Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival

by Andrew M. Crusoe

What happens when you hear the call to fly to the most remote population center on the planet, home base for ecovillages, black sand beaches, and a volcano goddess living in a molten lake of lava? You GO!

After hearing the call and doing the research, Andrew lands on the Big Island and, after "extreme picnicking" on the edge of a lava lake, arrives at a community in Puna, the wildest part of the island. Initially, he planned to stay only for the summer. Little did he know that he would stay for over ten thousand hours…

Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival is the first in a 3-volume adventure memoir about community, sustainability, and a life-changing journey on the Big Island of Hawaii. In Volume 1, Andrew gets a crash course in island life, joins a community which he soon learns has a dark side, and witnesses firsthand the power of the volcano goddess, the mythical creator of the islands themselves.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Ebooks

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2018

About the author

Andrew M Crusoe is an author and world traveler who writes books that expand the mind, heart, and spirit. His work blends adventure, science fiction, and memoir, often exploring out-of-body journeys and visionary experiences inspired by his travels across Hawaii and around the globe.

His debut novel, The Truth Beyond the Sky, launched the Epic of Aravinda series — a Tropical Sci-Fi trilogy, now with over 500 positive reviews on Amazon alone, that draws on mythology, esoteric exploration, and cutting-edge science. The novel was also featured on UPR radio for predicting gravity waves years before their official discovery in 2016.

The series continued with The Island on the Edge of Forever and concluded with The Mirage on the Brink of Oblivion, both praised for their vivid landscapes and bold mix of science fiction and spiritual adventure.

Andrew has also written the Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise trilogy, a true-to-life account of his years in Hawaii, where he learned about Hawaiian healing traditions and Vipassana meditation. These experiences went on to shape both his nonfiction and the spiritual undercurrents of his fiction, giving his work a unique blend of grounded practice and visionary scope.

When he isn’t writing, Andrew loves connecting with readers. You can discover more of his work — including a set of free books to get started — at AndrewCrusoe.com

Reviews

[Mac Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day, Andrew Crusoe, decided to move his life to the Island of Hawai'i (also known as The Big Island). With little money, and a vague plan to work as a volunteer, he arrived knowing almost next to nothing about the island and it's culture. On the plus side, he was very adaptable and more than willing to learn. This book chronicles his sometimes rocky and more often amazing first months in his new home.

The details of life in a volunteer community are interesting and eye-opening. While all community members share a love of the island and its culture, they are not all happy-to-lucky easy going wanderers. There are plenty both close friendships and personality clashes.

My favorite parts are his descriptions of the wonders of the island. His descriptions convey both the beauty of the environment and his awe at seeing them for the first time. It made me want to jump on a plane and get some aloha spirit.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Web guy goes to Hawaii, hangs out with some hippies, likes some of them and not others, and starts writing a novel. Nothing really happens. I couldn't decide whether I liked him or not: he's maybe a person I could chat to by a fire for an evening or chill with at a festival, but no more. I'm not interested enough to read more.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read if you like adventure or are interested in the magical place that is Hawaii island!

[Cathy Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun!

Fascinating read

I liked his writing style and was easily engaged in the author's story. This is volume 1 of 3 volumes.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know quite what to expect when I picked this book. I was hoping for an adventure book, after some of the heavier reading I had done. This book was more like a travelogue, but yet, had an inner core of a short biography. But I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the author's writing style. He was descriptive of the places he was exploring on the Big Island. I got a few chuckles from some of his sayings "shot out of there like a broken watch spring" and others. Is this his Wisconsin upbringing coming out? lol.
Based on his past experiences as a web designer and computer guru, he lands a volunteer work-for-board job in a similar based community in Hawaii. The time allows him writing time for his sequel to his first book, as well as experiencing Island Life. But over the few months he remain in the "Community" he finds some great people to share his Hawaiian experiences with. But this is tampered by his "boss" and their bad relationship. Eventually this relationship wears him down as well and he must look elsewhere. I related to this as I am also dealing with that same type of volunteer work relationship currently. It can be so draining, demeaning and will eat you up. He chose correctly in deciding to leave the Community.
The book flowed well and I enjoyed hearing of the places around Puna. I had hoped the 'adventure' part of his book would have been a little more exciting, but then the interrelationship development was spot on and kept the book going. The ending was a little abrupt. I will pick up the second book to find out the "what happened next". I am intrigued.

