Kathleen Tsinlankalau Tyau

born May 27, 1947, San Luis Obispo, California, raised in Hawaii: Waikiki, Pearl City, and Moanalua

attended Pearl City public schools, and graduated from Saint Andrew's Priory

her writing career began at the age of 13 with the publication of an essay in the Honolulu Star Bulletin

Lewis and Clark College, BA in English, 1969

m. Paul C. Drews (works for Intel)

currently lives on 52 acre evergreen forest near Gaston, Oregon

plays bluegrass guitar and mandolin; band's name is In The Grove; the hapa haole banjo player in her novel Makai was inspired by a bluegrass musician who is a descendant of King Kalani'opu'i of the Big Island

is a handweaver


Her essay "Island and Beyond" may be found in Borders & Boundaries [prose and poetry by Kathleen Tyau ... et al. ; editor, Linny Stovall], Hillsboro, Or. : Blue Heron Pub., c1993.

She is the author of two novels. A Little Too Much Is Enough, New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1995, was the winner of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award and a finalist for both the Oregon Book Award and the Barnes and Noble Best New Writer Award in 1996. She also won a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for fiction in 1998.

Her second novel is Makai, New York : Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1999.

Her poetry and prose also appears in journals. Her essay "The Rain, Half Falling" appears in Bellingham Review, volume 21, number 1, page 104. She appears in Writers Ask (quarterly newletter of Glimmer Train Press), number 1.

currently working on her third novel

She has taught creative writing at Pacific University, and Fishtrap (Fishtrap Fellow, Summer 1992, with work appearing in Fishtrap Anthology II; also taught Fishtrap, Summer 1996), been active at The Nye Beach Writers Series, and a frequent lecturer at other colleges, institutes and library conferences throughout the Pacific Northwest. She has also worked as a legal secretary.


Kathleen Tyau

Kathleen Tyau's review of a Maori book Dogside Story by Patricia Grace

"Decolonizing the Mind" in Kathleen Tyau's works

Kathleen Tyau's book Makai discussed as "Decolonizing the Mind"

"Hapa Haole Girl," Intersecting Circles, Honolulu: Bamboo Ridge Press, 1999, pages 97-99 [excerpt from A Little Too Much Is Enough

Kathleen Tyau's book Makai featured in Honolulu Advertiser Book Club read-together program

2nd installment of Kathleen Tyau's book Makai featured in Honolulu Advertiser Book Club read-together program

listen to Kathleen Tyau being interviewed by Wanda Adams on the "Sandwich Islands Literary Circle" July 28, KIPO 89.3 FM (RealPlayer plug-in required)

I have the hard copy of the book "Makai" and just absolutely loved 
reading it. I happen to have grown up in Pearl City with Kathleen 
and all the references she makes of her childhood are all too real! 
Her writing style is great, as she puts you into the reality of her 
story. I got her book at Powells in Oregon and keep it as a 
treasure.....to be shared with my children and grandchildren so they 
too can appreciate what it was like back then. I will remain her 
loyal fan and look forward to more of her writings.

Mary Antonio (no city given)

this and more readers' comments on Makai August 16, 2002

this and more readers' comments on Makai September 15, 2002

Makai author answers questions

"Sandwich Islands Literary Circle" Advertiser Book Club basic page of links

Makai featured in Honolulu Star Bulletin July 9, 1999

Bamboo Ridge catalog


Tom Bolling's home page