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The Colony: The Harrowing True Story Of The Exiles Of Molokai
In the bestselling tradition of In the Heart of the Sea , The Colony , “an impressively researched” ( Rocky Mountain News ) account of the history of America’s only leper colony located on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, is “an utterly engrossing look at a heartbreaking chapter” ( Booklist ) in American history and a moving tale of the extraordinary people who endured it.
Beginning in 1866 and continuing for over a century, more than eight thousand people suspected of having leprosy were forcibly exiled to the Hawaiian island of Molokai -- the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Torn from their homes and families, these men, women, and children were loaded into shipboard cattle stalls and abandoned in a lawless place where brutality held sway. Many did not have leprosy, and many who did were not contagious, yet all were ensnared in a shared nightmare.
Here, for the first time, John Tayman reveals the complete history of the Molokai settlement and its unforgettable inhabitants. It's an epic of ruthless manhunts, thrilling escapes, bizarre medical experiments, and tragic, irreversible error. Carefully researched and masterfully told, The Colony is a searing tale of individual bravery and extraordinary survival, and stands as a testament to the power of faith, compassion, and the human spirit.
Beginning in 1866 and continuing for over a century, more than eight thousand people suspected of having leprosy were forcibly exiled to the Hawaiian island of Molokai -- the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Torn from their homes and families, these men, women, and children were loaded into shipboard cattle stalls and abandoned in a lawless place where brutality held sway. Many did not have leprosy, and many who did were not contagious, yet all were ensnared in a shared nightmare.
Here, for the first time, John Tayman reveals the complete history of the Molokai settlement and its unforgettable inhabitants. It's an epic of ruthless manhunts, thrilling escapes, bizarre medical experiments, and tragic, irreversible error. Carefully researched and masterfully told, The Colony is a searing tale of individual bravery and extraordinary survival, and stands as a testament to the power of faith, compassion, and the human spirit.
421 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2006
About the author
John Tayman
5 books17 followersJohn Tayman is the author of the nonfiction bestseller The Colony, which was a No. 1 BookSense Pick, and an Editor’s Pick by The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, and NPR.
In 2011, Tayman founded the award-winning digital publishing company Byliner, which published thirty-two bestsellers by authors such as Jon Krakauer, Amy Tan, Margaret Atwood, and Nick Hornby. Byliner was acquired in 2016 by Macmillan publishers.
In 2011, Tayman founded the award-winning digital publishing company Byliner, which published thirty-two bestsellers by authors such as Jon Krakauer, Amy Tan, Margaret Atwood, and Nick Hornby. Byliner was acquired in 2016 by Macmillan publishers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
July 17, 2016
I'd been wanting to read this book ever since I first heard about it after reading Moloka'i by Alan Brennert a few years ago. In preparation for a trip to Hawaii, I figured this was a good time to check it out.
It tells the story of Hansen's disease (or leprosy, as it used to be called, and still is in many parts of the world) and its emergence in Hawaii, and the subsequent exile of sufferers to a remote peninsula on the island of Moloka'i. There is a large focus on the history, and particularly on the adminstration and management of the settlement throughout time. Of course, the residents of Kalaupapa (the town on Moloka'i) are also described throughout the book, but it didn't seem as if the main focus was on them.
The history is completely infuriating and certainly depressing, as we learn what people are capable of and do to other people. I guess I can say I'm not surprised by it, though I did have to put the book down a couple times and back away for a bit. The strength of the residents throughout the indignities they suffer is something to look up to. I don't know if I could be that strong.
I think this is an important book to read if you are interested in this disease or even the history of reactions to medical issues. But it should be noted that there has been controversy in reaction to its publication. The last part of the book focuses on a few residents of Kalaupapa who are (or were?) still alive when Tayman was writing it. He interviewed a few of them extensively and even included quotes from some of their own books and writings within this book. However, apparently they objected to how they were portrayed and have accused the author of plagiarism as well. In addition, some Hawaiian historians have said that there are several inaccuracies and liberties taken with many of the facts (dates, spellings, etc.) and stories (sensationalism) presented in the book. Because of these reasons, the book is not sold at Kalaupapa National Historical Park.
Maui News has an extensive article on this that is worth reading. This NYT article also covers the issue.
I'm not sure how to react to those things. In my reading, I felt that the author was certainly sensitive to the residents' plight and suffering. I don't feel as if he patronized or condescended to them. Then again, I don't have the disease and I haven't lived through what they have.
It seems that there are a lot more critiques these days of these kinds of sweeping historical books. History is a tough thing to write about - there are always many sides of the story, even when certain things are fact. And of course, you can only base it on what records survive, in addition to fallible human memory. Not to mention the adage, history is written by the winners.
The other thing that was part of the controversy was the residents objecting to being called lepers, because of the negative connotations associated with the term. However, I was recently reading something (which I'll have to try and dig up and update this review for the source) in which someone who had suffered from the disease said that they wanted to, in effect, take back the word and not distance themselves from it, because of its history and the need to own it. So even that's difficult, as, of course, different people will have different reactions.
I should also note here that Hansen's disease, leprosy, is completely curable now. However, there are still many people suffering in places like South and Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa, because of lack of infrastructure and - I would guess - money to help eradicate it. And the stigma still exists which means leper colonies do as well, sadly. All of this for a disease that is very noncontagious, is curable, and to which 95% of the world's population is immune.
We humans are a fantastic bunch, aren't we?
It tells the story of Hansen's disease (or leprosy, as it used to be called, and still is in many parts of the world) and its emergence in Hawaii, and the subsequent exile of sufferers to a remote peninsula on the island of Moloka'i. There is a large focus on the history, and particularly on the adminstration and management of the settlement throughout time. Of course, the residents of Kalaupapa (the town on Moloka'i) are also described throughout the book, but it didn't seem as if the main focus was on them.
The history is completely infuriating and certainly depressing, as we learn what people are capable of and do to other people. I guess I can say I'm not surprised by it, though I did have to put the book down a couple times and back away for a bit. The strength of the residents throughout the indignities they suffer is something to look up to. I don't know if I could be that strong.
I think this is an important book to read if you are interested in this disease or even the history of reactions to medical issues. But it should be noted that there has been controversy in reaction to its publication. The last part of the book focuses on a few residents of Kalaupapa who are (or were?) still alive when Tayman was writing it. He interviewed a few of them extensively and even included quotes from some of their own books and writings within this book. However, apparently they objected to how they were portrayed and have accused the author of plagiarism as well. In addition, some Hawaiian historians have said that there are several inaccuracies and liberties taken with many of the facts (dates, spellings, etc.) and stories (sensationalism) presented in the book. Because of these reasons, the book is not sold at Kalaupapa National Historical Park.
Maui News has an extensive article on this that is worth reading. This NYT article also covers the issue.
I'm not sure how to react to those things. In my reading, I felt that the author was certainly sensitive to the residents' plight and suffering. I don't feel as if he patronized or condescended to them. Then again, I don't have the disease and I haven't lived through what they have.
It seems that there are a lot more critiques these days of these kinds of sweeping historical books. History is a tough thing to write about - there are always many sides of the story, even when certain things are fact. And of course, you can only base it on what records survive, in addition to fallible human memory. Not to mention the adage, history is written by the winners.
The other thing that was part of the controversy was the residents objecting to being called lepers, because of the negative connotations associated with the term. However, I was recently reading something (which I'll have to try and dig up and update this review for the source) in which someone who had suffered from the disease said that they wanted to, in effect, take back the word and not distance themselves from it, because of its history and the need to own it. So even that's difficult, as, of course, different people will have different reactions.
I should also note here that Hansen's disease, leprosy, is completely curable now. However, there are still many people suffering in places like South and Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa, because of lack of infrastructure and - I would guess - money to help eradicate it. And the stigma still exists which means leper colonies do as well, sadly. All of this for a disease that is very noncontagious, is curable, and to which 95% of the world's population is immune.