[I J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simplistic and Childish

I read the whole book to see if it would improve - but it didn't! The prose is simple and childish. The spoken speech is written as if it were a young teenager talking. The experience being written about is living in a Community in Hawaii, on a work-trade agreement. There is no explanation about what this involves, how it is organised and what is the real cost. Matangi is written about at length and the issues Andrew may have had with her may have been real - but her place in the Community organisation is never properly explained. You have the feeling she owns the land and created the Community- but why, and what organisation did she have in place to be able to leave Hawaii for the greater part of the timeframe of the book.
On finishing the book I did wonder why I bothered.

[Eugene Bowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the description of this book I was expecting an adventure book. This book is more like a diary featuring the author's time spent in Hawaii. Although it wasn't what I was expecting it turned out to be a pretty good read. I think the author did a good job of describing the activities and sights on the island.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOT kindle unlimited {not really comment, just always state if they are ku or not}, got this one during a promotion/freebie day way back in December of last year, but since do ARCs here and there combined with following certain writers combined with being legally blind, sometimes books get lost in the shuffle or don't get put into the tbr pile for whatever reason. This, for me, was a bit of a 4 1/2 but more because pretty much regardless not into the relationship/chick stuff but did find the descriptions of various places there quite interesting, the most of course being Keck twin telescopes {yeah, there was only like 4 brothers that all the Kecks are now related to, however closely or distantly} but find the various telescopes, etcetera, there highly interesting.

What happens when you hear the call to fly to the most remote population center on the planet, home base for ecovillages, black sand beaches, and a volcano goddess living in a molten lake of lava? You GO! After hearing the call and doing the research, Andrew lands on the Big Island and, after "extreme picnicking" on the edge of a lava lake, arrives at a community in Puna, the wildest part of the island. Initially, he planned to stay only for the summer. Little did he know that he would stay for over ten thousand hours…

Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival is the first in a 3-volume adventure memoir about community, sustainability, and a life-changing journey on the Big Island of Hawaii. In Volume 1, Andrew gets a crash course in island life, joins a community which he soon learns has a dark side, and witnesses firsthand the power of the volcano goddess, the mythical creator of the islands themselves.

Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival (True Hawaii Book 1)
Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival (True Hawaii Book 2)
Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise: Arrival (True Hawaii Book 3)

The Epic of Aravinda
The Truth Beyond the Sky #1
The Secret Beneath the Ice #1.1
The Island on the Edge of Forever #2
The Loveliest Abyss in the Universe #1.2
The Mirage on the Brink of Oblivion #3

Sci-fi books and others available amazon, goodreads, etcetera

[Sunhawk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intrigued by the title and briefly interested, but I couldn't get very far. The writer is very childish, and I would have to guess has not read very much. He hasn't learned to tell us only the parts that move the story forward, and so the reader has to wade through a lot of quotidian drivel. As someone who knows and loves Hawaii -- hence my interest -- he gets a lot wrong: a day trip from Pahoa to South Point goes via Pu'uhonua o Honaunau. He gets a lot right, too -- introducing the 'okina -- but with such an intensely phonetic language, spelling out ho-now-now just wastes my time and ink (or annoys electrons). I have better things to read: abandoned after 45 pages. Might give new visitors to the Big Island some good ideas, but there are better guidebooks.

