Manpot's Tales of the Tropics
- Category: Nonfiction » Travel » By region » North America » Caribbean & West Indies
- Category: Nonfiction » Entertainment » Humor & satire
- Published: June 6, 2011
- Words: 16,630
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9781452430263
Malcolm Boyes broke into journalism in London’s Fleet Street and by the age of twenty-one was news editor for Britain’s prestigious Fleet Street News Agency. When the BBC launched “Radio London”, Boyes was hired as a reporter, filing live and taped reports. One year later, Lord Lew Grade signed Boyes to head the drama publicity department for his ATV Network.
After two years with ATV “The National Enquirer” brought Boyes to America. After working on both coasts for the paper, Boyes struck out alone. With the backing of a top literary agent, Boyes interviewed stars from John Wayne to Cher, Clint Eastwood and President Ford for magazine articles syndicated worldwide.
Next, Boyes took the challenging job of west coast bureau chief and show business columnist for “The Star” before leaving to work as a special correspondent for Time Inc’s “People” magazine.
Within two years Boyes was also working for “Cable News Network” as an on air show business columnist, then as a movie reviewer, celebrity reporter and producer. Boyes next joined “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" as editorial director, co writing and formatting the show and appearing as an on air reporter for five seasons. Boyes coined the show’s catchphrase “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams”.
Looking for a new challenge Boyes joined King World’s “Inside Edition” as deputy bureau chief, reporter and producer.
Boyes left “Inside Edition” to become senior west coast producer and deputy bureau chief for “A Current Affair”, winning a “Genesis” award. Boyes went to “Extra” before joining Paramount TV’s “Hard Copy” as senior segment director. Boyes then joined Paramount’s “REAL TV" as a writer/producer. Boyes helped launch Paramount’s “The Insider” and then worked for “Entertainment Tonight”. Recently he has shot on location for “ The Travel Channel”, “ Discovery”,” The History Channel”, “Spike TV” and many other networks.
Boyes has also been involved in his own projects hosting and co producing interactive CD ROMs and videos for Sigma Designs, Micropolis, Hewlett Packard and other top companies. Boyes has won three “Telly” awards and an “Aegis” award. Boyes and his wife Candace now split their time between Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and Sonoma, California.
Malcolm Boyes can be reached by e-mail at malcolmboyes@earthlink.net
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Reviews of Manpot's Tales of the Tropics by Malcolm Boyes
A fun look into some of the characters of Tortala and the BVI.
A wonderful look into the crazy day to day happenings in the islands. An excellent read, but I have to say, the stories are just so much better hen told in person!! Looking forward to more Tales!!
Fantastic book from a great author who lives and spends a great deal of his time in the British Virgin Islands. He has first hand knowledge and has had many adventures that are told here in this book of tales. This book is an easy, fun, heart-warming read. My husband was laid up for 6 weeks after an operation on his foot and I brought him every book I could find to help him pass time and this was the only only book he read cover to cover and really enjoyed. As vacationers to the British Virgin Islands for many years, my husband and I could associate with so many of these stories and have got to know many of the characters in them over the years so the book had extra special meaning for us, but anyone would certainly enjoy this light, fun and oh so interesting book of tales. Give it a read.....you won't be disappointed. We loved it!
Meg Swire
An educational comedy is perhaps an accurate description of debut author Malcolm Boyes' Manpot’s Tales of the Tropics.
This colourful and insightful set of true short stories, unveils a collection of amusing and interesting anecdotes about the British Virgin Islands.
Readers will have mysteries unravelled about famous and infamous characters on the island, audiences will be informed about specific well-known locations, and island residents will be provided with the intriguing history that gave birth to all of it.
Subtle comedy like our author’s description of Caribbean men viewing televised ice Hockey for the first time...
“Til then the only ice these guys had seen had been going into blenders for Pina Coladas and Painkillers.” pp.15
...or more obvious humour about stereotypical elements of the Caribbean...
“The lyrics to any great island song have to be primarily about one or two things...government corruption...and sex. And there are lots of both in the islands...” pp.19
....will sustain consistent amusement.
Readers who are familiar with problems in small Caribbean islands, will share some of the minor frustrations described, like paying an extortionate shipping fee for import goods, and those who have lived in the British Virgin Islands will enjoy recognising certain characters.
Summarising, curiosity about Tortola's enigmatic history will be sedated by answers our author generously provides and replaced with injections of laughter.
This was a really fun read. Such great stories about some of the characters that populate Tortola, a place that is very dear to my heart. It ALMOST filled my longing to go back - although, truth be told, it made me want to go back even more.
The only negative thing I have to say is I wish it had been longer. It ended way too soon!!
Simply put, Tales of the Tropics is a fun read! It is also informative and educational....if you want to dial in to the gossip and personalities of the Caribbean. You will also learn obscure wildlife facts, like how and why pelicans don't live to old age. I won't ruin the book by telling you here, but do you know why most pelicans die young? I didn't either until Mr. Manpot told me in his anecdotal little book that keeps readers pleasantly reeling between fact and fiction, like all good beer and good books should.