Kalaupapa: The Mormon Experience in an Exiled Community

By Fred E. Woods

This book tells the riveting story of a unique settlement on the Hawaiian island of Molokai known as Kalaupapa. In the nineteenth century, leprosy (now known as Hansen's disease) spread through the Hawaiian Islands, causing the king of Hawaii to sanction an act that exiled all people afflicted with this disease to Kalaupapa peninsula. Kalaupapa was separated from the rest of the world, with sheer cliffs on one side, the ocean on the other three, and limited contact with anyone, even loved ones. In this book, Fred Woods delves into the untold history of Kalaupapa and its inhabitants, recounting the patients' experience on the peninsula and emphasizing the Mormon connection to it. By so doing, he brings to light inspiring stories of love, courage, sacrifice, and community.

Hard cover. 352 pages. Approximately 6 inches by 9 inches.