Readings

Liz Prato combines lyricism, research, and humor to explore her role as a white tourist in a seemingly paradisiacal land that has been largely formed and destroyed by white outsiders. In Volcanoes, Palm Trees, and Privilege (Overcup), Hawaiian history, pop culture, and contemporary affairs are masterfully woven with Prato’s personal narrative of loss and survival in linked essays, offering unique insight into how the touristic ideal of Hawai‘i came to be, and what Hawai‘i is at its core. Prato will be introduced at the event by Karen Karbo, author of In Praise of Difficult Women.