Voices of Hawai‘i chronicles history through personal stories
When Jane Marshall Goodsill began writing a book about her father in 2018, she started by talking with people who knew him. A prominent Honolulu attorney, who practiced law in the islands from 1941 to 2004, Marshall Max Goodsill was known by many. As Jane Goodsill listened to stories about her dad, people also talked about themselves, their families and their families’ experiences, inspiring her to expand the book to include those experiences of isle residents. - By John Berger
Grand Slam! The Voices of the People who Built Hawaii!
Jane’s heart and aloha is apparent throughout this book. It is no wonder she was able to successfully draw out so many great stories of not only glory but the grit!
This book will be top of mind for Hawaii college courses and high schools. The History Channel has a series called The Men who Built America...well Jane has created an Hawaii anthology of the Stories and Voices of the People who built Hawaii!
This first edition will no doubt have a remarkable follow up of the additional voices that have not been interviewed yet.
Hawaii is all about relationships and there’s so much care in the preparation, interviews, and content within the book. It’s such an amazing conversational piece and inspiration of bridging multi generations. I am beyond appreciative and in awe of the work and heart that went into the work. Mahalo nui piha Ms. Jane Marshall Goodsill! I know your father is smiling from heaven. You have made him proud...good and faithful servant of the world and Hawaii!
- Chahati Lancaster
The Transformation of Hawai‘i
An oral history tells the behind-the-scenes stories of
broken color barriers, big land and financing deals, and
other colorful incidents that helped create modern Hawai‘i
Jane Marshall Goodsill has spent thousands of hours listening to people’s stories, both as a licensed professional counselor and a volunteer oral historian. When she set out to collect people’s recollections of her father, Marshall Goodsill, a founder of the local law firm Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, what she gathered was so much more. - By Steve Petranik
Honolulu Magazine January 2021
A New Book Highlights Hawai‘i’s History Through
the Stories of Those Who Lived and Made It
Jane Marshall Goodsill’s new book, “Voices of Hawai‘i” gives us a chance to sit
in on talk story sessions with local ranchers, lawyers, musicians, Hawaiian culture experts,
Olympic medal winners and more. - By Christi Young
Bob Sigall reviews Voices of Hawai`i in his
In the Rearview Mirror Newsletter #173 • February 2021
Jane Marshall Goodsill gave me a copy of her new Voices of Hawai‘i book Monday.
Her dad was a lawyer in town and she has interviewed over 70 interesting islanders.
I learned, for instance, that Fujio Matsuda was the squad leader of an all-Caucasian
field artillery unit during World War II. And he was the youngest in the squad.
Later he ran the State DOT and was UH president.
Oz Stender’s family has a 999-year lease on an Oahu property, signed in 1922.
Who’s ever heard of such a long lease?”
Comments from Readers
I just turned the last page and closed the cover of Voices of Hawai‘i. Every chapter, and I mean every chapter, was meaningful to me. Voices has inspired me to talk to my one-quarter and one-eighth Hawaiian offspring about my experiences growing up. I hesitated for so many years to share my heritage and experiences with my kids, but this book has changed that for me.
– Frank Washburn, CEO, Washburn Consulting
So much of Hawaii's history would be lost without these types of anthologies. People tend to think that Hawaii evolved on its own, without realizing the "behind the scenes" (and often uncelebrated) hard work of people like Marshall Goodsill and others.
– Raymond K. Okada, Trust and Estate Litigation Attorney
I have enjoyed my dive into the inviting section themes of this book. Such a creative approach to mining nuggets from oral histories. It was a terrific idea that delivered on its promise. Reading this book sort of feels like hanging out with old friends and many of the iconic figures of my generation.
– Neil Hannahs, Founder and CEO, Ho'okele Strategies
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