You’d think this wouldn’t work: a rich white Brit guy goes native in the Philippines, gets away from it all and fishes for a living, writes memoir. But J H-P is a gifted writer, and this book is a splendid success on many levels. Amid naturalist observation, autobiographical narrative, philippine history & culture are numerous vividly-drawn scenes that made me very happy to have picked up the book.His descriptions of place and the physical environment are lovely, and his accounts of his relationships with the people he lives near are interesting and well-observed. He is well aware of all the contradictions and tensions implicit in his situation, and reckons with them honestly and thoughtfully.Reading of his post-war British childhood made me laugh out loud, how delightful to be reminded of the boyish joys of spelunking and blowing things up! This book resonated with me also as a diver, as his descriptions of fishing and diving were absorbing.I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves good writing.
