The Zigzag Road

What makes Benjamin cut the picture of Adelaide in a magazine is a mystery even to himself, but he wants to meet her in person. Several attempts at correspondence fail to solicit a reply but he is persistent.

When World War II starts, Benjamin finds himself 465 kilometers away from home and has to find his way back without encountering the Japanese. Weaving historical details from when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the second Pearl Harbor in the Philippines, this memoir chronicles the long and harrowing journey of Benjamin Maranan as he zigzags through the treacherous roads of the Mountain Province and plains of Northern Luzon into the war-stricken city of Manila and the Japanese-occupied provinces. What happens if he encounters the Japanese on the way?

Throughout the war, Batangueños show their unswerving faith, love, courage, and determination amid a never-ending struggle to survive. As Gen. MacArthur returns to liberate the Philippines, their lives turn into upheaval as evacuations are the norm of the day. The Zigzag Road is a fresh look at the traditions and social mores of the era just before and during World War II. It also describes events that shape the lives of the people of Batangas for future generations to remember.