatherings, Liliuokalani...A Royal Album follows the seventy-nine years of Liliuokalani s eventful life, which began in her grandfather s grass-thatched hale and ended in Washington Place, her place of refuge in the decades that followed her overthrow. Before that, she had already served as heir to the throne, ruling twice in Kalakaua s absence. Well-educated by stern missionary teachers and naturally inquisitive, she appreciated knowledge for its own sake and proved a benefactor to all with her music and her English translation of the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian Creation Chant revealed in chapter seven. Decade-by-decade Liliuokalani...A Royal Album focuses on both her personal transformation and on the people and events that impacted her and led to the throne and its loss. Buffeted by tempestuous times, she handled herself with the dignity and grace inherent in both her Hawaiian and Victorian selves. She lived to become an icon, her impact surviving the century that's passed since her death.
136 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 15, 2020
The title says it is a photo album and it is, but it is also a serious biography and history. It would have been better to create photo album (as in Chapter 7) or a biography and/or history illustrated with photos (as in Chapters 8-10). Mixing the light and heavy concepts, despite the author's knowledge of events, makes for an uneven book.
In the early chapters some of the history is told in the photo squibs and some in the narrative. Some of the pictures don’t follow the chronology and some have only a tenuous relationship to it, but given that you need the squibs to follow the story, you have to read them all. Things that the reader wants to know can be left hanging. The book, particularly the early part, needs a full edit.
Just to give some examples of the problems: editing (p. 16); a photo album vs. a history (p. 16, 18 & 65); leaving the reader hanging (p.35 & 52); and general organization (p. 65).
On p. 16 beside the portrait is a long squib that mentions 4 people before identifying the person pictured. Also preceding the subject’s identification are the significant events of Kamehamea III's removal from the throne and later restoration. The grammar of the squib says that in watching this, Lili`uokalani (age 11) hoped that when she was overthrown she would be restored too.
On p.18 Timothy Ha’alilio is shown, but he is not woven into the story. The p. 52 the calling cards of The King and Queen of Tahiti are presented album-style, but their attire (naked from the waist up) has no explanation.
On p.35 after 2 paragraphs on the marriage of Lili`uokalani to John Donimus it says that the wedding was postponed due to the death of the “Prince of Hawaii”. Never naming Prince Albert’s father (Kamehameha IV) it says “The loss of his son, and of a friend he critically injured in a moment of anger, left the king beyond comfort.” Did the King kill someone in a “moment of anger”? There is no explanation.
On p. 65 in the middle of material relating to King Kalakau's inauguration and extravagant spending and Liliuokalani’s hanai (adopted) children, 2/3 of a page is devoted to Hansen’s disease (leprosy).
Chapter 7 is the only chapter that really works as a photographic album. It shows the role of music in the queen’s life and gives examples of her musical compositions.
Chapters 8, 9 and 10 work as a history through biography documented by photos. Here the text holds together, the photos are mostly relevant and most are reasonably placed. Unlike the earlier parts of this book, a general reader with little exposure to Hawaiian history can understand the “hows’ and “whys” of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy from this text.
I recommend this book for its collection of photos and the chapter on Lili`uokalini's music. The chapters that summarize her ascendance to the throne and later overthrow and her life after the monarchy can be helpful for those who don't know this history.
In the early chapters some of the history is told in the photo squibs and some in the narrative. Some of the pictures don’t follow the chronology and some have only a tenuous relationship to it, but given that you need the squibs to follow the story, you have to read them all. Things that the reader wants to know can be left hanging. The book, particularly the early part, needs a full edit.
Just to give some examples of the problems: editing (p. 16); a photo album vs. a history (p. 16, 18 & 65); leaving the reader hanging (p.35 & 52); and general organization (p. 65).
On p. 16 beside the portrait is a long squib that mentions 4 people before identifying the person pictured. Also preceding the subject’s identification are the significant events of Kamehamea III's removal from the throne and later restoration. The grammar of the squib says that in watching this, Lili`uokalani (age 11) hoped that when she was overthrown she would be restored too.
On p.18 Timothy Ha’alilio is shown, but he is not woven into the story. The p. 52 the calling cards of The King and Queen of Tahiti are presented album-style, but their attire (naked from the waist up) has no explanation.
On p.35 after 2 paragraphs on the marriage of Lili`uokalani to John Donimus it says that the wedding was postponed due to the death of the “Prince of Hawaii”. Never naming Prince Albert’s father (Kamehameha IV) it says “The loss of his son, and of a friend he critically injured in a moment of anger, left the king beyond comfort.” Did the King kill someone in a “moment of anger”? There is no explanation.
On p. 65 in the middle of material relating to King Kalakau's inauguration and extravagant spending and Liliuokalani’s hanai (adopted) children, 2/3 of a page is devoted to Hansen’s disease (leprosy).
Chapter 7 is the only chapter that really works as a photographic album. It shows the role of music in the queen’s life and gives examples of her musical compositions.
Chapters 8, 9 and 10 work as a history through biography documented by photos. Here the text holds together, the photos are mostly relevant and most are reasonably placed. Unlike the earlier parts of this book, a general reader with little exposure to Hawaiian history can understand the “hows’ and “whys” of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy from this text.
I recommend this book for its collection of photos and the chapter on Lili`uokalini's music. The chapters that summarize her ascendance to the throne and later overthrow and her life after the monarchy can be helpful for those who don't know this history.
January 4, 2021
I picked this book up on my way back home from Oahu. The beautiful landscape, fresh sun kissed skies, native people is like nothing I have ever experienced. I felt so much love and culture flowing through this place I had to take a piece with me home. And I'm so glad I did. Lili'uokalani: A Royal Album documents the life of a powerful multi talented queen with deep native Hawaiian roots, a short reign, but a lasting impression that is present in Hawaii til this day. This book also talks about the United States forcible acquisition of Hawaii and how long that battle lasted. I read it all on the ride home. This is definitely a good read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews