Several Punahou alumni and faculty have published books in the past two years that span a variety of genres and subjects. Here’s a roundup of some of their work.
John Corboy ’56
Life and Times of Little Johnny Corboy, Volume 3: Eyes and Cries
The book follows John Corboy’s specialty training as an ophthalmologist, beginning with his residency at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and continuing with four years with the U.S. Public Health Service in San Francisco. Before leaving San Francisco, he reflects on the hippie culture that emerged there and the tremendous cultural impact of drugs and “flower power.” He later moved to Honolulu, where he joined a group practice with the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group and began raising three children with his wife, Mary Jo. After five years, he was encouraged to go solo and open his own private practice, a move he was initially reluctant to make but ultimately found rewarding.
Karl Dimler ’73 as Ken Daring, and Greg Dimler ’71
Pelekunu, A Three-Week Survival Memoir
“Pelekunu, A Three-Week Survival Memoir” is a visceral, photographic memoir that chronicles the journey of four adolescents who, in January 1973, left behind the comforts and chaos of civilization to test themselves against the raw power of nature. With minimal gear, no food, some fishing lines, two rifles and a 35mm camera, they backpacked deep into an uninhabited valley on the rugged north shore of Moloka‘i – one of the most isolated places in the Hawaiian Islands. This is not a nostalgic retreat; “Pelekunu” is a challenge – a reminder that the call to grow up often comes not from society but from the land itself.
Tori Brenno ’79 Eldridge
Hawai‘i Rage, Ranger Makalani Pahukula Mystery, Book 2
When Native Hawaiian ranger Makalani Pahukula is bored with her new position on Hawai‘i Island at Pu‘ukoholā National Historic Site, she agrees to help on her cousin’s multigenerational cattle ranch. But as tempers run hot between the paniolo in the Hiapo family, Makalani suspects the father’s gruesome ranching accident may be an ingenious murder to control the land. When more dangerous accidents happen, Makalani follows the clues into the dark history of Hiapo Ranch.
Allegra Goodman ’85
This Is Not About Us
When their beloved sister passes away, Sylvia and Helen Rubinstein are unmoored. A misunderstanding about apple cake turns into a decade of stubborn silence. Busy with their own lives – divorces, dating, career setbacks, college applications, bat mitzvahs and ballet recitals – their children do not want to get involved. As for their grandchildren? Impossible. “This Is Not About Us” is a story of growing up and growing old, the weight of parental expectations and the complex connection between sisters – a big-hearted book about the love that binds a family across generations.
Jaren Hancock ’56
A Ground Swell’s Groundswell
In the mid-1950s, against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world, two young men from different economic, cultural, educational and spiritual backgrounds forge an unexpected friendship at California’s Fort Ord Army base. Both trying to navigate the rigors of infantry basic training and a vindictive, racist drill sergeant. Their relationship takes them through the hardships of military life to the exhilarating waves of Hawai‘i, where surfing was undergoing a transformative evolution, to the snow-covered mountains of Utah and a small segregated town in Alabama. Read how they react to the wealthy social circles of Honolulu, San Francisco, Napa Valley and Carmel.
Eve Maler ’80
Mastering Digital Identity: From Risk to Revenue
“Mastering Digital Identity” makes the case: identity isn’t infrastructure, it’s your most powerful product. Eve Maler exposes why traditional approaches fail and introduces the Identity Product Owner framework, transforming identity from cost center to profit engine – aligning security, privacy and customer experience with real business outcomes.
Ashley Maynard ’90
Paxku’ and The Temples of Palenque
Ten-year-old Paxku’ knows her village in the misty highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, is special, but she doesn’t know why her people are called the “People of the Bat.” When her family travels to the ancient jungle ruins of Palenque, Paxku’ sets out on a quest. As she climbs mossy stone pyramids and deciphers ancient glyphs, she realizes that her heritage isn’t just a story from the past – it’s a living connection woven into the very fabric of her life.
Lurline Wailana McGregor ’69
Waking in a Sea of Dreams
Moana Kawelo reawakens her ancestral ‘aumakua manō, leading her into the shadowy depths of her family’s past. Through fragmented visions and long-buried secrets, Moana traces her lineage, revealing concealed connections and unresolved trauma. In the ever-changing tides of Hawaiian identity, she must navigate the challenges of reclaiming her spiritual heritage and carrying on the kuleana that binds her family.