The koa canoe is one of the most important symbols in Hawaiian culture today, a link between Hawai'i's simpler past and its sophisticated present. Ian MacMillan takes us over to Molokai'i, where a crew of misfit paddlers, women who are dealing with alcoholism, divorce, depression, and more, find an old koa canoe stored in a rundown shed. In a powerful and gripping story centered on the canoe, MacMillan puts us in the boat with the crew. First, we train, and then we paddle in the world championship of outrigger canoe racing, the Molokai'i to O'ahu race. A symbol of life, the koa canoe changes each woman, helping each of them to refocus their lives.... The Seven Orchids entertains and educates us at the same time. You couldn't ask for more. - John Clark, author of six books on Hawai'i's beaches ""If Hemingway were alive and reporting on the Na Wahine O Ke Kai canoe race, he would sound like Ian MacMillan. This book is more than a collection of literary gems, however; it includes one of the most endearing love stories ever written. All paddlers and every woman should read The Seven Orchids."" - Steven Taylor Goldsberry
