Hawaii: The Sugar-Coated Fortress

Hawaii: The Sugar-Coated Fortress examines life in Hawaii during the early 1960s, focusing on the social and economic dynamics of the sugar industry. The book offers an outsider's perspective through extensive research and on-the-ground reporting. Gray documents the complex relationships between plantation owners, workers, unions, and local communities during a period of significant change. The narrative moves between different islands and social classes, creating a snapshot of Hawaii at the cusp of statehood. The book covers the sugar industry's influence on Hawaii's politics, culture, and racial dynamics through interviews and observations. Labor disputes and union activities feature prominently in the text alongside descriptions of daily life in plantation communities. Through this portrait of Hawaii, Gray explores themes of colonialism, economic power, and cultural identity in America's newest state. The work raises questions about the nature of progress and the cost of industrial development in paradise.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Francine du Plessix Gray's overall work: Readers appreciate Gray's thorough research and ability to weave historical detail with personal narrative, particularly in "Them: A Memoir of Parents." On Goodreads, multiple readers note her skill at depicting complex family relationships without sentimentality. Readers value her direct writing style and cultural insights. One Amazon reviewer wrote of "At Home with the Marquis de Sade": "Gray presents historical figures as real people, not just names in textbooks." Common criticisms include pacing issues and occasional detail overload. Some readers of "Soviet Women" found the narrative structure fragmented. A Goodreads reviewer noted: "The wealth of information sometimes overwhelms the storytelling." Ratings across platforms: - "Them: A Memoir of Parents": 4.0/5 on Goodreads (1,200+ ratings), 4.2/5 on Amazon - "At Home with the Marquis de Sade": 3.8/5 on Goodreads (800+ ratings) - "Soviet Women": 3.7/5 on Goodreads (150+ ratings) - "World Without End": 3.6/5 on Goodreads (90+ ratings)

Paradise of the Pacific by Barbara Drazen Shoffner This chronicle traces Hawaii's transformation from indigenous kingdom to American territory through the lens of missionaries, traders, and colonial powers.

Shoal of Time by Gavan Daws The political and social history of Hawaii unfolds through accounts of land ownership changes, cultural conflicts, and economic development from ancient times through statehood.

Lost Kingdom by Julia Flynn Siler The story of Hawaii's last queen illuminates the complex relationships between native Hawaiians, American business interests, and missionary descendants during the overthrow of the monarchy.

Sugar in the Blood by Andrea Stuart This exploration of Barbados' sugar plantation history reveals parallels to Hawaii's sugar industry and its impact on social structures, labor relations, and colonial power.

Islands of History by Marshall Sahlins The examination of Hawaiian cultural practices and their collision with Western influences provides context for understanding Hawaii's colonial transformation.

🌺 Written in 1972, this exposé revealed how just five corporations controlled 96% of Hawaii's sugar production and wielded enormous political influence over the islands. 🌺 Author Francine du Plessix Gray was a renowned journalist and cultural critic who fled Nazi-occupied France as a child before becoming a staff writer at The New Yorker. 🌺 The book's title references how Hawaii's idyllic tourist image masked the reality of an economy dominated by what locals called "The Big Five" sugar companies. 🌺 Hawaii's sugar industry employed a complex hierarchy of workers, deliberately recruiting different ethnic groups to prevent labor unity and maintain control over the workforce. 🌺 The sugar plantations fundamentally transformed Hawaii's landscape, diverting 75% of the islands' water resources and converting vast areas of native ecosystems into sugarcane fields.