Page Turners

"The Watersmart Garden: 100 Great Plants for the Tropical Xeriscape," by Fred Rauch and Paul Weissich (University of Hawai‘i Press, $24.99): Two top local horticulturists focus on water-efficient gardening in their third book. They provide basic gardening tips, but mostly they focus on the 100 listed plants, which are grouped in categories, from ground cover to low to tall shrubs and medium trees. They also identify which plants are good for lei and what grows in beachy soil.

"Adventurer’s Hawai‘i," by Peter Caldwell (Taote Publishing, $29.95): The second edition of this picture-and-essay book reveals some of the islands’ hidden treasures, accessible only to the most adventurous hiker or kayaker. It takes you off the beaten track, with spectacular photography bringing the travelogues to life.

"Windy City Adman: Celebrities, Studios, Speedways and Scoundrels," by Bill Maloney (Ohana Road Publishing, $14.99): The host of the "Ohana Road" TV show tells of life in advertising, cars and the personalities connected with them in this merry memoir. Maloney, working in Chicago at a time when the city was in hot competition with the "Mad Men" of New York, drops plenty of names as he recounts various misadventures leading up to the development of the local show.

"Making Sense of Micronesia: The Logic of Pacific Island Culture," by Francis X. Hezel (University of Hawai‘i Press, $27): The author, a Jesuit priest who worked in Micronesia for 45 years, provides short vignettes from his experiences there and then provides broader explanations of them. Some of the sensitive topics he discusses are the role of women in society, sexual taboos and, sadly, the high rate of suicide.

"Kuni Ola: Countering Sorcery and Its Roots to Forgiveness," by Malcolm Naea Chun (First People’s Productions, $15.95): In modern times, Hawaiian healing has focused on the use of herbs and plants for medicinal purposes. This volume addresses it in spiritual terms, discussing sorcery and its use for both good and bad. (In traditional Hawaii it was believed possible to pray someone to death.) The author focuses on kahuna Daddy Bray to illuminate his explanations.

"Finding Fat Lady’s Shoe," by Dr. James Y. Hung (self-published, $13.46): This memoir by Hung, a Hawaii resident, details the adventures of a wandering Chinese family during the mid-20th century. Hung went to Hong Kong at age 3 as a refugee from Communist China, lived for a period in Malaysia when his parents found work teaching there, and eventually attended the University of Hawaii.

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“Page Turners” highlights books by Hawaii authors and books about Hawaii or of interest to Hawaii readers. To submit a book for consideration, send a copy and information to Features Department, 500 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. For more information, email books@staradvertiser.com.