The Aloha State

A History of Hawaii

De: Daniel Hardy

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

A sweeping history of the great state of Hawaii.

From ancient Polynesian voyagers navigating by stars to modern debates over sacred mountains, Hawaii's story is one of the most remarkable in American history. In The Aloha State, Daniel Hardy masterfully chronicles seventeen centuries of triumph, tragedy, and transformation in America's island paradise.

This sweeping narrative begins with the first brave souls who crossed thousands of miles of open ocean in double-hulled canoes, guided only by wind, waves, and ancestral knowledge. Hardy brings to life the rise and fall of Hawaiian kingdoms, from the warring chiefs of medieval Hawaii to the legendary Kamehameha I, who united the islands through conquest and diplomacy. Readers will witness Captain Cook's fateful arrival, the dramatic abolition of ancient sacred laws, and the complex arrival of missionaries, whalers, and sugar barons who forever changed island life.

The heart of the book lies in its unflinching examination of Hawaii's most painful chapter—the illegal overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani by American businessmen in 1893. Hardy reveals how a proud sovereign nation was systematically dismantled, leading to annexation, territorial status, and the long road to statehood that wouldn't be achieved until 1959. Through it all, he captures the resilience of Native Hawaiians and the rich tapestry of immigrant communities—Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Portuguese, and others—who built modern Hawaii.

The Aloha State doesn't shy away from contemporary challenges. Hardy explores the environmental costs of mass tourism, ongoing struggles for Native Hawaiian sovereignty, and the delicate balance between preserving cultural identity and embracing progress. From the cultural renaissance sparked by the voyage of the Hōkūle'a to current protests protecting Mauna Kea, this book shows how Hawaii continues to navigate between tradition and modernity.

Drawing on extensive primary sources and Native Hawaiian oral histories, Hardy has crafted both an authoritative historical account and a deeply human story. This is Hawaii beyond the postcards—a complex, beautiful, and sometimes heartbreaking tale of survival, adaptation, and hope that illuminates not just one state's journey, but the broader American experience of cultural collision and evolution.

"A masterful work that brings Hawaii's full story to life with the respect, nuance, and scholarly rigor it deserves."