[Denice Josten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book a 5 because it was well-edited and it suited my purpose for reading it. I had planned to take my whole family to the Big Island of Hawaii this summer. None of us has been there and I'm becoming old enough I thought I shouldn't wait. All of us were very excited about it. I had already rented the house on the ocean near Hilo and had purchased our plane tickets. Then COVID-19 hit the world and I had to cancel. Reading this book was my alternative way to explore the area. Now I want to visit it even more. I think I would have been fine with just the descriptions, but Crusoe kept it interesting by adding all sorts of characters that he met there.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A Fabulous True Life Adventure Story! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Andrew is such a talented storyteller who is able to draw you in instantly and keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. This autobiographical account is so intriguing and different from most of us in the 9-5 world. The love he feels for the island and respect for the way of life that is cultured there, shows through in every chapter. If I weren't as tied down in my current circumstances I'd be off to Hawai'i to live happily ever after too! So be warned, this book may give you island fever.

[Loretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very different book from what I normally read. I got it free from Book Bubs and was interested as we recently went to Hawaii for the first time. This is a true story about the author’s adventure in going to Hawaii to live in a Community group which was a new concept to me. He is much more adventurous than I am but it was interesting to read. This is the first of 3 books about his time there. I probably won’t read the other books but it would be interesting to see how things end up for him.

[Paula M Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful view of the natural Hawaii

I enjoyed Andrew's writing about his experiences in Hawaii mostly because he spoke of the people he met rather than a tour guide. He also shares his adventures of island hikes and shopping experiences and his instinctual feelings about the people he met and how kind they were to him as well as the work experience at the Community and the life of a couch surfer.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes me want to head to Hawaii

An enjoyable autobiography written in a straightforward and honest manner. The beauty of Hawaii and interesting people that make up the various communities were well described. The story is not without struggle as the author navigates difficult living and relationship issues.

[David Sprague · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only read 3 chapters and was underwhelmed. Perhaps if I were enchanted with Hawaii and lava lakes this would have been more appealing to me. As far as adventures I have had much more to write about in many of my travels. It was just too ordinary of a story to me. It was like reading a boring diary.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this book. It was like reading someone diary. The main character wishy, washy to me. No excitment. Nothing to keep me reading. Laid the book aside on several occasions so I could read something more interesting than following a vegetarian around to various places as he searched for himself.

[Joan Buell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed the descriptions of Hawaii and of life there, the rest of the book left me cold. The author majored on such minor things - salt water in his nose, perceived slights that left him anxious, etc. - that it seemed trivial to me. Won't be looking for the sequels.

[Laura Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful and beautiful exploration of the authors journey in Hawaii

The author joyously brings you along in his experience in an intentional community and the many beautiful and meaningful adventures with people he meets throughout his adventures.

[Tammie Vernon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The read was like reading a journal without much being told. So there were trips to the beach. What happened there? What details were left out? Not enough substance to make me want to read the other two books. Lacking depth.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did learn about some places on the island of Hawaii, however I am not a big fan of the story. The story basically covers what the author encountered while staying in Hawaii mostly focusing on his relationships with others.

[Mjh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun storyline to follow. Like listening to a good friend tell his adventure in Hawaii. Enjoyed the visual descriptions of the island's nature and culture. Ready to finish the series.

[Diane Martyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paradise review

A little wordy at times. Wanted more about Hawaii instead of people & relationships. Disappointed that there were no pictures.

[Catherine Ayres · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who have visited the island as a tourist this is a great look at a whole different island lifestyle. Good read!

[Marsha Rech]

Great book! I felt like I was there with him. Great descriptions!

[Manfred H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

cheap, trashy, juvenile writing of a self depicted "wanna-be author". not worth commenting on.

[Gayle Hoefker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I am right there with him. I want to read Part2.

[Jo-anne Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about life on Hawaii but the story is repetitive and simply written.

[Wayne Inkster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story of a young man's personal adventure in Hawaii

[Mary Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our family spent 10 days on Hawaii last summer. I enjoyed revisiting the places with this book.

[Ginger Denning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly great writing but good descriptions of places on the Big Island. Rather like a coming of age book.