History of the Macadamia Nut Industry in Hawai'i 1881-1981: From Bush Nut to Gourmet's Delight

"Divided into three parts, Wagner-Wright's book first describes the introduction of the macadamia (or macadamia nut) into Hawai'i from Australia, and the first decades of experimentation with it as a viable agricultural crop. It is a story of success and failure, of dreams fulfilled and unfulfilled, and of the cooperative efforts of many people and agencies that laid the foundation for the tale described in part two: the commercial development of the macadamia in Hawai'i. For this and the third part of the book, especially, the interviews with pioneers from the 1930s and 1940s provide fascinating and important insights to supplement the written records. . . . .a comprehensive history of the industry in Hawai'i has for a long time been needed. Wagner-Wright's [work] at last fills that need." -- Gary Dean Best

"For historians who study only the agricultural aspect of a product or crop, or only the economic side, or only the business side, it is illuminating to see the complexity involved in the overall development of an industry." -- Richard A. Overfield