In 1820, a young French doctor named Paul de La Gironière landed in the Philippines, then a Spanish colony. Instead of staying in Manila, he ventured into the jungles of Laguna to establish a farm, Jala-Jala. This book is his firsthand account of the next twenty years.

The Story

La Gironière doesn't just describe the scenery; he throws you into his world. One chapter he's battling a typhoon that destroys his crops, the next he's negotiating with local chieftains or being attacked by bandits. He becomes a local official, gets caught up in political schemes, and even faces a deadly cholera epidemic. The narrative is a series of incredible episodes—hunting wild buffalo, surviving a murder plot, and exploring active volcanoes—all strung together by his sheer will to make his remote estate a success.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this book special is La Gironière's voice. He's observant, often boastful, and sometimes painfully of his time, but he's never boring. You get a raw, unfiltered look at colonial life from a non-Spanish perspective. He details Filipino customs, the beauty of the landscape, and the complexities of interacting with different communities. It's a fascinating, flawed, and utterly human document. You're not reading a polished history; you're listening to a man tell his most unbelievable stories over a glass of brandy.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love real-life adventures, travelogues from the age of sail, or unconventional historical sources. If you enjoyed the peril of Into the Wild but wished it had more pirate-adjacent drama and 19th-century social commentary, this is your next read. Just be prepared for a narrator who is very much a product of his era.