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More copies of this ISBN:This title in other formats:The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokaiby John Tayman
Staff Pick
A fascinating work of history about a cruel response to a misunderstood disease, The Colony vividly recounts the saga of the leprosy colony on Molokai and the community once forcibly interred there. Tayman crafts a gripping, and at times horrifying, story about the people once consigned to the colony to die, their cruel overseers, the kindhearted dedicated to helping the internees, and the famous who came to visit this once world renown colony. Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments: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. Review:"From 1866 through 1969, the Hawaiian and American governments banished nearly 9,000 leprosy sufferers into exile on a peninsula on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Former Outside editor Tayman crafts a tale of fear, endurance and hope in telling the story of these unfortunate victims of ignorance (leprosy is caused by a simple bacteria and isn't nearly as contagious as was long believed). After a smallpox epidemic wiped out a fifth of the Hawaiian population in the 1850s, leprosy was seen as the next cataclysmic threat, and drastic measures were taken. For more than 100 years, anyone diagnosed with the disease was taken to the remote colony. Initially, conditions were horrible, with few services or proper medical treatment. Pushed to their limit and fueled with potent moonshine, the internees frequently rioted, causing overseers to enforce cruel laws. Later, as science and social thinking evolved, conditions improved and many in the settlement lived lives of near normalcy. Drawing on contemporary sources and eyewitness accounts of the still surviving members of the colony, Tayman has created a fitting monument to the strength and character of the castoffs in particular, and human beings as a whole. B&w photos. Agent, David McCormick. (Jan. 3) " Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"[A] gripping history....Tayman's crisp, flowing writing and inclusion of personal stories and details make this an utterly engrossing look at a heartbreaking chapter in Hawaiian history." Booklist (Starred Review) Review:"[Tayman] hauntingly depicts the devastation of an ill-understood disease and helps demystify its victims....Rigorous, tenacious research uncovers a grim story of human suffering." Kirkus Reviews Review:"Drawing on eight thousand pages of documents, Tayman reconstructs a fascinating history of the settlement, which officially lasted until 1969." New Yorker Review:"Tayman's noble account makes you want to stand and applaud." Mary Roach, The New York Times Book Review Review:"A fascinating book about disease and the startling responses to it, ranging from terror to love." Paul Theroux Review:"The front end of this book is meticulously researched and footnoted...Tayman's story does come alive." Seattle Times What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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