We humans are a fantastic bunch, aren't we?
January 4, 2018
home audio. I wonder if the author is more used to being a down market tabloid hack because this sure reads that way. For such a tragic, heart-wrenching piece of history I would have preferred a sober, levelled approach.
Publisher's Summary
In the best-selling tradition of In the Heart of the Sea, The Colony reveals the untold history of the infamous American leprosy colony on Molokai and of the extraordinary people who struggled to survive under the most horrific circumstances.
In 1866, 12 men and women and one small child were forced aboard a leaky schooner and cast away to a natural prison on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Two weeks later, a dozen others were exiled, and then 40 more, and then 100 more. Tracked by bounty hunters and torn screaming from their families, the luckless were loaded into shipboard cattle stalls and abandoned in a lawless place where brutality held sway. Many did not have leprosy, and most of those who did were not contagious, yet all were caught in a shared nightmare. The colony had little food, little medicine, and very little hope. Exile continued for more than a century, the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Nearly 9,000 people were banished to the colony, trapped by pounding surf and armed guards and the highest sea cliffs in the world. Twenty-eight live there still.
John Tayman tells the fantastic saga of this horrible and hopeful place, at one time the most famous community in the world, and of the individuals involved. The narrative is peopled by presidents and kings, cruel lawmen and pioneering doctors, and brave souls who literally gave their lives to help. A stunning cast includes the martyred Father Damien, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London, Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt, John Wayne, and more. The result is a searing tale of survival and bravery, and a testament to the power of faith, compassion, and heroism.
Publisher's Summary
In the best-selling tradition of In the Heart of the Sea, The Colony reveals the untold history of the infamous American leprosy colony on Molokai and of the extraordinary people who struggled to survive under the most horrific circumstances.
In 1866, 12 men and women and one small child were forced aboard a leaky schooner and cast away to a natural prison on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Two weeks later, a dozen others were exiled, and then 40 more, and then 100 more. Tracked by bounty hunters and torn screaming from their families, the luckless were loaded into shipboard cattle stalls and abandoned in a lawless place where brutality held sway. Many did not have leprosy, and most of those who did were not contagious, yet all were caught in a shared nightmare. The colony had little food, little medicine, and very little hope. Exile continued for more than a century, the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Nearly 9,000 people were banished to the colony, trapped by pounding surf and armed guards and the highest sea cliffs in the world. Twenty-eight live there still.
John Tayman tells the fantastic saga of this horrible and hopeful place, at one time the most famous community in the world, and of the individuals involved. The narrative is peopled by presidents and kings, cruel lawmen and pioneering doctors, and brave souls who literally gave their lives to help. A stunning cast includes the martyred Father Damien, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London, Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt, John Wayne, and more. The result is a searing tale of survival and bravery, and a testament to the power of faith, compassion, and heroism.
May 30, 2011
I read this because I recently read and adored the novel Moloka'i by Alan Brennert and wanted to learn more about Moloka’i by reading a non-fiction account. I nearly gave this book 5 stars (it’s a definite 4 ½ star book) because it does what it does so impressively. but the fact is I felt as though I got a better feeling of what leprosy was like and how people with the disease were treated from the novel, even though this book covers so much more ground. I was definitely fascinated by some of the historical events.
In this book, I was particularly interested in the years that corresponded to the years covered in Moloka'i. This is a chronological account of Hansen’s Disease and the Molokai colony but also covers Hansen’s Disease as it was treated at Carville medical facility and other locations too.
Reading this was heartbreaking and infuriating regarding what happened in this time and place, and so much of it was tragic and unnecessary. This non-fiction account was exceedingly well written in an interesting manner; at times it read like fiction; the real people and events are fascinating. There were so many people and incidents covered, so much history, and I enjoyed that, though I can see others wanting less or wanting it organized differently. But, it worked for me as it is.
I enjoyed the included photographs of different scenes of the colony settlement in different years and some of the mentioned people.
As I read I thought of AIDS, because it’s another disease people were so scared of that its sufferers were ostracized for a time. It turns out the account in this book actually goes up to the AIDS era and it is mentioned.
At the end of the book there is a lengthy bibliography. There are also extensive notes (I did read most though the book can be enjoyed and understood without them) and there is also a useful index. The book is divided into four parts, each with their own chapters that show the colony’s population at the time, and they tell a lot of what happened from 1789??? to about 2003 in chronological order.
Anyone interested in the history of Hansen’s Disease, the history of medicine, quarantining the ill, Hawaiian and U.S. history, and ill or isolated or ostracized people, are likely to find this book interesting. I have more “leprosy” books on my to-read shelf because I have been interested in this disease since I was nine years old. But, for readers who have time to read only one book and who can enjoy historical fiction novels, I’d recommened Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. If readers really want to read non-fiction history about the subject, this book seems to me to be a good choice.
In this book, I was particularly interested in the years that corresponded to the years covered in Moloka'i. This is a chronological account of Hansen’s Disease and the Molokai colony but also covers Hansen’s Disease as it was treated at Carville medical facility and other locations too.
Reading this was heartbreaking and infuriating regarding what happened in this time and place, and so much of it was tragic and unnecessary. This non-fiction account was exceedingly well written in an interesting manner; at times it read like fiction; the real people and events are fascinating. There were so many people and incidents covered, so much history, and I enjoyed that, though I can see others wanting less or wanting it organized differently. But, it worked for me as it is.
I enjoyed the included photographs of different scenes of the colony settlement in different years and some of the mentioned people.
As I read I thought of AIDS, because it’s another disease people were so scared of that its sufferers were ostracized for a time. It turns out the account in this book actually goes up to the AIDS era and it is mentioned.
At the end of the book there is a lengthy bibliography. There are also extensive notes (I did read most though the book can be enjoyed and understood without them) and there is also a useful index. The book is divided into four parts, each with their own chapters that show the colony’s population at the time, and they tell a lot of what happened from 1789??? to about 2003 in chronological order.
Anyone interested in the history of Hansen’s Disease, the history of medicine, quarantining the ill, Hawaiian and U.S. history, and ill or isolated or ostracized people, are likely to find this book interesting. I have more “leprosy” books on my to-read shelf because I have been interested in this disease since I was nine years old. But, for readers who have time to read only one book and who can enjoy historical fiction novels, I’d recommened Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. If readers really want to read non-fiction history about the subject, this book seems to me to be a good choice.
May 6, 2017
I had such high hopes for this, as a non-fiction supplement to the excellent historical-fiction book Moloka'i I just read.
Early on the book had promise. John Tayman gives you a lot of details on the establishment and very early years of the colony, which the novel was only able to touch on briefly. I thought I was prepared for the horrors of this place having read the fiction version. I was so wrong. Details of human experimentation (the patients knowledge and/or consent of course not a consideration), and the horrific treatment of those who were dying were just appalling.
Throughout the book there are lots of personal stories - of the colonists, their various caretakers, doctors and overseers. But this is kind of where it ended up bogging down for me. While I like the individual stories, as a whole the book seems to me to be a case of having lots of descriptions of individual trees, but nothing about the forest they're in. I like a closer examination of the social and political culture in my non-fiction.
This book doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It's not really just a biography of a place - there's too much that takes place elsewhere - like the Leprosy Hospital in Carrville, Louisiana. And though it does cover the high points, it's not enough to be quite a biography about the Leprosy disease.
In the end, there didn't seem to be any common thread throughout the book that helped pull the story forward and tie all the ends together. Instead it was a boring chronology of the events pertaining to the colony, leprosy treatment and Hawaii. If that's something you like in your non-fiction, then I think you will like this. As for me, it puts me to sleep!
Early on the book had promise. John Tayman gives you a lot of details on the establishment and very early years of the colony, which the novel was only able to touch on briefly. I thought I was prepared for the horrors of this place having read the fiction version. I was so wrong. Details of human experimentation (the patients knowledge and/or consent of course not a consideration), and the horrific treatment of those who were dying were just appalling.
