A few weeks ago the University of Hawaii Press published a book by retired former UAPD Executive Director Gary Robinson and his daughter Laura Robinson. Microphone in the Mud tells the story of Laura’s battles with armed terrorists, a kidnapper, malaria, a tsunami, and dial-up Internet as she documents the endangered languages of hunter-gatherers in the jungles of the Philippines. You can purchase Microphone in the Mud at Amazon as a paperback book or for a Kindle for $9.99.
From a review on the Amazon site: 5.0 out of 5 stars. Well-written adventure story! Microphone in the Mud is SO GOOD! I initially began reading this memoir because I spent some time in graduate school with the author and had done a little linguistic research in the Philippines myself, but once I began reading, I could NOT put it down. I spent 24+ hours immersed in Laura’s story of documenting an endangered language in the Northern Philippines; my husband wondered what happened to me, my kids had to beg me to make dinner, and I walked around doing all my chores with my e-reader in my hand. Laura writes with a clear and engaging voice, and the daily ups and downs of her research, her triumphs, and her disasters, tell a fascinating tale of the dangers and joys of field work. If you have any connection to the Philippines, if you are a person interested in field research in any discipline, or even if you just like a great adventure story, this is a MUST-READ!