About the Author:
Author Bill Fernandez was born on the remote Hawaiian island of Kaua'i in 1931, the son of two half-Native Hawaiians. For years his barefoot play with pals from multi-cultural families included making toy guns from branches, a tin canoe from roofing and road tar, and fashioning a fishing spear from fencing and tire rubber, for example. At about age 5, he and a pal searched for Santa Claus in the mountains. There were the usual tussles with his pals. His parents built a large movie theater in town, called Roxy. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, 100 miles away, life on Kaua'i changed dramatically. Fear of invasion led to blackouts, gas masks, the absence of his Japanese-American friends who feared reprisals. Bill experienced years of fear, worry, military rule, and being a go-fer to the GIs who arrived a few months after Pearl Harbor. Few Americans know what that would feel like. Beaches were barb-wired and off-limits ending swimming and fishing. Bill attended Kamehameha Schools for Native Hawaiian children in Honolulu where he excelled, then Stanford University and its Law School. He practiced law in Sunnyvale, CA, where the orchards later turned into Silicon Valley. While there, he served on the City Council and as mayor. Appointed to the Santa Clara County Municipal and Superior Courts, Bill retired after twenty years. Since then, he has turned to writing about life in Hawai'i after returning to Kapa'a and the home his mother bought with her pineapple earnings in the 1920s. The first published book is Rainbows Over Kapa'a, the story of the family movie theater and family history. Two novels from the point of view of the struggling commoner Native Hawaiian from the late 1700s to the late 1800s and the overthrow of the monarchy are in process. A mystery, Cult of Ku, is finished and will be in print soon. Bill gives Hawaiian history and book talks which include an oli (chant) he composed in Hawaiian and a slide show by his wife, Judith, who has provided photographs for the published books as well. Bill was recently appointed to the Juvenile Justice State of Hawai'i Advisory Council and is on the Board of the Kaua'i Historical Society. For further information: www.kauaibillfernandez.com and facebook as Bill Fernandez, Hawaiian Author
From Kirkus Reviews:
“Fernandez’s...autobiographical account of his childhood on a Hawaiian island, from the 1930s to the attack on Pearl Harbor. “Young Bobby, born during the Great Depression, lives on Kaua’i, a Hawaiian island seemingly isolated from the rest of the world. Its multiracial community has its own shared language and poor families share most of their goods. ..The Kaua’i people, with a large Japanese population, have no reason to believe that they’ll be affected by the nearby war—until Dec. 7, 1941...Part I, “Peace”, provides historical descriptions of sugar plantations, pineapple canneries and different island cultures, but the moments when Bobby is simply being a kid are the most memorable. He tries surfing by using an ironing board; makes his own kite using poi...as a paste; and goes in search of Santa Claus, believing that he resides at a nearby mountain...Not surprisingly, most of [his]activities involve water, and the author gives marine life glorious coverage; ...tries his hand at spearfishing, sees a turtle so big that it looks within reach when it’s nowhere close, and does his best to avoid sharks and eels. Part II, “War”, deals mostly with Pearl Harbor and its aftermath—including the widespread fear among Americans that Japanese-Americans...would betray their country. The stories of overt racism have a personal connection, since Bobby has Japanese relatives and friends, but since his Portuguese/Hawaiian family is less directly involved, the book’s second half isn’t quite as profound as the first. But Fernandez depicts engaging tales of innocence and worldly wisdom. For example, when [his] father opens the Roxy Theater, Bobby revels in the fantastical realm of movies, but he also sees his first world news and becomes invested in events in other countries. A fresh take on the 1930s and ‘40s Hawaii, with a story of childhood that will likely resonate with readers of any culture or era.”
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