The Manila-Acapulco Galleons: The Treasure Ships of the Pacific by Shirley Fish

 

Really great for the history buff that wants to know more about something that Hollywood, and several places have grossly overlooked. Really great for people looking for a good read.

Author Shirley Fish showed a lot of work and research in this. This is full of numerous sub-stories worthy of their own books. She might have grown tired of chasing down some 250 years worth of history spread out over the Pacific Ocean, and so many cultures. The only real downside I could find was the lack of an annotated list for those last voyages, but even then it was good stuff.

What happened on these ships, and around them, stretches the imagination, even if you grew up on the Pacific Coast or somewhere in it. Very informative and entertaining.

This was read, in part, as research, but I would have read it, anyway.

They Called Me Wyatt by Natasha Tynes

 I finally finished Natasha Tynes' They Called Me Wyatt, largely because I was overthinking it as I read it.

I attended graduate school in London with the author, and remembered her doing the footwork for this even back in 2001-2002. Forethought is important, and worked well here.

She has a clever surprise ending that required some dedicated thinking, and long hours. Not easy with children, and a full-time DC job. Evidence of dedicated focus is visible.

There were a few small wording quirks that were easily read through, and faded as content grew in strength. Transition was pretty good, and will also likely improve with even more book writing.

Length was another carefully well planned, or lucky, part at some 257 pages. It wasn't too long, too short, and didn't seem to waste any words.

It was a good 2020 Summer read.

MacArthur's Spies by Peter Eisner

 As soon as Peter Eisner, and his team, write another book, I want to read it.

I don’t care what the topic is, length, or anything else, I want a copy. I have given up on many books, and too often it was because of poor editing. I can only fight upstream against negligible editing, or sloppy writing for so long. This one flows wonderfully, however.

It’s worth reading all the way through, and it is friendly, easy reading. I found only two sentences worthy of any critical rethinking. One was on p. 202, and the other on p. 305. 

In the chapter Losing the War – A Japanese sergeant slammed Foke Kihlstedt, a Swedish friend of Marcial Lichauco, in the face with a stick for failing to remove a cigar from his mouth when he bowed before a sentry. In Sources, the last page of content, refers to the government’s use of Claire Phillips’ diary against her in court.  This sentence reads – The U.S. government used the diary against Claire in defending her three-year federal lawsuit. Prosecuting probably would have been a better word.

That’s only two slightly rough spots in thousands of words and sentences. Like seeing only two specks of driftwood while crossing a great river. Eisner, and his noted editor and reading crew, are certainly thorough, and it is appreciated. They easily outdistance themselves from too much of the flawed work published out there nowadays.

My guess is that those two questionable sentences most likely were corrected, or rewritten, but were re-errored in electronic production phases. I have seen that before. 

Personally, as with guerrilla leader John P. Boone, my wife is from the Philippines, and I have visited several of the places noted and referred to in the text. I am sure that this made it an easier read for me, and it is possible that Boone was a distant cousin. His appearance, and work as a photographer seemed to increase that chance a little, too.

This book is certainly good enough for assigned reading in most any history or writing class, and some journalism courses.

It was a summer 2020 read.

Chicanadas by Manuel C. Flores

 I think it's a good sign when a book is good enough to give you a headache. The author and I were both covering a high school baseball playoff game in Robstown, Texas in 1990, but I was reared-end, and my car totaled before I could get in the front gate.

The wreck left me quite off-centered with back pain gradually creeping up on me. But, the future Chicanadas author kept me in it, despite everything that might have been going through his mind. Reading chapter 3, I had a good idea of what might have also been bothering him, learning how he lost his father in a car accident. Manuel Flores is a hero. I will vouch for him.

Chicanadas made me really miss South Texas, so I took as much time as I could with it. I was aware of most autobiographical parts of it, except for his Texas A&I days in the Chicano Movement, and dodging bullets. Besides being a good read, I would also recommend it for Spanish language learners. Much of the content uses Spanish alongside English just as this journalist/educator probably planned all along. Esta muy bien el senor profesor/periodista!

He mentioned writing another somewhat similar book, and I hope he's already well into it. In all fairness there were a few typos, but Manuel's also a competitor and will be looking to bounce back, too. They tend to do that around Hebbronville.

Thanks Manuel, I needed that mental vacation back in South Texas.