Uncle Rico's Encore: Mostly True Stories of Filipino Seattle

by Peter Bacho

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 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.

224 pages, Paperback

Published May 20, 2025

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having graduated from UW-Tacoma, I receive the alumni magazine from UW. In the last issue, I recognized one of the featured authors, Peter Bacho, in an article about his new book! I was excited because I KNOW Peter! Well, as much as anyone can KNOW one of their former college professors. But I was excited for him and purchased the book through my local indie bookstore. Before the book review, a little history about Peter Bacho as a professor. It was Easter weekend in 1997, the Saturday of, when the class "Asian American Literature" was to start at the University of Washington-Tacoma. I was trying to finish my bachelor's degree and was starting the home stretch in the Liberal Arts program there. I enjoyed the coursework because you could literally take anything--there wasn't a prescribed required course listing. This class fit my full-time work/part-time college student schedule, so I signed up. Did I know anything about Asian-American literature? No. I was worried I would have to read the tome "Memoirs of a Geisha" and that I would be the only one who hadn't read it yet. (We didn't read that). Anyway, I entered the old building where UWT was formerly into the standard open classroom filled with unfortunately placed large, square pillars and high windows that only offered sky views. There were chairs/desks mostly in rows but a few were pulled up, half semi-circled close to the front of the room. In walked Peter, tall, gangly, all leg and arms and he sat at the front of the room, a leg crossed over one knee. He looked at us and said something about us all being heathens, starting class on the Saturday before Easter. I thought that was funny but then realized I might not have heard it all because he was very soft spoken. One classmate turned to look at me and gave me the tip that he will not raise his voice, so if I wanted to hear him better, I should scootch up. We went over the syllabus and I learned that Peter was a lawyer and usually taught law classes and that he was quite exacting and brutal about it. This garnered chuckles from obviously previous students, including the one who tipped me about moving up. One of those classmates asked if there was going to be a 50-page paper requirement for THIS class (oh crap) and Peter said, no, this is a fun class about literature. He went into the 8-week class set-up where we would read 7 (7!) novels, all having to do with either Asian American history and/or experiences throughout a rather large timeframe. Then we would simply write up a general synopsis, including history notes provided in lecture from the week prior, only 7-10 pages needed for each. Everyone sighed a bit and thought how great this was going to be. It was about mid-way through the semester that I did some math on that one, especially since I barely squeezed everything in into 10 pages each week. (That is 70 pages of writing folks). But, hey, it wasn't ONE paper with 50 pages! Such a lawyer move! Anyway, it was great class. I learned so much and have carried at least three of those novels with me since then, Scent of Apples being so lovely. Peter signed his book Cebu, saying that I was an excellent student (beaming) and one signed by Shawn Wong (American Knees; grant given to help write this book), also a lawyer who seemed surprised that I purchased his novel second hand and asked Peter if I could do that. Lol.

So this book--great essays throughout, very descriptive and honest. I can hear Peter speaking in all of them. I especially loved: "The ship on Temple Street," "Not quite Camelot," "The fishing man," *"The Curve," "The Debt," "September 20, 1968," *"Irma," "Guilt," *"Eulogy." (*=really loved)

History, personal experiences, life/death, love and loss. All good stuff here! Thanks Peter Bacho for having me in your class, teaching me then and now. Peace and much respect!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well woven stories of growing up Filipino in Seattle.

[Weiwei Chan]

Asian immigrant stories will never not get me