Throughout the book there are lots of personal stories - of the colonists, their various caretakers, doctors and overseers. But this is kind of where it ended up bogging down for me. While I like the individual stories, as a whole the book seems to me to be a case of having lots of descriptions of individual trees, but nothing about the forest they're in. I like a closer examination of the social and political culture in my non-fiction.
This book doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It's not really just a biography of a place - there's too much that takes place elsewhere - like the Leprosy Hospital in Carrville, Louisiana. And though it does cover the high points, it's not enough to be quite a biography about the Leprosy disease.
In the end, there didn't seem to be any common thread throughout the book that helped pull the story forward and tie all the ends together. Instead it was a boring chronology of the events pertaining to the colony, leprosy treatment and Hawaii. If that's something you like in your non-fiction, then I think you will like this. As for me, it puts me to sleep!
August 23, 2022
This book, written as a nonfiction recounting of the history and lives involved in the "leper" colony of Hawaiian island of Molokai held much more interest than a fictionalized version such as Moloka'i.
Now referred to as Hansen's disease, leprosy has been (and continues to be in the public's imagination) a much maligned and much misunderstood disease. Leprosy has traditionally been classified into two major types, tuberculoid and lepromatous. Patients with tuberculoid leprosy have limited disease and relatively few bacteria in the skin and nerves, while lepromatous patients have widespread disease and large numbers of bacteria.
Back in the late 1800s, doctors were unaware of the origins of leprosy, how to stop it spread, and how to heal it. Hawaiians, especially, had not built up immunity to the disease and were particularly hard hit. Politicians and health professionals had different approaches to containing the disease and they weren't particularly interested in how their actions broke apart families, or the social stigma attached to those living with the disease. They only wanted to remove the diseased from the main population. They didn't care about their quality of life or whether they lived or died.
The stories about the afflicted contained within this book were haunting and the callousness with how they were treated, even at the close of the Moloka'i colony made me question whether politicians care at all of the people they've undertaken to serve. Learning that Hansen's Disease wards still exist today, such as in one New York hospital noted in the book, but that they are known by a nondescript name that gives no clues to the type of disease patients suffer from in order that patients aren't stigmatized gives strong indicators that much work on educating the public about this disease still has yet to be done.
My one quibble with the book is that since this is neither a biography nor a microhistory, it was difficult to remember all of the various people contained within this book. It would have been helpful to have a list of people and some describing characteristics at the front of the book in which to refer back.
Knowing nothing about this colony or time in American/Hawaiian history, I learned a lot from this book and appreciated my time with it.
Now referred to as Hansen's disease, leprosy has been (and continues to be in the public's imagination) a much maligned and much misunderstood disease. Leprosy has traditionally been classified into two major types, tuberculoid and lepromatous. Patients with tuberculoid leprosy have limited disease and relatively few bacteria in the skin and nerves, while lepromatous patients have widespread disease and large numbers of bacteria.
Back in the late 1800s, doctors were unaware of the origins of leprosy, how to stop it spread, and how to heal it. Hawaiians, especially, had not built up immunity to the disease and were particularly hard hit. Politicians and health professionals had different approaches to containing the disease and they weren't particularly interested in how their actions broke apart families, or the social stigma attached to those living with the disease. They only wanted to remove the diseased from the main population. They didn't care about their quality of life or whether they lived or died.
The stories about the afflicted contained within this book were haunting and the callousness with how they were treated, even at the close of the Moloka'i colony made me question whether politicians care at all of the people they've undertaken to serve. Learning that Hansen's Disease wards still exist today, such as in one New York hospital noted in the book, but that they are known by a nondescript name that gives no clues to the type of disease patients suffer from in order that patients aren't stigmatized gives strong indicators that much work on educating the public about this disease still has yet to be done.
My one quibble with the book is that since this is neither a biography nor a microhistory, it was difficult to remember all of the various people contained within this book. It would have been helpful to have a list of people and some describing characteristics at the front of the book in which to refer back.
Knowing nothing about this colony or time in American/Hawaiian history, I learned a lot from this book and appreciated my time with it.
October 29, 2008
I would have liked to read this book in connection with a visit to Molokai. Instead, I started it while on the island of Maui, from where you can look across the open seas to Molokai. Perhaps that "distant view" was more symbolic of this isolation of the leper colony which was located on the island's isolated northern peninsula from 1866 to 1969.
The author presents a sweeping history both of "Hansen's disease" (the modern designation) and its physical impacts, the creation and evolution of the colony in Hawaii, and the lives of those who suffered in exile. Drawing from a wide array of public and personal records, he tracks the changes in the settlement and the challenges of those consigned to live out their bleak existence there.
Tayman points out the great irony of leprosy: it's not a particularly contagious disease, and only a small percentage of the total population is even genetically susceptible to it. But fear and misunderstanding (including misinterpretation of related Old Testament injunctions) resulted in a terrible toll on those who were sent to Kalaupapa.
But in the midst of the suffering, we're given insight into great humanity and dignity. The colony lifted itself from chaos and disorder into a mutually-supportive society. There were men like Mormon Jonathan Napela (not a leper, but a "kekua" (non-leper)) who exiled himself to the colony when his wife was diagnosed and sentenced, eventually contracting the disease and dying a few weeks before his wife. Or Father Damien, the Belgian Catholic priest who dedicated his life to relief and service in the colony and also died of leprosy.
This was a fascinating, terrifying, and heart-warming book. It will give you a great appreciation for the blessings of health, family, unselfishness, and modern science.
The author presents a sweeping history both of "Hansen's disease" (the modern designation) and its physical impacts, the creation and evolution of the colony in Hawaii, and the lives of those who suffered in exile. Drawing from a wide array of public and personal records, he tracks the changes in the settlement and the challenges of those consigned to live out their bleak existence there.
Tayman points out the great irony of leprosy: it's not a particularly contagious disease, and only a small percentage of the total population is even genetically susceptible to it. But fear and misunderstanding (including misinterpretation of related Old Testament injunctions) resulted in a terrible toll on those who were sent to Kalaupapa.
But in the midst of the suffering, we're given insight into great humanity and dignity. The colony lifted itself from chaos and disorder into a mutually-supportive society. There were men like Mormon Jonathan Napela (not a leper, but a "kekua" (non-leper)) who exiled himself to the colony when his wife was diagnosed and sentenced, eventually contracting the disease and dying a few weeks before his wife. Or Father Damien, the Belgian Catholic priest who dedicated his life to relief and service in the colony and also died of leprosy.
This was a fascinating, terrifying, and heart-warming book. It will give you a great appreciation for the blessings of health, family, unselfishness, and modern science.
November 8, 2016
A sad chapter in American history that needs to be studied so it is not repeated.
July 5, 2007
Very interesting. However this book stirred up a lot of emotion in Hawaii because the author apparently was not always historically or factually accurate. Apparently he took a lot of liberties with the story. Very interesting read though.
May 1, 2024
I hope I never forget this book. The way John Tayman humanized everyone on the Island. Everyone had their individual personalities, fears, comforts, and dreams.
The first castaways to the island were sent to die and to be segregated from healthy people. Some of the first castaways didn't even have the disease but stayed on the Island for months or years or even decades. They were often misdiagnosed. The doctors often didn't want to be near the patients and only asked them questions about numbness since the disease attacks nerves and they diagnosed almost all blemishes as leprosy.
In the beginning, the island was sparse and had no shelter and the first castaways just layed out in the open to sleep and slowly they built their own shelters any supplies that were sent from the big island were used by the crew for the ship they came in on or stolen by the first superintendent of the settlement and sold to the healthy inhabitants on the Island.
