Captive Paradise: A History of Hawaii

Description

The most recent state to join the union, Hawaii is the only one to have once
been a royal kingdom. After its “discovery” by Captain Cook in the late 18th
Century, Hawaii was fought over by European powers determined to take
advantage of its position as the crossroads of the Pacific. The arrival of the
first missionaries marked the beginning of the struggle between a native
culture with its ancient gods, sexual libertinism and rites of human
sacrifice, and the rigid values of the Calvinists. While Hawaii’s royal rulers
adopted Christianity, they also fought to preserve their ancient ways. But the
success of the ruthless American sugar barons sealed their fate and in 1893,
the American Marines overthrew Lili’uokalani, the last queen of Hawaii. 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. Read more

Features:

Product Details:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (December 8, 2015)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250070392
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 95
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.9 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.7 x 1.15 x 8.15 inches
• Best Sellers Rank: #78,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #11 in Oceania History #144 in Native American History (Books) #788 in U.S. State & Local History
• #11 in Oceania History
• #144 in Native American History (Books)