Beginning with a letter to his oldest grandchild, Dr. Rafael A. Zaragoza reveals how their family is a nice blend of Filipino, Spanish, Italian, German, and Polish heritage. He himself is Filipino while his wife, Claire, is of Italian and German heritage. What follows is a rich memoir of the author’s home country, the Philippines, including a brief preface of the county’s earlier years, the Spanish colonization, the Philippine revolution, the country’s beautiful islands, its culture, and traditions. The book details the bumpy trails to happy and successful careers, tragedies in the family—deaths at an early age of some members, the ravages and dangers encountered during World War II with destruction of family properties, and close encounters with the invading Japanese Imperial Army. The author reveals that his own blending of heritage and cultures has given him a better perspective on how people of different backgrounds should learn to coexist and be willing to respect and accept other people’s right to coexist making the world a better place to live. An interesting read through history and memoir, émigré physician Dr. Rafael A. Zaragoza details his experiences from World War II to the present day.