The Island of exiled lepers lasted for 103 years. The actual act of imprisoning people on the Island lasted that long. Some of the inhabitants stayed so long on the Island that when they were allowed to leave they didn't want to, they made it their home and the outside world would inevitably shun them and stare, which was harder to bare. Some survivors did venture out and traveled but they were always welcomed back to the settlement on the Island after the disease was managed with antibiotics. The antibiotic treatments were developed in the 1940's
Bernard, one of Molakai's long time residents requested that it be a national park to prevent the land from being taken over by millionaire beach front would be estate owners from taking over the Island and pushing out the current inhabitants, and it was done.
The first castaways to the island were sent to die and to be segregated from healthy people. Some of the first castaways didn't even have the disease but stayed on the Island for months or years or even decades. They were often misdiagnosed. The doctors often didn't want to be near the patients and only asked them questions about numbness since the disease attacks nerves and they diagnosed almost all blemishes as leprosy.
In the beginning, the island was sparse and had no shelter and the first castaways just layed out in the open to sleep and slowly they built their own shelters any supplies that were sent from the big island were used by the crew for the ship they came in on or stolen by the first superintendent of the settlement and sold to the healthy inhabitants on the Island.
The Island of exiled lepers lasted for 103 years. The actual act of imprisoning people on the Island lasted that long. Some of the inhabitants stayed so long on the Island that when they were allowed to leave they didn't want to, they made it their home and the outside world would inevitably shun them and stare, which was harder to bare. Some survivors did venture out and traveled but they were always welcomed back to the settlement on the Island after the disease was managed with antibiotics. The antibiotic treatments were developed in the 1940's
Bernard, one of Molakai's long time residents requested that it be a national park to prevent the land from being taken over by millionaire beach front would be estate owners from taking over the Island and pushing out the current inhabitants, and it was done.
March 3, 2011
On the surface, this book is about some people, who happened to contract Hansen's disease (leprosy) and how they were taken forcibly from their families and exiled. The deeper story is our human response to physical illness. Leprosy, prior to the 1950's was a terrible, disfiguring and painful disease. Although it is not highly contagious in most forms, the fear surrounding it is both literally and figuratively Biblical. It is both fascinating and disturbing to read about the level of fear and disgust that continues regarding this disease even today when the disease is curable. The chapter that deals with WWII and Japanese internment was interesting. The compassion that the exiles had for the Japanese was very clear in quotes and histories of the time.
I was inspired by the good and brave men and women who gave their lives, including risking contracting Hansen's disease, to serving and helping the exiles of Molokai. I was inspired by the exiles themselves, by their ability to create a new life and by their courage in truly terrible circumstances. I cheered for the few who were brave enough to stand up for what was right, even to the point of losing their jobs. The book is well researched with exhaustive notes and the narrative never lags.
"The more we suffer, the more strength we have. The more suffering, the closer we are to one another. Life is that way. If you haven't suffered, then you don't know what joy is. The others may know something about joy, but those who have gone through hell and high water, I think they feel the joy deeper." resident of Kalaupapa, Molokai
I was inspired by the good and brave men and women who gave their lives, including risking contracting Hansen's disease, to serving and helping the exiles of Molokai. I was inspired by the exiles themselves, by their ability to create a new life and by their courage in truly terrible circumstances. I cheered for the few who were brave enough to stand up for what was right, even to the point of losing their jobs. The book is well researched with exhaustive notes and the narrative never lags.
"The more we suffer, the more strength we have. The more suffering, the closer we are to one another. Life is that way. If you haven't suffered, then you don't know what joy is. The others may know something about joy, but those who have gone through hell and high water, I think they feel the joy deeper." resident of Kalaupapa, Molokai
April 13, 2014
This is the story of the leper colony (to use the phrasing of the time) at Moloka'i: a narrow peninsula on the northern coast of a pretty tiny Hawaiian island, separated from the rest of its population by a sheer cliff designed to protect everyone else from what was presumed to be a deadly, infectious disease. The colony was founded in the 1860s and while the state of Hawai'i ceased exiling people infected with Hansen's disease in the mid-twentieth century, some of those who were originally sent there continue to live in the tiny town of Kalaupapa. It's a tale of fear, prejudice, resilience, and public health gone wrong, as well as a number of people who devoted their lives to helping the afflicted (two of whom have now been canonized as saints). At times it was riveting, especially when Tayman has detailed evidence about the lives of the exiles both before and after they were banished to Moloka'i. Occasionally Tayman does dwell a little too lengthily on the evidence, like he just couldn't bear to part with any fact at all, but on the whole he's judicious about which stories to tell and when one tale can stand in the for the whole.
May 18, 2014
Unsettling and tragic, Tayman uncovers the history of the exiles of Molokai
John Tayman’s The Colony recounts the history of the exiles of Molokai -- people castaway to a remote shore in the Hawaiian islands after they became stricken with the staggeringly painful and destructive disease of leprosy. The text is meticulously researched, beginning with the founding of the colony in 1866, and then covering more than 150 years as the book traces the fate of the community and its residents into the early years of the 21st century. Staggering in terms of time and the terrible neglect that sickened individuals suffered generation after generation, The Colony is heart-wrenching and tragic -- but it also conveys a sense of enduring determination by those affected by the disease to stubbornly develop a community despite abandonment and isolation and to live with basic human dignities.
Tayman is adept not just at conveying facts, but personalities, paying particular attention to persons who loom large over the colony’s history, such as caregivers Father Damien de Veuster and Mother Marianne Cope. And, while I am partial to the more historical elements of the book, as the narrative enters modern times, Tayman is able to shift from secondary sources to first person interviews with a handful of the surviving members of the Molokai colony. It is here that the emotional impact of this practiced ostracism punches the reader as heavy as a fist. Leprosy, for example, not only disfigures and maims, but it also causes blindness, the drugs used to treat the disease may lead to deafness, and the skin becomes insensitive and unfeeling. Tayman describes the last days of Stanley Stein, once a smart and influential newspaper publisher:
“A visit to see Stanley during the last months of his life was nearly unbearable,” Dr. Brand wrote. “Unable to see, unable to hear, unable to feel, he would wake up disorientated. He would stretch out his hand and not know what he was touching, and speak without knowing whether anyone heard or answered. Once I found him sitting in a chair muttering to himself in monotone, ‘I don’t know where I am. Is someone in the room with me? I don’t know who you are, and my thoughts go round and round. I cannot think new thoughts.’”
Just as poignant, but in a very different way, is the remarks of Olivia Breitha, exiled to the Molokai colony as a young girl, and forcibly isolated from touching her "healthy" family and friends. Olivia eventually receives treatments for her disease, which goes into remission, and she is able to travel. Visiting the great redwoods of California she reaches out her hand to stroke one of the majestic tree's dark, wrinkled, ageless skin. Taymon recounts, “She spoke to the tree softly. ‘Remember.’ Olivia whispered, ‘I’ve touched you.’”
I’ve added this book to my disaster bookshelf, and it’s worth a look by anyone in the emergency management or public health fields. While leprosy may now be treatable, it offers a potentially unsettling precedent for future epidemics. Fear and lack of understanding are powerful policy agents, and it is not inconceivable that the outbreak of a new contagion would provoke a similar reaction even in today's (supposedly) more enlightened world.
Taymon’s chapter (entitled Civic Duty) on John Early is worth reading. Diagnosed with leprosy (and at one point walled into his home by authorities to ostensibly prevent the spread of the disease), Early was confined to a poorly funded and maintained leper colony in Louisiana … from which he promptly escaped … many times. Early toured the country, road subways in New York City, took in Broadway shows, and crashed Congressional committee meetings in Washington, DC to draw attention to the plight of lepers and the poorly funded institution in Louisiana. As he told the story of his travels to reporters and legislators, he also promptly created a bit of a public panic as he (at least in the public’s mind) spread the leprosy bacterium willy-nilly across the country. Of course, in this case, the reality was that leprosy is far from easily transmitted … but the implication for emergency managers is quite troubling. Might not a single person, contaminated with a similarly suspect pathogen, employ a similar methodology and cause if not a public health emergency, a national panic? And if that were to happen, would we react any better (and more humanely) than the public health officials of a century-and-a-half ago?
