"Oliver’s Travels: The Making of a Chinese-American Radical," by Oliver Lee (self-published, $22.46): Lee, a retired political science professor at the University of Hawaii, documents his life, starting from his international upbringing as the child of a diplomat to his experience as one of the first prominent opponents to the Vietnam War in Hawaii. It nearly cost him tenure but instead led to the resignation of UH President Thomas Hamilton.

"Ekahi Method: Master the Waves of Life," by Brett Wade (Lulu, $19.99): Wade, a former Hawaii resident, uses the science of waves to explain physical and emotional well-being in this New Age-y self-help book. He groups people by their "frequency cycles" — red, blue, violet, green and yellow — and posits that when these cycles clash or get out of sync, problems happen.

"Kilometer 99," by Tyler McMahon (St. Martin’s Griffin, $14.99): McMahon, editor of the Hawai’i Pacific Review, combines his knowledge of surfing with his experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in this novel set in El Salvador during the 2001 earthquakes. His protagonist, Malia, a young Hawaii woman who surfs the country’s hot spots, veers from noble volunteer work to an underworld of shady business deals, drug smuggling and messy relationships.

"Dying to Be a Centerfold," by Terri Lenee Peake (Titan InKorp, $11.99): In this tell-all autobiography, the author, a Hawaii resident who was a Penthouse centerfold model in 1987, tells a graphic story of life in the fast lane — from partying with celebrity hangers-on to dancing in strip clubs here and on the mainland. After Peake tries to "settle down" into work as a movie theater manager, she winds up battling illness caused by her leaking breast implants.

"An Empire Found," by Leslie Morris (Trafford Publishing, $17.99): The Hawaii resident’s 36-page personal memoir lays out in simple, unadorned language a life of ups and downs, from nearly being drowned by her mother, to fighting cancer as a young woman, to dealing with mental illness, while simultaneously trying to find love and happiness as an entertainer. It’s not much on analysis, but some episodes in her life are heart-wrenching.

"Ancestral Places: Understanding Kanaka Geographies," by Katrina-Ann R. Kapa’anaokalaokeola Nakoa Oliveira (Oregon State University Press, $21.95): The connection between spirit and place in Hawaii are explored by the author, a professor of Hawaiian at UH-Manoa and a trained geographer. The book, which is written in English and includes liberal use of Hawaiian, also delves into aspects of culture like genealogy and social hierarchies.

Page Turners highlights books by Hawaii authors and books about Hawaii or of interest to Hawaii readers. To submit a book for consideration, send a copy and information to Features Department, 500 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. For more information, email books@staradvertiser.com.