Unfamiliar Fishes

In Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell traces the history of Hawaii from the arrival of the missionaries, to the takeover of the monarchy in 1898.

Much of this history was already familiar to me, yet Vowell shed new light on parts of the story. It is not an unbiased telling, and even when I agreed with her, I often felt her opinions were expressed a bit too strongly in the book.

It's an entertaining and though-provoking read that gives insight into what many Hawaiians still consider the illegal takeover of their home and land.