December 3, 2015
This is a detailed an expansive history of the leper colony at Molokai covering over a century from the late 19th Century to the early 1990s. I had read about and had a clear idea of the sainted Fa. Damien whose selfless support of the inmates and deathbed photo brought international attention.
This also covers the pre-Damien days when the rude colony had patients and provisions thrown into the pier-less sea, suffered privation and the cruel supervision on an island nation with more than its share of leprosy and trying to shake the stigma of it. (The supposition that it was a haven for the fear inducing condition was a roadblock to integration into the United States.) Later, famous visitors like Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London and more were appalled and inspired. With homemade masks, the inmates made a parade of "horribles" for London as he drew in the inspiration that would lead to reportage and fiction.
When Hansen's Disease was made manageable and the reasons for quarantine undercut, the closing and removal of the persons interred there was a cruel, heartless, and sudden as the establishment of that cruel institution. Detailed stories of key persons like Joseph Dutton, Catholic missionary who worked with Father Damien and took over for him after leaving the Trappists, and William Ragsdale, popular Hawaiian attorney and politician, who served as superintendent at Kalaupapa for four years (1874-1878), greatly personalize this history. Some memoirists are covered in detail like the too-typical stolen child and author of "Olivia: My Life of Exile in Kalaupapa:, Olivia R. Breitha.
Compelling stuff about man's inhumanity to man in the absence of science following a vaguely Biblical prescription.
This also covers the pre-Damien days when the rude colony had patients and provisions thrown into the pier-less sea, suffered privation and the cruel supervision on an island nation with more than its share of leprosy and trying to shake the stigma of it. (The supposition that it was a haven for the fear inducing condition was a roadblock to integration into the United States.) Later, famous visitors like Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London and more were appalled and inspired. With homemade masks, the inmates made a parade of "horribles" for London as he drew in the inspiration that would lead to reportage and fiction.
When Hansen's Disease was made manageable and the reasons for quarantine undercut, the closing and removal of the persons interred there was a cruel, heartless, and sudden as the establishment of that cruel institution. Detailed stories of key persons like Joseph Dutton, Catholic missionary who worked with Father Damien and took over for him after leaving the Trappists, and William Ragsdale, popular Hawaiian attorney and politician, who served as superintendent at Kalaupapa for four years (1874-1878), greatly personalize this history. Some memoirists are covered in detail like the too-typical stolen child and author of "Olivia: My Life of Exile in Kalaupapa:, Olivia R. Breitha.
Compelling stuff about man's inhumanity to man in the absence of science following a vaguely Biblical prescription.
February 2, 2009
Pretty interesting book and a somewhat quick read. I came away with a slightly more sympathetic view towards those who created the colony. I by no means think it was appropriate, but after you read that half of Oahu died of small pox, 5000 died of typhoid, 10000 died of various std's, and one year nearly every new born baby died of influenza, it creates more context for the reader. It's not a simple case of people unreasonably thinking a disease could wipe them all out. Actually, that WAS a reasonable thought, as the history of the island showed. It just wasn't reasonable to think THIS disease would wipe them out. Tayman does a good job with that nuance.
My only complaint is that the last 50-100 pages or so focuses on just a few surviving victims and I think I would have preferred a bit of a broader picture, maybe with more of the science behind the newer developments. Tayman did a good job with all the science he chose to tackle so I think he could've delved a little deeper into it.
My only complaint is that the last 50-100 pages or so focuses on just a few surviving victims and I think I would have preferred a bit of a broader picture, maybe with more of the science behind the newer developments. Tayman did a good job with all the science he chose to tackle so I think he could've delved a little deeper into it.
June 12, 2021
The story of leprosy or Hansen's Disease in the Hawaiian islands is emotional and intense. The story unfolds violently between the natives of the islands and the "white man" who think that leprosy poses a huge threat to the population. Little is known about the disease at the beginning and ignorance plays a great part in the forced exile, separation of families and insufficient healthcare that follows these people to a barren strip of land on the north shore of the Molokai. The victims' perserverance and a few doctors' devotion pave the way to cures and a better way of life but not before death, hardship and isolation take their toll on thousands. An emotional read that made me question authority's good intentions and the validity of a few people ruling over many. On of the best non-fiction books I've read recently.
March 5, 2012
An incredible book. I wish I could have read the book before we visited Kalawao in 1999. I would like to revisit again, now with a different and deeper understanding of the loneliness, pain and suffering that these people went through most of their lives. Children torn from their families, husbands and wife sent away, banished to this remote place, not knowing if they would ever see their loved ones again. Not knowing what was happening to them.
John Tayman has really done a fantastic job putting together this book from letters, notes and historical facts. It is indeed a must read.
John Tayman has really done a fantastic job putting together this book from letters, notes and historical facts. It is indeed a must read.
April 6, 2018
I think the issue with this book has to do with focus. The information is all good and interesting, and it tells a fascinating and depressing story about a century of ineffective medical treatment and brutal callousness for those suffering.
So the book gives a lot of information, which is great. But it's a bit dry and boring after a while, and this has to do with the structure of the book. It's difficult to capture something like this, since there are few consistent characters, and absolutely no consistent characters from beginning to end, given that humans don't live over 100 years. Especially when they have leprosy. But in telling the story of the colony, I think Tayman gets overwhelmed by the amount of information. He mentions in the foreword how this book comes out of 8,000 pages of primary sources. It gives this a somewhat scattershot feeling.
I think the book would work better, too, if he dug more into why Hawaiian leadership was so casually cruel. These are some of the characters that we'd like to know more about, because they shaped this 100 year tragedy. And while many of them are named, they slip out of the narrative rather quickly.
And then there are the inhabitants of the colony. This is a harder criticism to give because how do you tell the story of thousands when most of them died very quickly? So a lot of the conditions get summarized and captured in a general way, which lessens the impact of hearing about the sex slave issue that developed there, for example.
But, yeah, it's an admirable effort, but the book itself just isn't super great to read. Interesting, though.
So the book gives a lot of information, which is great. But it's a bit dry and boring after a while, and this has to do with the structure of the book. It's difficult to capture something like this, since there are few consistent characters, and absolutely no consistent characters from beginning to end, given that humans don't live over 100 years. Especially when they have leprosy. But in telling the story of the colony, I think Tayman gets overwhelmed by the amount of information. He mentions in the foreword how this book comes out of 8,000 pages of primary sources. It gives this a somewhat scattershot feeling.
I think the book would work better, too, if he dug more into why Hawaiian leadership was so casually cruel. These are some of the characters that we'd like to know more about, because they shaped this 100 year tragedy. And while many of them are named, they slip out of the narrative rather quickly.
And then there are the inhabitants of the colony. This is a harder criticism to give because how do you tell the story of thousands when most of them died very quickly? So a lot of the conditions get summarized and captured in a general way, which lessens the impact of hearing about the sex slave issue that developed there, for example.
But, yeah, it's an admirable effort, but the book itself just isn't super great to read. Interesting, though.
June 17, 2018
Absolutely STELLAR. Written in sometimes heart crushing details that are hard to read, & hard to believe, this is the comprehensive story of the leper colony that used to be on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, & is now part of the National Park Service. I WISH this book had actually arrived in TIME for me to read it & use it as a reference book for my final research paper on Hansen's Disease/Leprosy in my Microbiology class! That's what I ordered it for. This book is HAUNTING. It's the reminder of what was man's inhumanity to man, the challenges of epidemiology before the advent of modern medicines, the development & establishment of Carville in Louisiana, the first settlement for those with the disease on mainland USA, it's innovations & breakthroughs in the treatment & eradication of the disease, the innovations & advances in surgery to correct the crippling debilitations brought on by the disease.
For anyone that is interested in American history, this is a little known part of it. For anyone that's interested in medicine, this is a fascinating timeline.
For anyone that is interested in American history, this is a little known part of it. For anyone that's interested in medicine, this is a fascinating timeline.
