Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen

"The history of America's fiftieth state is by no means less absorbing than that of any of the other forty-nine--and in no way less dramatic. No matter in what form it is set down--in native Hawaiian legendry, in novels that employ it as background, or in straightforward factual reporting--it is colorful and often exotic and sometimes tragic as well. Among its most poignant episodes are those that immediately preceded the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States--the episodes that marked the decline and fall of a kingdom that had existed for hundreds of years. It is appropriate that these events should be viewed through the eyes of Hawaii's last monarch, Liliuokalani, who records them in the pages of [this book]. Her book, long out of print and now once more available after many years, is essentially a plea for the preservation of her kingdom. It is also a portrayal of the life and customs of 19th-century Hawaii--and, incidentally, of the United States and Europe--seen through the shrewd and observant eyes of an internationally famous person who was basically a sympathetic and understanding woman. Again, it is a compelling account of the last years of a monarchy that was inexorably swept along toward democracy. Told with pride in, and love for, her royal predecessors as well as her people, the facts of the queen's story do not differ from those of other writers and historians of the era, but her presentation, naturally enough, is colored by her deep affection and loyalty. Liliuokalani would have been an outstanding person in any age, in any country. What is most amazing about her is that a woman of Victorian times, born and educated in a tiny Pacific island kingdom at the time when its written language was less than twenty years old, could attain such a level of knowledge, understanding, and accomplishment. The answer is undoubtedly the combination of her natural intelligence, her eagerness to learn, her deeply religious zeal, and her sympathy and love for her subjects. Now that Hawaii has taken its place among the States, Liliuokalani's story is part of the American heritage, and it deserves to be more widely known. It is therefore a pleasure to bring it to the attention of readers once again, presenting it in a complete and unabridged reprint of the original and at the same time supplying an introductory note and selected bibliography designed for those who wish to know more about the life and history of America's youngest state."--Dust jacket.