A L O H A !
Alan Brennert,
by me :)
There are recognized artists,
who remain humble even while enjoying best seller(s),
the laurels, and the rewards that success brings.
They feel, perhaps, a responsibility to their muse &
a mission to carry the torch with some purpose greater than
their own egos.
They remain alert to the struggling beginner
for whom a kind word is like winning a prestigious award.
No need to lie, a mere friendly acknowledgement
will satisfy the hobbyist,
feed and fire up the true & lonely journeyman.
Such an artist is author Alan Brennert.
A while back I blogged a review of Alan Brennert'sMolokai a novel that haunts me still with it's successful alchemy of research, skill, & magic.
(You can look at that review here)
Well, out of the blue, Mr. Brennert was kind enough to
send me a friendly e-mail graciously thanking me for the
review! His book is already HUGE, and he's on to the next
ones. He didn't have to do that. He wrote that my little
Hawaii novel, Aloha Where You Like Go?
and this blog,
looked "interesting" and invited me to meet him
here in Honolulu during the promotional tour of his
follow up, Honolulu.
That's when I took the picture of him at top.
A
Later, he sent me the link to the interview below
in which he kindly quoted something
I had said to him when we met:
A:One of the aspects of your writing I love best is your ability to cover a wide scope of time through a collection of moments with emotional poignancy. You are one of the few authors who can make a novel feel like it spans an entire life without leaving out anything of significance. Can you articulate your philosophy of writing?
AB: I can’t say I have a conscious philosophy other than that the story should be both historically and emotionally true. I don’t bend history to accommodate the plot nor do I have my characters behave in a way that isn’t true to themselves just to advance the story. And in Moloka’i and Honolulu I also strived to be—in the words of my friend, Honolulu writer Cloudia Charters—“Hawai’i true,” that is, accurate in depicting Hawaiian culture, society, and traditions.. (source HERE)
Yesterday, Alan kindly sent me the link to the web page below that mentions both of us. . . as if we were in the same category or something! Alan is the real deal. He produces great books with absorbing characters set in complex environments that he researches deeply. If you can't visit us in Hawaii, you can feel as if you are here by immersing yourself in his best selling novels.
Knowing Alan and reading his books have proven to me that "best seller" doesn't have to mean middle of the road pablum.
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Do you enjoy fiction books about Hawaii? I just finished Honolulu by Alan Brennert. It's a time piece following 4 picture brides and their lives from Korea to Oahu and spans about 60 years. I loved it. I had previously read Molokai by the same author and enjoyed that very much as well. I also enjoy Kiana Davenport's books...though I set aside Song of the Exile and then moved-so I need to go through some pretty big boxes to locate it-but I'm on a roll-so I think I'll do that. If you haven't read Shark Dialogues-this really is her premier piece. Start there. I also enjoyed a really light read while on Oahu this past year called Aloha, Where you like go? About a woman who moves to the BI following her boyfriend and eventually lands in Oahu and drives a taxi. This one is a little graphic-but heartwarming never the less. I also enjoyed the Chicken Soup for a Hawaiian Soul and the Glen Grant ghost stories...but to be honest-I almost did want to return to Oahu after reading some of the stories...talk about chicken skin. Please add your favorite authors and books about the Hawaiian Islands. I need a fix. |