September 23, 2019
This was both heartbreaking and inspiring.
Leprosy was historically such a horrifyingly debilitating disease that a history of it would be hard enough to read, but this is even worse. It chronicles the terrible impact of scientific ignorance, religious bigotry, and governmental abuses had on thousands of sufferers. But – it is also the story of selfless care and personal sacrifice of those who risked everything to care for them.
Unfortunately, the author chose to include foul language later in the book. I had read about 80% of the book before it became to foul for my personal standards. While it is done delicately, it also includes the more debauched aspects of life on Molokai.
Leprosy was historically such a horrifyingly debilitating disease that a history of it would be hard enough to read, but this is even worse. It chronicles the terrible impact of scientific ignorance, religious bigotry, and governmental abuses had on thousands of sufferers. But – it is also the story of selfless care and personal sacrifice of those who risked everything to care for them.
Unfortunately, the author chose to include foul language later in the book. I had read about 80% of the book before it became to foul for my personal standards. While it is done delicately, it also includes the more debauched aspects of life on Molokai.
October 7, 2017
As a child living in Hawaii (Oahu) in 1969, I remember my parents flying to the Leper Colony on the island of Molokai to attend the wedding of a physician working there. I have been interested in the disease and the segregation of their population to such a remote area. I found the book extraordinarily enlightening. And, in retrospect, heartbreaking to know what these people lived through and with, having a disease that is so easily treatable now.
November 25, 2019
Well-researched and written about Molokai and the handling of the leprosy epidemic in Hawaii in the 19th century. Not easy to read (man's inhumanity to man), but informative.
September 4, 2015
Leprosy isn't something we think about anymore unless we're reading the Bible, and although the word in scripture is used rather broadly, a stigma has attached to those suffering from Hansen's Disease. John Tayman explains that the skin disease usually affects the colder parts of the body – particularly the hands, feet, ears, and nose – destroying the underlying tissue. Those afflicted suffer a loss of feeling and sometimes a curling in of the fingers or collapse of the nose often resulting in horrific disfigurement. Because the tissue of the eyes is cooler it can destroy eyesight, so it's understandable why people were so fearful of the disease. But not knowing what caused it (bacteria) or how it was spread (it is contagious only for those who are genetically susceptible) led to policies of exile, and Kalaupapa on Molokai is one of the most famous colonies.
A rocky and windswept peninsula on the north coast of Molokai was chosen because escape was difficult. The seas were rough and cliffs thousands of feet tall separated it from the rest of the island. The land was purchased cheap and the earliest exiles were often dropped in the surf and told to swim for shore. A lawlessness pervaded the settlement and given the appearance of some of the exiles, it seemed a hellish place to those sent there and any who saw it. Tayman describes the history of the colony from the early days until the early 2000s. He tells the stories of many who were sent there over the years as well as the efforts of some to alleviate the suffering such as Father Damien, the Catholic priest who eventually shared his flock's fate, and Joseph Dutton, a Civil War soldier who just wanted to do good. A cure for leprosy was found in the late 1940s which can halt or prevent the disease, but cannot reverse the damage already caused, and Tayman sounds a much more hopeful note in his account toward the end.
"The more we suffer, the more strength we have. The more suffering, the closer we are to one another. Life is that way. If you haven't suffered, then you don't know what joy is. The others may know something about joy, but those who have gone through hell and high water, I think they feel the joy deeper."
As much as I enjoy all kinds of histories, I find that those of disease and sickness are often the more human side of history. Toward the end of the book Tayman focuses on four individuals who were exiled in their youth, and he shows them not as 'lepers' but as real people whose ordinary hopes and dreams were interrupted by their disease. I particularly liked the story of Makia who was exiled as a boy and yet earned a college degree after he was cured, in spite of being blind from the disease and not being able to read braille because he didn't have feeling in his fingers. It's a fascinating history told with a very human viewpoint.
A rocky and windswept peninsula on the north coast of Molokai was chosen because escape was difficult. The seas were rough and cliffs thousands of feet tall separated it from the rest of the island. The land was purchased cheap and the earliest exiles were often dropped in the surf and told to swim for shore. A lawlessness pervaded the settlement and given the appearance of some of the exiles, it seemed a hellish place to those sent there and any who saw it. Tayman describes the history of the colony from the early days until the early 2000s. He tells the stories of many who were sent there over the years as well as the efforts of some to alleviate the suffering such as Father Damien, the Catholic priest who eventually shared his flock's fate, and Joseph Dutton, a Civil War soldier who just wanted to do good. A cure for leprosy was found in the late 1940s which can halt or prevent the disease, but cannot reverse the damage already caused, and Tayman sounds a much more hopeful note in his account toward the end.
"The more we suffer, the more strength we have. The more suffering, the closer we are to one another. Life is that way. If you haven't suffered, then you don't know what joy is. The others may know something about joy, but those who have gone through hell and high water, I think they feel the joy deeper."
As much as I enjoy all kinds of histories, I find that those of disease and sickness are often the more human side of history. Toward the end of the book Tayman focuses on four individuals who were exiled in their youth, and he shows them not as 'lepers' but as real people whose ordinary hopes and dreams were interrupted by their disease. I particularly liked the story of Makia who was exiled as a boy and yet earned a college degree after he was cured, in spite of being blind from the disease and not being able to read braille because he didn't have feeling in his fingers. It's a fascinating history told with a very human viewpoint.
March 23, 2013
This history of the leper colony on Molokai is truly a fascinating read!
Meticulously researched, the historical aspects are backed by mountains of documentation. However, the book reads more like a novel. Tayman includes life stories of several key players, including Father Damien, Mother Marianne, numerous directors and physicians who served the colony,(both good-hearted and greedy) several politicians and Board of Health members and several patients who spent years in exile. He draws information from interviews with elderly survivors as well as memoirs, articles,letters, minutes of meetings, etc. The story is tragic. The conception of leprosy as being extremely contagious, the horrendous results of untreated leprosy, ignorance and fear converged in the plan to exile those diagnosed to an isolated shelf of land on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai. The "Settlement" began in the 1860s as old and young, men and women, parents and children and husbands and wives were diagnosed (not infrequently in error) and torn from their families to live the remainder of their lives in exile from all they held dear. In the early years, there was minimal funding, and unbelievably, the exiled lepers were expected to grow their own food and become a self-sustaining colony!
They lived in crowded, poorly constructed cabins, in the damp and cold and many were severely malnourished. Medical care was minimal or absent and in any case, there was no real treatment. Eventually, through the works of Father Damien, a Belgian priest who was sent (willingly) to the island to care for their souls, and Mother Marianne and her small group of sisters, as well as some well-meaning managers and the efforts and pleadings of the "inmates" themselves, the situation gradually improved.
Eventually as treatments became available a small hospital was constructed. Improved availability of nourishing food the care improved the situation. But the fact remained that they were virtual prisoners for life, unable to return to their families ever!
Through the years, the members of the colony did create an alternative universe to some degree. Forming social groups, forming families (although their children were taken from them!) and caring for each other. When curative treatment finally became available in the form of Sulfone drugs in the early 1950s, many chose not to leave Molokai, having been abandoned by their families and made a new home of sorts.
In total, over 8000 people were exiled to Molokai over the century it was in operation. Most died there. Some when permitted, moved back to Honolulu where there was a hospital to care for them.
The narrative is sad, tragic and depressing- but also uplifting, a story of unbelievable bravery and survival.
Highly recommended!!
Meticulously researched, the historical aspects are backed by mountains of documentation. However, the book reads more like a novel. Tayman includes life stories of several key players, including Father Damien, Mother Marianne, numerous directors and physicians who served the colony,(both good-hearted and greedy) several politicians and Board of Health members and several patients who spent years in exile. He draws information from interviews with elderly survivors as well as memoirs, articles,letters, minutes of meetings, etc. The story is tragic. The conception of leprosy as being extremely contagious, the horrendous results of untreated leprosy, ignorance and fear converged in the plan to exile those diagnosed to an isolated shelf of land on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai. The "Settlement" began in the 1860s as old and young, men and women, parents and children and husbands and wives were diagnosed (not infrequently in error) and torn from their families to live the remainder of their lives in exile from all they held dear. In the early years, there was minimal funding, and unbelievably, the exiled lepers were expected to grow their own food and become a self-sustaining colony!
