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100 ratings | 36 reviews | avg rating:4.38

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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

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Manuel Jr. has read 14 of 18 books.

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Manuel Padilla Jr.

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

https://manuelpadillajr.com/

Twitter

mannypadilla_jr

Genre

Fiction, Biography, Classics

Influences

author:William Faulkner|3535 author:Edith Wharton|16 author D.H. Lawre ...more

Member Since

October 2020

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Manuel Padilla Jr. has over 40 years of professional writing experience in the media and publishing worlds, working as a newspaper reporter and editor; marketing, public relations and advertising professional; and public speaker. He has written pieces which have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and other publications, and was also a regular columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. He has held management positions with Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union, The California Endowment, City National Bank and Los Angeles Daily News. www.manuelpadillajr.com ...more

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Combine Editions
Manuel Padilla Jr.’s books

Average rating: 4.56 · 9 ratings · 2 reviews · 2 distinct works

	Coconut 4.43 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2020 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cheecho the Magnificent Magico it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Manuel Padilla Jr.'s Blog

Poolside From PS

Five Good Things: February 2026

The other day I was watching Pollyanna. Now, don’t laugh, if you’re ever having a bad day, I dare you to sit through this tale of a (spoiler alert) young girl who finds something good in becoming crippled.

Anyway, in the film, Pollyanna plays a little game whenever things get tough – The Glad Game – where she challenges someone, anyone, to come up with something posit

Manuel is Currently Reading

Manuel Jr. is currently reading

Year's Best Hardcore Horror Volume 1

by Randy Chandler (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Aug 07, 2026 01:02PM

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Manuel Jr. rated a book it was amazing The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I had heard of "The Alchemist" over the years and decided to finally pick it up. I'm glad I did. Being a child of the '60s/70s, I am accustomed to this type of fable... "Jonathan Livingston Seagull," "The Little Prince," "The Prophet," etc. all were ...more
Sep 30, 2026 03:12PM · 1 like · like · see review
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Manuel Jr. wants to read Fatima in Lucia's Own Words: The Memoirs of Sister Lucia, the Last Fatima Visionary by Lúcia of Fátima	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 23, 2026 10:27PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Fatima in Lucia's Own Words by Lúcia of Fátima. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Fatima in Lucia's Own Words by Lúcia of Fátima <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Manuel Jr. rated a book it was amazing The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Writing a review of "The Things We Never Say" is a bit like writing an obituary of its protagonist, Artie Dam or Damn Dam, as he is often referred to in this novel of deep and meaningful events which lead up to a... oh I'm getting ahead of myself. I ...more
Sep 23, 2026 09:37PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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Manuel Jr. rated a book it was amazing The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Writing a review of "The Things We Never Say" is a bit like writing an obituary of its protagonist, Artie Dam or Damn Dam, as he is often referred to in this novel of deep and meaningful events which lead up to a... oh I'm getting ahead of myself. I ...more
Sep 23, 2026 06:06PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Manuel Jr. rated a book really liked it 99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life by Adam Chandler	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 17, 2026 03:13PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of 99% Perspiration by Adam Chandler. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — 99% Perspiration by Adam Chandler <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Manuel Jr. started reading The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 07, 2026 10:46PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Manuel Jr. started reading 99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life by Adam Chandler	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 02, 2026 11:15PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of 99% Perspiration by Adam Chandler. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — 99% Perspiration by Adam Chandler <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">