Guidebooks 

The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook; Hawaii The Big Island Revealed; Maui Revealed; Oahu Revealed ALL by  Wizard Publications, Inc. Most guides are put together by travel writers after a few weeks of visiting the location. They compile notes which are sent back to a publisher on the mainland and a "comprehensive guidebook" is created by staffers that may not have even seen the place they are describing. Guides at Wizard Publications are different. They take years to produce. The authors see and do everything described in their books. For instance, their Big Island book, Hawaii The Big Island Revealed took over two years, full time, to compile. Every beach, trail, restaurant, hotel, scenic spot, etc. that they describe is from their direct experience. All are described with their unique blend of humor, candor, and easy reading style with full color on every page. (Black and white photos do an incredible disservice to Hawaii.) The authors live in Hawaii, live the experiences, and live to write about it.  These books are intended to bring you independence in exploring Hawaii. They waste your precious time by giving you bad advice and bad directions. They want you to experience the best that the island has to offer.   These books are somewhat controversial, as some people disapprove of the fact  that these books truly reveal Hawaii.  This includes hiking trails on private land, and places sacred to native Hawaiians.  However, these books are a rich, biased resource for information on Hawaii.

Frommers Hawaii 2006 , by Jeanette Foster

Lonely Planet Hawai' i:  The Big Island , by Luci Yamamoto

Schmap Big Island Guide , a free digital guidebook