They lived in crowded, poorly constructed cabins, in the damp and cold and many were severely malnourished. Medical care was minimal or absent and in any case, there was no real treatment. Eventually, through the works of Father Damien, a Belgian priest who was sent (willingly) to the island to care for their souls, and Mother Marianne and her small group of sisters, as well as some well-meaning managers and the efforts and pleadings of the "inmates" themselves, the situation gradually improved.
Eventually as treatments became available a small hospital was constructed. Improved availability of nourishing food the care improved the situation. But the fact remained that they were virtual prisoners for life, unable to return to their families ever!
Through the years, the members of the colony did create an alternative universe to some degree. Forming social groups, forming families (although their children were taken from them!) and caring for each other. When curative treatment finally became available in the form of Sulfone drugs in the early 1950s, many chose not to leave Molokai, having been abandoned by their families and made a new home of sorts.
In total, over 8000 people were exiled to Molokai over the century it was in operation. Most died there. Some when permitted, moved back to Honolulu where there was a hospital to care for them.
The narrative is sad, tragic and depressing- but also uplifting, a story of unbelievable bravery and survival.
Highly recommended!!
October 20, 2008
This is seriously a fantastic book. I consider myself a pretty educated person, not brilliant or anything, but when it comes to American history, there's not a lot that I haven't at least heard about. Until I started doing research on Hawaii (I'm writing a book of my own that takes place there) did I discover this hidden piece of history: the leper colony of Molokai.
John Tayman tells this story vividly and with more detail than any historian could ever ask for. The book itself is filled with dates and names, so much so it can be overwhelming. He tells not just the story of one person experiencing leprosy in one of the most horrible prisons ever constructed. Tayman tells the story of the prison itself, covering its entire hundred year history.
And yet, the book is extremely read-able and entertaining. It's also uplifting and endearing, because the people sent to Molokai experienced one of the worst events to happen in modern history and yet, for the most part, pull through it, finding ways to cope and even find love. Not everyone is so lucky, but most of the people sent to the colony ended up staying there for life, even if their disease was eventually cured. The prison became their home, a home where no one would judge them for their condition and no one thought less of them.
Though this book is about an experience so horrible I cannot even begin to do it justice, some of the experiences Tayman has uncovered are truly breathtakingly beautiful. There's a line in the book about how no one can really say they have found joy in life unless they have suffered, and that the exiles of Molokai understand joy better than anyone in human history. For every story of someone gone mad on the island and driven to their death by having their flesh ravaged by the disease, there is a story of amazing compassion (such as Father Damian, the priest who brought them hope) or a story of two people finding love in one another.
This book should also be required reading for anyone in the medical field, as one of its biggest themes is the ethical treatment of unknown and possibly dangerous disease. The doctors who invented the colony of Molokai were acting in the best interest of people as a whole (or their own political careers), but not for the patients they sent there. Anyone interested in history, in medicine, or just wanting a lesser-known story should pick up this book at once. Truly enthralling, emotionally moving, and downright heartbreaking.
John Tayman tells this story vividly and with more detail than any historian could ever ask for. The book itself is filled with dates and names, so much so it can be overwhelming. He tells not just the story of one person experiencing leprosy in one of the most horrible prisons ever constructed. Tayman tells the story of the prison itself, covering its entire hundred year history.
And yet, the book is extremely read-able and entertaining. It's also uplifting and endearing, because the people sent to Molokai experienced one of the worst events to happen in modern history and yet, for the most part, pull through it, finding ways to cope and even find love. Not everyone is so lucky, but most of the people sent to the colony ended up staying there for life, even if their disease was eventually cured. The prison became their home, a home where no one would judge them for their condition and no one thought less of them.
Though this book is about an experience so horrible I cannot even begin to do it justice, some of the experiences Tayman has uncovered are truly breathtakingly beautiful. There's a line in the book about how no one can really say they have found joy in life unless they have suffered, and that the exiles of Molokai understand joy better than anyone in human history. For every story of someone gone mad on the island and driven to their death by having their flesh ravaged by the disease, there is a story of amazing compassion (such as Father Damian, the priest who brought them hope) or a story of two people finding love in one another.
This book should also be required reading for anyone in the medical field, as one of its biggest themes is the ethical treatment of unknown and possibly dangerous disease. The doctors who invented the colony of Molokai were acting in the best interest of people as a whole (or their own political careers), but not for the patients they sent there. Anyone interested in history, in medicine, or just wanting a lesser-known story should pick up this book at once. Truly enthralling, emotionally moving, and downright heartbreaking.
April 2, 2018
Having read reviews of this book before reading the book itself, I was warned ahead of time about the book's controversy. In a nutshell, there are two public criticisms of this book: that Tayman included his interviews with a few remaining Kalaupapa residents despite their asking him to remove their stories from the project due to editorial objections, and supposed inaccuracies with his research.
To the first criticism, I'm of two minds. I believe that your story is both yours and not yours at the same time. The residents who shared their stories with Tayman can certainly decide that they don't like the overall narrative of the book and ask to rescind their participation. Tayman heard their objections and decided to publish the book with their contributions anyway. The stories of these residents were valuable, and I would be sad to have not heard them. However, including them against their wishes is a bit of a sticking point. One of the main objections the residents had were the usage of the words "leper" and "colony." Tayman counters that he used them when historically appropriate, and that seems reasonable. One other objections was that the photo on the cover is not actually the cliff over Kalaupapa, and while I agree that that's a bit of a blunder, it's my understanding that Tayman did not have creative control over the cover design.
The second criticism--- that the book contains many research errors--- is somewhat troubling to me. When I read a non-fiction book, I like to think that the author has done careful research, so that I'm not coming away from the experience with false data in my head. I understand that history is subject to author bias and interpretation, but having several Hawaiian scholars come out with scathing factual critiques of a book is unsettling. Tayman says in his notes that there were several situations where historical documents were illegible or simply contradicted each other, and he had to try to write a narrative way through these discrepancies. I understand taking creative license in those circumstances, but I'm alarmed at the amount of scholarly pushback.
It's not surprising that Tayman never did any book tours on the Hawaiian islands, and that some stores (including the only one on Kalaupapa) do not stock the book. I did enjoy reading this book, if not for the criticisms, and I believe it enhanced my relationship with the island of Moloka'i. I am looking forward to treading the path down the cliff this summer and seeing Kalaupapa for myself.
To the first criticism, I'm of two minds. I believe that your story is both yours and not yours at the same time. The residents who shared their stories with Tayman can certainly decide that they don't like the overall narrative of the book and ask to rescind their participation. Tayman heard their objections and decided to publish the book with their contributions anyway. The stories of these residents were valuable, and I would be sad to have not heard them. However, including them against their wishes is a bit of a sticking point. One of the main objections the residents had were the usage of the words "leper" and "colony." Tayman counters that he used them when historically appropriate, and that seems reasonable. One other objections was that the photo on the cover is not actually the cliff over Kalaupapa, and while I agree that that's a bit of a blunder, it's my understanding that Tayman did not have creative control over the cover design.
The second criticism--- that the book contains many research errors--- is somewhat troubling to me. When I read a non-fiction book, I like to think that the author has done careful research, so that I'm not coming away from the experience with false data in my head. I understand that history is subject to author bias and interpretation, but having several Hawaiian scholars come out with scathing factual critiques of a book is unsettling. Tayman says in his notes that there were several situations where historical documents were illegible or simply contradicted each other, and he had to try to write a narrative way through these discrepancies. I understand taking creative license in those circumstances, but I'm alarmed at the amount of scholarly pushback.
