Letters : ‘Kauai’ Review in Error

I appreciate Don Strachan’s review of my book, “Kauai--The Separate Kingdom,” (Book Review, Aug. 11). The review, however, did contain one error that I believe should be corrected because it was the subject of a letter to the editor on Aug. 25. Hopefully, this letter will avoid compounding the misconception.

The error concerns the statement that sandalwood forests were destroyed to make room for sugar cane fields. Nowhere in my book did I say this. Rather, sandalwood was harvested to near extinction before sugar cane became important because sandalwood was highly valued as a trade item by the Chinese. In fact, sandalwood grew best in mountainous areas, not on lands ever suitable for sugar cane cultivation.

EDWARD JOESTING

Honolulu, Hawaii