J. Arthur Rath III, who has published many articles in Hawaii Reporter over the several months, has compiled his stories about life in Hawaii and heroic people in the islands, into a book entitled Slices of Life in Hawaii, Volume 1.
His first book signing will be on Saturday, July 31, 2010 from 2 to 3 p.m. at BookEnds in the Kailua Shopping Center, (600 Kailua Road, phone 261-1996).
The Aiea resident who has authored several books has an a inimitable writing style. His newest title offers 65 essays and poems that take the reader inside old and contemporary Hawaii.
Featured are childhood stories of Waianae’s Colleen Hanabusa and Linda and Nola Nahulu; remembrances by Nanakuli’s David Kaahaaina and Kailua’s Terry Plunkett; and insights by the late Don Ho.
Famous Kailua entrepreneur Wally Amos explains how and why he became a dedicated advocate for reading. The subjects vary widely from the author’s pure-Hawaiian friends, fishermen, sugar plantation life, Oktoberfest in Waikiki, to Chinese opera music, war heroes, and nuclear submarines.
These are just some of the subjects, luminaries, and everyday heroes presented with verve and authenticity.
J. Arthur Rath III is the grandson of James Arthur Rath, founder of Palama Settlement, and is a descendant of the Lyman Hawaiian missionary family.
A graduate of Kamehameha Schools and a member of its alumni Hall of Fame, Rath has authored several books, most recently Lost Generations: A Boy, a School, a Princess and Thy Boys: Hamilton College Stories.
He was prominent in the U.S. public relations and consumer affairs fields for 40 years, and taught at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications for 25 years.
He is currently writing a series of imaginative books entitled Being Menehune.