I read Moloka'i a few months ago. I thought it was worth reading because the story is written from the point of view of those people who were sent as lepers to Moloka'i at the end of the 19th century, and the struggles they faced. It also touched on the history of how Hawaii became the 50th state of the US, although that was sketchy. It got kind of 'soap boxy', and I couldn't bring myself to believe the story of several of the characters, but I don't regret reading the book. Moloka'i might be a good book club selection. I hope you enjoy it!

A friend of mine made a visit there a few years back. She said the guided tour was absoltuely fascinating, if you ever get a chance to go. I remember her hearing about the book but not sure if she read it. I'll check (welcome btw!)

I haven't read this book, but there is a section in James Michener's book Hawaii that deals with the lepers on Molokai. There is also a book either about or called Father Damien about the priest who went to work with them, caught the disease, and died there.

I do recall that Michener did a good job of describing life on Molokai.

It got kind of 'soap boxy'thyrkas, that's a good way of putting it. My main problem, I think, with Brennert's book is it's fiction; albeit well-researched, it's still fiction and rather simplistic in its historical view. I guess that's okay for spurring interest, but rather dissatisfying for readers who already know about Kalaupapa.

I much prefer the nonfiction accounts: The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai and some of the memoirs, such as Henry Kalalahilimoku Nalaielua's No Footprints in the Sand.

The former leprosarium is eerily beautiful -- it's hard to fathom the suffering in such a setting, often as not unnecessary because Hansen's Disease never was as contagious as it was once thought to be and, of course, can be treated nowadays. A note: Molaka'i is part of Maui County, but the Kalaupapa peninsula is a separate county (Kalawao) and many former residents of "the colony" have chosen to live out their lives there.

Thanks, friedag, for the info, and also for the two titles of non-fiction accounts of life on Moloka'i.
I have read a little bit about Dr Paul Brand, an orthopedist, who made leprosy the focus of his professional life, and was a pioneer in treating the disease.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.tlm-ni.org/Brand.htm

If you are interested in this topic, I would recommend The Pearl Diver (Talarigo). It takes place in Japan, not Hawaii. I'll be checking out Moloka'i.

To clarify, Dr Brand's work in the field of leprosy was not in Hawaii, but in south India, and then in the state of Louisiana in the US.

I've read Moloka'i, as well as The Pearl Diver. Both were pretty good, I thought. I wasn't quite as impressed with the writing style of Moloka'i; in a way, I thought it read like a newspaper article rather than a novel. But it was still an interesting read, and I would recommend it. It was a book club choice for one of my book clubs, and many members loved it.

Kelly