It's not surprising that Tayman never did any book tours on the Hawaiian islands, and that some stores (including the only one on Kalaupapa) do not stock the book. I did enjoy reading this book, if not for the criticisms, and I believe it enhanced my relationship with the island of Moloka'i. I am looking forward to treading the path down the cliff this summer and seeing Kalaupapa for myself.
February 21, 2016
In 1866, Hawaii was trying to save it's reputation as a beautiful, tropical place to visit and tried to hide the fact that it had a large number of citizens who had leprosy. So in an effort to keep the streets clean, it passed a law where anyone found with the disease would be sent to the island of Molokai, an "almost island" that boasted one small claim, it had the tallest sea cliff in the world. The "patients" were virtually prisoners on the island. There were no landing sites along the island and vessels bringing in new patients sometimes simply threw their charges overboard with the choice to sink or swim.
Exile on Molokai continued for more than a century, the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Since little was know about the disease, many patients were misdiagnosed and sent to the island by mistake with no hope of their case to ever been reviewed again. In all, more than 8 thousand people were banished to the settlement.
There were many heroes that resulted from the catastrophe. Some even sacrificed their own health to help those on the island. And when research finally revealed a cure for leprosy, some of the island inhabitants had lived on the island for so long that they refused to leave because they knew nothing else. Some had been small children when they came and were now in their senior years with only the education and experience they had learned on the island. The officials would uproot them from the only home they knew.
This is a very moving and heart-wrenching story showing the prejudices that exist when people don't understand something and the people who go above and beyond to try and help those who are in need.”
Exile on Molokai continued for more than a century, the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Since little was know about the disease, many patients were misdiagnosed and sent to the island by mistake with no hope of their case to ever been reviewed again. In all, more than 8 thousand people were banished to the settlement.
There were many heroes that resulted from the catastrophe. Some even sacrificed their own health to help those on the island. And when research finally revealed a cure for leprosy, some of the island inhabitants had lived on the island for so long that they refused to leave because they knew nothing else. Some had been small children when they came and were now in their senior years with only the education and experience they had learned on the island. The officials would uproot them from the only home they knew.
This is a very moving and heart-wrenching story showing the prejudices that exist when people don't understand something and the people who go above and beyond to try and help those who are in need.”
February 28, 2016
by John Tayman, Backyard BBQ (50 States Challenge)
Themes: illness, superstition, compassion, love, science
Setting: Molokai, Hawaii 1866-1970s
Leprosy. It's a horrible disease. It makes your extremities fall off. It's horribly contagious. It causes nasty oozing sores that spread germs to everyone you pass by. It's always fatal. And there's still no cure.
Except that none of this is true. Except that is a pretty horrible disease, if not treated. But there is a very effective treatment available. It's not very contagious at all. Only a small portion of the population is susceptible to it in the first place. Even then, only some of them get the worst form. It's more a matter of nerve damage and swelling. And diagnosis is a matter of minutes, so getting started with the right treatment now takes just days.
What a change from the past. This book is all about the bad old days of leprosy, and in the United States, it didn't get worse than in Hawaii. Hawaiians were some of those that for some reason were particularly prone to catching leprosy. And back then, there was no treatment available. They could diagnose it, all right. Then they would pack you up and ship you off, without another word, off to Molokai, the leper colony. Good luck to you.
Incredible story, and it's all true. At least, the author says it's all true. Apparently there's some controversy. But it made for great reading. It was shocking stuff. I couldn't believe how they treated lepers like criminals. It's not a crime to be sick. (Although in this country, I often wonder.) But they were treated like they had done something wrong by getting a disease. I couldn't put it down. 4 stars.
Themes: illness, superstition, compassion, love, science
Setting: Molokai, Hawaii 1866-1970s
Leprosy. It's a horrible disease. It makes your extremities fall off. It's horribly contagious. It causes nasty oozing sores that spread germs to everyone you pass by. It's always fatal. And there's still no cure.
Except that none of this is true. Except that is a pretty horrible disease, if not treated. But there is a very effective treatment available. It's not very contagious at all. Only a small portion of the population is susceptible to it in the first place. Even then, only some of them get the worst form. It's more a matter of nerve damage and swelling. And diagnosis is a matter of minutes, so getting started with the right treatment now takes just days.
What a change from the past. This book is all about the bad old days of leprosy, and in the United States, it didn't get worse than in Hawaii. Hawaiians were some of those that for some reason were particularly prone to catching leprosy. And back then, there was no treatment available. They could diagnose it, all right. Then they would pack you up and ship you off, without another word, off to Molokai, the leper colony. Good luck to you.
Incredible story, and it's all true. At least, the author says it's all true. Apparently there's some controversy. But it made for great reading. It was shocking stuff. I couldn't believe how they treated lepers like criminals. It's not a crime to be sick. (Although in this country, I often wonder.) But they were treated like they had done something wrong by getting a disease. I couldn't put it down. 4 stars.
May 27, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, and I did until I read the Notes section at the end of the main narrative. The style and pace were good and easy to understand. It's a story that is very interesting, tragic, and sad yet also inspiring. But then the author admits that upon seeing the editorial decisions he chose to make, two of the living former residents of the Molokai'i settlement did not want to work with him and did not want to be included in the book. Nevertheless Mr. Tayman refused to respect their wishes and did, in fact, include and identity them. These people were forced into the settlement on Molokai'i against their wishes, and now Mr. Tayman forced them to be included in his book. I believe they have long since earned their right to peaceful anonymity and I question the ethics of Tayman to disregard their wishes. A better author could have written an account just as fascinating and touching as this without needing to offend the very people who had to endure the cruelties of these events. This is an important part of history that should definitely be included in any well-rounded discussion about human rights in America and it's territories. But Mr. Tayman has shown that he is not the right author to properly tell this story and give his subjects the respect and sensitivity they deserve.
February 22, 2016
Well written and researched account of the leper colony on the Hawaiian island of Molokai.
Hard to read at times, due to the heartbreaking descriptions of human suffering, and the mad scientist ways that were used while searching for a cure were stomach turning, but there were a few moments of comic relief thrown in, such as John Wayne being scared to the point of hiding
and Robert Louis Stevenson strolling around in a suit with a red silk scarf tied around his waist.
(Really? You're going to a primitive place where people are dying of a horrible disease and you get all dressed up as though you are going to dine with the Queen ... Seriously?)
Of course, the best part of this book was reading about Father Damien and the nuns, who went there of their own free will, to give what care and comfort they could to the exiles of Molokai.
May God richly reward them for their selfless sacrifices.
Hard to read at times, due to the heartbreaking descriptions of human suffering, and the mad scientist ways that were used while searching for a cure were stomach turning, but there were a few moments of comic relief thrown in, such as John Wayne being scared to the point of hiding
and Robert Louis Stevenson strolling around in a suit with a red silk scarf tied around his waist.
(Really? You're going to a primitive place where people are dying of a horrible disease and you get all dressed up as though you are going to dine with the Queen ... Seriously?)
Of course, the best part of this book was reading about Father Damien and the nuns, who went there of their own free will, to give what care and comfort they could to the exiles of Molokai.
May God richly reward them for their selfless sacrifices.
April 23, 2015
3.5 stars. Very interesting at parts. I learned that my knowledge of how leprosy works was slim to none. So on a educational stand point, it was very helpful. And it did encourage me to do a little extra research on this strange and widely misunderstood disease. I can't put a finger on why I didn't enjoy this book more, but it felt like it was taking a long time to finish. It is 300 pages long though, which is longer than the average book I read. But it just never really grabbed me. And it is kinda sad at parts. Before advanced medical science, people that were inflicted with horrible diseases were treated, well, horribly. Educationally, I'd give the book 4 stars. Readability, 3 stars. But I can easily see some people enjoying it more or less than I did, depending on your taste. Overall, I'm glad I read it though.
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