Beach Reading: Honolulu by Alan Brennert

I was given this book to read by my mother-in-law: Honolulu, by Alan Brennert. It is set in 1914, about a "picture bride" from Korea who moves to Oahu to marry and start a new life. Unfortunately, neither Oahu nor her husband are the picture of paradise she was promised...and well, I'll let you read the rest.  It centers around a fictional character, surrounded by real facts. The author tells a compelling story, and paints a beautiful picture with vivid descriptions of what Oahu was like back then, and if you've been to Honolulu, you'll recognize many of the street names, parks and other landmarks sprinkled into the text.  It would make the perfect book to read on the beaches of Waikiki and will likely inspire a little do-it-yourself tour of the island.  I, for one, can't wait to check out Iwilei and try to imagine what it was like back then :)