No Mākou ka Mana

This book goes into detail you can't find in any other book, with Beamer assembling an unmatched collection of primary source material to provide an incredible view of the formation and evolution of the Hawaiian nation, starting with King Kamehameha and continuing to US annexation. The statecraft laid out here is fascinating, demonstrating how Hawaiian rulers deftly interacted with international political forces and engaged in modernization and legitimation techniques to solidify control over the archipelago. The one blemish is that Beamer is extremely uncritical of these rulers, with the whitewashing of Hawaiian land reform standing out as particularly egregious. Regardless, this book should be known as the standard entry point to Hawaiian history. Highly recommend