A love note to the city and its once vibrant Pinoy community

From the 1950s through the 1970s, blue-collar Filipino Americans, or Pinoys, lived a hardscrabble existence. Immigrant parents endured blatant racism, sporadic violence, and poverty while their US-born children faced more subtle forms of racism, such as the low expectations of teachers and counselors in the public school system. In this collection of autobiographical essays, acclaimed novelist and short-story writer Peter Bacho centers the experiences of the Pinoy generation that grew up in Seattle’s multiethnic neighborhoods, from the Central Area to Beacon Hill to Rainier Valley. He recounts intimate moments of everyday life: fishing with marshmallows at Madison Beach, playing bruising games of basketball at Madrona Park, and celebrating with his uncles in Chinatown as hundreds of workers returned from Alaska canneries in the fall. He also relates vivid stories of defiance and activism, including resistance to the union-busting efforts of the federal government in the 1950s and organizing for decent housing and services for elders in the 1970s. Sharing a life inextricably connected to his community and the generation that came before him, this memoir is a tribute to Filipino Seattle.

"In this collection of autobiographical essays, Bacho shines a light on Seattle’s Filipino community that has lived in the city’s multiethnic neighborhoods for generations."

"Bacho has a deft ability to weave together a vision of a community and city with moments of wonder and cherished memories."

"A welcome addition to a mostly overlooked history. [Bacho] shares vivid glimpses from his life and from the Filipino community in Seattle that are certain to enrich readers and add a new perspective on the history of the region."

"A loving tribute to what is both Filipino and American—the good and the bad, the shadows and the lights, the births and the deaths, the Uncle Ricos and the Mom Remes."

"In a series of punchy, funny essays, Bacho documents the union battles, civic movements and cultural unrest that he watched as a child... Bacho always returns to the Seattle that shaped him, nurtured him and taught him how to fight."

"Spanning from the 1950s to now, Bacho's mosaic, communal Filipino American memoir expresses unexpected humor, lingering regret, deft insight, and profound gratitude."