Ybor City Chronicles

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ "Ferdie Pacheco takes us to a vanished time and place, full ofï¿½affectionate laughter, the invincible optimism of immigrants, and theï¿½ delicious aromaï¿½of good cigars.ï¿½ He makes all of us wish we'dï¿½ grown up in Ybor City." -Pete Hamill

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ "As anyone knows who tunes him in on national TV as 'The Fightï¿½ Doctor,' Ferdie Pacheco is a world-class spellbinder.ï¿½ But catchingï¿½ that verbalï¿½magic on a page is a rare gift.ï¿½ The proof is in the readingï¿½ of this racy, vivid, evocative page tuner, as much fun to read asï¿½ Ferdie had living it in thisï¿½unique Cuban enclave, a world unto itselfï¿½ that he re-creates for us in Pachecoese, a lingua franca of theï¿½ spirit." -Budd Schullberg

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ "Ferdie Pacheco's incomparable insights bring Tampa's vintageï¿½ Ybor City alive again.ï¿½ Dr. Pacheco has delivered a gem." - Shirleyï¿½ Povich,ï¿½Washinton Postï¿½

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ "'Fight Doctor' Ferdie Pacheco doesn't pull any punches inï¿½ writing his recollections of growing up in Ybor City.ï¿½ He's a rareï¿½ raconteur whose humorï¿½highlights and humanizes what reallyï¿½ happened behind the headlines in a unique community.ï¿½ Ybor Cityï¿½ Chronicles brings back a climactic eraï¿½when larger-than-lifeï¿½ personalities still held sway in Tampa's Latin Quarter." -Leleandï¿½ Hawes, Tampa Tribune