Spooky Season Reads

Located in one of the most isolated places on the earth, thousands of miles from the nearest landmass, the area surrounding the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was created by violent earthquakes and fiery volcanic eruptions. Shrouded in ancient myth and legend, the park's history dates back to a time before the Hawaiians first arrived. It was a time when gods and goddesses roamed throughout these islands; the most famous, the fierce goddess of the volcanoes, Pele, is believed to live here still. It took a decade of lobbying efforts to finally preserve this unique area as Volcanoes National Park. Since 1916, not only has this area been a national park for all to experience, but also the scientific advances due to the ability to constantly monitor the volcanic activity here has had a huge impact on the science of volcanology, understanding earthquakes, and creating an early warning system for tsunamis.

In 1886, five men met at San Francisco's luxurious Baldwin Hotel to discuss a most profitable business: opium smuggling. The exploits of Will Whaley and his partners became the stuff of legend, with tales of landing contraband on deserted shores by the light of the moon, voyages across the Pacific, typhoons and shipwrecks. Their co-conspirator was the notorious Halcyon, a schooner that novelist Jack London once admiringly wrote "sailed like a witch." Despite the danger, betrayals and mysterious deaths, their success inspired copycats and competitors alike, eager to cash in on the lucrative drug trade. Join author and career law enforcement agent John Madinger as he recounts the incredible story of America's first organized drug trafficking ring.

Home of luaus and surfing, the islands of Hawai'i have been riding a wave of beer making in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The last state in the Union has not been last in creating amazing beers full of the Aloha Spirit. Like the people who settled all over Polynesia, Hawai'i's beer brewers have been dreamers, adventurers and pioneers. From Captain James Cook's emergency beer that nearly inspired a mutiny in 1778 to today's explosion of celebrated craft breweries, the unique geography and culture make the islands a true beer lover's paradise. Join brewer Paul Kan on an adventure through the history of beer making in a tropical wonderland.