Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawai'i: Stories of Aloha to Create Paradise Wherever You Are

This book was a very accurate description of the heart and soul of Hawaii,the Aloha. I could just about smell the beautifull flowers and see the rainbows. Hawaii is truely a magical and spiritual place and I felt reading this that I was transported back to the islands on a mini vacation.I didnt want to finish the book as I was so connected to the peacefull emotions I had when I was there. I recommend this for anyone who has visited or has dreamed of going there.

IF YOU HAVE EVER TRAVELED TO HAWAII AND LEFT YOUR HEART THERE AS YOU RETURNED HOME, THIS BOOK WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR HEART. THE STORYS ARE FULL OF THE TRUE ALOHA SPIRIT. THE KINDNESS OF THE PEOPLE, THEIR PASSIONS, THEIR HISTORY AND THEIR LOVE OF LIFE. YOU CAN ALMOST SMELL THE OCEAN, THE MOUNTAINS AND THE FLOWERS. ONCE AGAIN YOU WILL FEEL THE SOFT GENTLE TRADE WINDS CARESSING YOUR HEART MAHALO.....

I bought this book because I had read co-author Sharon Linnea's fascinating book on Princess Kaiulani, the girl who would have become Queen of Hawaii. I loved Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii so much that I have given it to all my friends. People who have lived in Hawaii thanked me because the book has caught the authentic aloha spirit. Friends who read it before going to Hawaii for a vacation discovered it to be a better introduction to the Hawaiian culture and way of life than the guide books they had read. One friend who has never been to Hawaii and never expects to go lost sleep because she stayed up all night reading the book because the stories are so unique, warm and inspiring.

Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii is a wonderful book. I have lived in Hawaii for 20 years, and I still learned so much about Hawaii. Reading this book is like taking a tour of the Hawaiian islands. This book has stories by celebrities like Kelly Preston and Bo Derek, but I enjoyed the stories about the local legends and regular people more. One story that sticks out is about the legendary swimmer and surfer Duke Kahanamoku who designed and popularized the first aloha shirts in the 1930's. I was also inspired by the story of Hao Dang who found freedom in Hawaii after spending 3 months on the ocean and living in a Thai refugee camp. Today this young woman supervises 150 employees as a director of housekeeping for 2 of the biggest hotels on the Big Island. I was enjoyed the contributions of local entertainer Nalani Olds who submitted an interesting story about the history of the Royal Hawaiian Band. Olds also submitted a story about a former prison inmate who turned his life around to become a counselor. I loved the inspirational story of Kanalu Young who was paralyzed in a swimming accident as a teenager. He went on to earn a doctorate in history. He is now a professor of Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawaii I enjoyed reading about the story of Angela Perez Baraquio who became the first Asian to win Miss America in the pageant's 80 year history. This book is also very educational. I only knew 3 Hawaiian words before reading this book. I learned many more Hawaiian words like Lokahi which means unity and H'ookipa which means to interact or share. Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii is entertaining, informative and inspirational. I enjoyed it very much.

I just purchased this book today and have already read two stories. What a warm and wonderful book!! I loved it! There are so many touching, small kid time, heartwarming stories, you can't help but feel the warmth of aloha from Hawaii. Sit back, grab a beach towel and read on....