This line from from a song sung by Mariah Carey completely describes the author’s passion for Maui, the greatest place on earth. This led to 200 interviews and 100,000 words column in Voices of Aloha on Magical Maui offers an enjoyable look at some 60 remarkable people for visitors and lovers of Maui. To truly know Maui is to learn of its people.
In 2003, curious about Hawaiian culture, wanting to know more about the people who live here, I began writing a column in Lahaina News. I call this my career bookends. Beginning after college as a journalist for Business Week in Chicago, in 1962 I interviewed and wrote about people like Martin Luther King and many titans of business.
I left journalism for 40 years, holding a variety of positions in the public relations field.. Then as the ending part of the bookend I returned to journalism by writing the popular column offering insights on this place rarely presented.
My wife and I fell in love with Hawaii on our honeymoon.in 1969, so much we traveled on vacation to Maui for 27 years before becoming full-time residents in 2001.
I showed my passion each year the day before returning by listening to two songs: “I Am Going to Maui Tomorrow” and “Oh What a Feeling from Flashdance played at the highest possible volume This was this passion that led me to write about Maui in order to know more about the culture, Hawaiians and the people.
Over the course of 10 years I wrote 200 columns 60 of the best included my fourth book. The journey has been an ever higher learning curve.
The last few years in an awards program sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists, Honolulu my column won honors twice as one of the top ones in the state. Writing news for the paper, I was also named one of the top independent journalists in Hawaii.
Over 10 years I wrote of monarchs, missionaries and sugar barons. There is fascination in these stories and recognition that Hawaiian monarchs were the most progressive that ever walked on this earth. There is fascination in how they unified the islands and lost their kingdom. These stories are rarely told these days in concise form.
Two things you never think about when writing a book is you will be asked to autograph it. Also, when you write a column that includes your picture, strangers will often say Aloha Norm on the Ka’anapali beach path.
This is an indication that more than 200 interviews and writing an amazing 100,000 words makes it all worthwhile.
Magical Maui. Ocean..Beaches. Azure Sky. Sunsets. Activities. Yet Maui is more. My book which you can purchase here, Voices of Aloha on Magical Maui from award-winning writer Norm Bezane tells the life stories of remarkable people of aloha past and present. Here you will read ofthe passion, the true meaning of aloha and the lives of some 60 truly fascinating people some shown below from the best of 200 of columns in Lahaina News.
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the bartender who has made 400,000 mai tais…
the ultimate visitors…
the honeymooners…
the Morning Goddess…
the hostess/surfer who posed for Playboy…
the hula instructor who shows how hula is learned…
the slack key master Grammy winner…
the pop artist…
colorful characters…
the amazing monarchs who united the islands…
the queen-composer who loved George Washington and America who lost her kingdom to America.Some 60 stories.
And you will learn about the true meanings of aloha and why people like the author are so passionate about this place.
Each short, enjoyable story from an award-winning journalist will set the stage for your visit and provide answers to the curious who marvel at our aloha and customs.
PURCHASE ON AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/s?k=voices+of+aloha+on+magical+maui
Voices of Aloha on Magical Maui the Book 