Folks You Meet in Longs - Paperback

Folks You Meet in Longs and Other Stories is a collection of short, dramatic monologues by award-winning playwright and columnist Lee Cataluna. Originally written for the stage, these character sketches read like overheard conversations from the aisles and glimpses into the private lives of public people. Some are laugh-out-loud funny. Others are disarming in their honesty. All are rooted in the community, language, and layered identities of Hawai'i.

First published by Bamboo Ridge Press and honored with the Ka Palapala Po'okela Award for Excellence in Literature, Folks You Meet in Longs has become a local classic. The characters are fictional, but they feel real and recognizable. Their voices are relatable and richly drawn. They are aunties and exes, co-workers and customers, each carrying a mix of judgment, joy, and heartache. Cataluna's monologues do not romanticize or flatten local life. Instead, they celebrate its contradictions, humor, and everyday dramas with emotional insight and compassion.

Perfect for fans of character-driven short fiction, dramatic monologue, and slice-of-life literature, this book is widely taught, frequently performed, and deeply beloved across Hawai'i's schools and stages. Whether you live in the islands or are simply curious about everyday life in Hawai'i, Folks You Meet in Longs offers a reading experience that is both entertaining and thoughtful.