Mondavi Author Siler
Targets Island Royalty

     By Fred Delkin

     We recently shared a few minutes with Julia Flynn Siler, author of  "The House of Mondavi" which we reviewed in our June issue.  This sprightly mother of two sons, 10 & 12, has dived into a new project-"The Last Queen"-which will profile the demise of Hawaiian royalty resulting from American 19th century colonial aspirations.  Siler's talents for transforming exhaustive interviews and research into novel-like drama promises another enjoyable reading excursion ... and just as Robert Mondavi's passing postscripted the author's chronicle of vinous royalty, a group of native Hawaiians have just begun demonstrations before Honolulu's historic Iolani palace demanding restoration of the monarchy the United States overthrew in 1895.

Siler's Mondavi chronicle morphed from the Wall Street Journal staffer's 2003 front page story on the disarray of the wine dynasty.  She produced the book after 3 years of labor, and her account has never been challenged.  Now she declares that her Polynesian adventure will be as thorough and accurate.  Queen Lilinokalani's ancestors should be pleased.

© 2008 Oregon Magazine