The Gifts of Civilization: Germs and Genocide in Hawaii

This book is a fascinating academic collection of essays about post-contact Hawaii's history in the context of health and medicine. Although a bit admittedly biased, the Kahunas are definitely not romanticized in this book. The constant reference to anecdotal quotes or comments from critical westerners about Hawaii's traditional beliefs and Kahunas got old sometimes. I especially enjoyed the rare quotes from his references that I would never be able to find. Bushnell tries to present a balanced historical look at old Hawaii's medicine and health. It is a great reference and very readable.