Our Beaches Were Empty, Our Hospitals Full: Leadership Stories from Hawaii's Unique Pandemic Response

by Kirk Caldwell, Georgette Takushi Deemer

320 pages, Paperback

Published May 2, 2023

Reviews

[Luna M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book at a little independent bookstore in O’ahu while looking for something that I wouldn’t be able to buy elsewhere. It ended up being a great pick— I learned a ton about the different jurisdictional, political, and logistical issues of figuring out governance across the island nation. It was such a breath of fresh air to see the panoply of groups who came together to respond to the pandemic and develop much more proactive strategies than in most of the US. It was also very readable and well-organized. There were parts that were so visceral they brought me right back to 2020 and the fear and uncertainty of the COVID crisis.

[Auston · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a paramedic who worked through the pandemic and lived on my own island, I thought that Hawaii could have a very interesting insight to add. I was not mistaken! I was not expecting a QA roundtable sort of book, but the more I dug into it, the more I enjoyed seeing the varying perspectives. I think this book holds a lot of value for those in tourism, public health, and even business as Hawaii tried to manage to keep all 3 happy. The book would have made for a great Netflix documentary as well!

[Feasibly · Rating 5 out of 5]

We recognized that we needed to work with someone who was similarly action oriented and someone who would be willing to help break through the barriers of red tape. The first person that came to mind was you (Kirk Caldwell).

And Bruce goes, "Well I don't agree with this." Now this is after we all agreed we're going to do it. Literally five minutes, straighten your hair, take your pen out of your pocket, tuck in your shirt, and now he's saying he's having second thoughts.
I slammed my hand on the table. I stood up and said, "I'm out of here. I'm gone. Goodbye. Really, Governor? After a week of discussing it, we all agreed, and now we're going to go out and implement,...and one of the guys is saying I'm not going with you. The director of the DOH! This is ridiculous!"
Then Bruce said okay. He said, "No, I'll say I support it." But I'm thinking at this point, This guy's gotta go. Gotta go.