{"product_id":"9780802194886","title":"Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's First Imperial Adventure","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e–bestselling author delivers “a\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e riveting saga about Big Sugar flexing its imperialist muscle in Hawaii . . . A real gem of a book” (Douglas Brinkley, author of \u003ci\u003eAmerican Moonshot\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Deftly weaving together a memorable cast of characters, \u003ci\u003eLost Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e brings to life the clash between a vulnerable Polynesian people and relentlessly expanding capitalist powers. Portraits of royalty and rogues, sugar barons, and missionaries combine into a sweeping tale of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s rise and fall.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e At the center of the story is Lili‘uokalani, the last queen of Hawai‘i. Born in 1838, she lived through the nearly complete economic transformation of the islands. Lucrative sugar plantations gradually subsumed the majority of the land, owned almost exclusively by white planters, dubbed the “Sugar Kings.” Hawai‘i became a prize in the contest between America, Britain, and France, each seeking to expand their military and commercial influence in the Pacific.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The monarchy had become a figurehead, victim to manipulation from the wealthy sugar plantation owners. Lili‘u was determined to enact a constitution to reinstate the monarchy’s power but was outmaneuvered by the United States. The annexation of Hawai‘i had begun, ushering in a new century of American imperialism.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “An important chapter in our national history, one that most Americans don’t know but should.” —\u003ci\u003eThe \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Siler gives us a riveting and intimate look at the rise and tragic fall of Hawaii’s royal family . . . A reminder that Hawaii remains one of the most breathtaking places in the world. Even if the kingdom is lost.” —\u003ci\u003eFortune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “[A] well-researched, nicely contextualized history . . . [Indeed] ‘one of the most audacious land grabs of the Gilded Age.’” —\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Grove\/Atlantic, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47128056955120,"sku":"9780802194886","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780802194886_p0.jpg?v=1763726378","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780802194886","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}