“...a complicated love letter to a place and powerful reckoning of a life.” - Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things “For fans of Sarah Vowell and Kaui Hart Hemmings, Liz Prato's essay collection is a must-read that explores the islands’ mythos and reality..." - Kristiana Kahakauwila, author of This Is Paradise “...a secular devotional to a place that has woven its way into Liz Prato’s heart. Breathtaking.” - Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Book of Joan "Liz Prato’s fearless and tender investigation of our complex relationship with Hawai‘i will blow your mind. Hula dancers, aloha shirts, surfing, and the idyllic tropical vacation will never look the same.” - Karen Karbo, author of In Praise of Difficult Women Volcanoes, Palm Trees, and Privilege is not only a breezy and appealing primer on how to negotiate both Hawai'i in all its astonishing variety and the enormous advantages and nagging burdens of privilege; it's also a moving memoir about familial loss and the reconstitution of an essential version of the self. Liz Prato is beautifully smart about how disempowerment works, and how to combat it." -Jim Shepard, author of Book of Aron and The Tunnel at the End of the Light Liz Prato combines lyricism, research and humor to explore her role as a white tourist in a seemingly paradisiacal land that has been largely formed and destroyed by white outsiders. Hawaiian history, pop culture, and contemporary affairs are masterfully woven with her personal narrative of loss and survival in linked essays, offering unique insight into how the touristic ideal of Hawai‘i came to be, and what Hawai‘i is at its core.