When is Last Time U Read a Book By a Filipino Author, What Is It & How Did U Find It?

[asterisk]

Repeating the question, when is the last time you read a book by a Filipino author, what is it and how did you find it?

[matte]

last book would be 'how my brother leon brought home a wife and other stories' by manuel arguilla. last january, i remembered that short story of the same title, so i immediately went to national bookstore. gusto ko lang basahin uli. kaya lang wala nang copy so we had to call national bookstore main branch in cubao to inquire. luckily, may 1 copy left so fly agad ako to cubao to get my copy. :)

[Sophocles^]

Last year, first term. We were required to read Lualhati's Bata, Bata. It was really nice, plus we did a paper on it, sort of like a He Said, She Said thing.

[flyderman]

Haven't read a lot of Filipino books, but some I remember are Lualhati Bautista's Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa? and Dekada '70. Dekada '70 was better than Bata, Bata although they were both great reads.

Oh yeah, about the last book I've read. It's called leo@fergusrules.com (subtitled "Leonora Caccianemica's Adventures In A Virtual Hell"). Argh, I forgot the name of the author! It was for a book report for my Lit class. I really enjoyed the book, and actually got a perfect score for my book report. :)

What other books would you chiefs recommend?

[adlaw]

The Pretenders by F. Sionel Jose, two weeks ago.

I borrowed it from the Nakano main library here in Tokyo. Ang galing ng library na ito. It has books by Filipino authors! Bilib na ako, and so thankful because I can quench my thirst for Filipino writing.

;)

hay naku! mali ang pagka-intindi ko sa question. sorry...

here goes... i find the pretenders too melodramatic, parang sociology textbook na hinalo-an ng istorya. sana binawasan ang pagiging preachy ng tone...

[This message has been edited by adlaw (edited 06-30-2000).]

[KamiyaKaoru]

Ladlad I and II. My sis is a LIt major and she buys and borrows Pinoy books so I get to read them....

I also read Dekada 70 for a book report. I definetely loved it. Other good books:
1.) Ang Mag-anak na CRuz
2.) Moog

[Nights]

Last book by a Filipino author I've read was Danton Remoto's "Black Silk Pajamas", a collection of his best poems. I've just read his other book "Skin, Voices, Faces" before that and I absolutely love his poems. So simple, easy to read, yet very striking. I can't put the book down even though I'm already finished with it. :)

[christine]

The last time i read a book by a filipino author was more or less three years ago. It was called "Godesses of the Lust Triangle" authored by Arnel F. De Guzman. The book is more of a sociological investigation of the erotic dance industry in the Philippines, particularly in Quezon City. The author (a university professor, i think...) talked about his incursion to particular night clubs and interviews with a couple of erotic dancers/hospitality girls.

What do I think of it?
---honestly, i was quite unimpressed. It was too dragging for a "sociological venture"... it felt like reading a school report.

[harley quinn]

An anthology by F. Sionil Jose---I think it was titled Puppy Love. I was disappointed, though, because a number of the stories were stereotypical and I could almost guess how they would end. Some of the stories were also ended too abruptly---as if the author suddenly ran out of ideas.

[Margarita]

I just finished reading Ermita by F. Sionil Jose, it was really good. I found his way of writing in this particular book similar to Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 100 Yrs. Of Solitude.

[Joules]

Originally posted by Margarita
I just finished reading Ermita by F. Sionil Jose, it was really good. I found his way of writing in this particular book similar to Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 100 Yrs. Of Solitude.


'just thought of reviving this seems to be interesting topic.
has anyone here read all/most of f.sionil jose's novels?
i just finished Mass, which i thought was okay; pretty good sana if not for jose's too much philosophizing which made his characters too artificial and contrived.
'Care to comment/recommend which of the other Rosales novels (e.g. Tree, Pretenders, My Brother, the Executioner, etc.) is worth reading? tanx.
.

[Spring_Chicken]

Wala lang: chismis ito within the literary circle that F. Sionil Jose was once nominated for the Nobel Literature Prize. He lost by one vote DAW to Gunter Grass, the one who wrote Tin Drum. I haven't read any of his stories (so much for being a Lit major), but I HAVE read some of his short fiction, and, well, he had a lot of things NOT going for him.

[tinapay]

the last book i read was A B N K K B S N P L A ko by Bob Ong. it was really funny! it made me reminisce on those good 'ol days when i was still a student. :)

[incuboobs]

Originally posted by Spring_Chicken
Wala lang: chismis ito within the literary circle that F. Sionil Jose was once nominated for the Nobel Literature Prize. He lost by one vote DAW to Gunter Grass, the one who wrote Tin Drum. I haven't read any of his stories (so much for being a Lit major), but I HAVE read some of his short fiction, and, well, he had a lot of things NOT going for him.

narinig ko rin yang chismis na yan...

anyways, the last filipino written book i read was 'without seeing the dawn' by abellana. it was good...i enjoyed it though i dont enjoy are lit class.

im currently reading "viajero" by F. Sionil Jose and its frustrating coz i cant read it on a regular basis. just dont have time.

[mintymalone]

The last time was Nick Joaquin's The Portrait Of the Artist as Filipino. That was two years ago. It was pretty good.

[cheesielicious]

LALAKI SA DILIM by benjamin pascual.... natuwa naman ako sa kanya.... :)

[indigo24]

A b n k k b s k n p l was the last book by a Filipino author that I've read.I thought it was really funny and at times,insightful.

[sterling]

The Last Time I Saw Mother
by Arlene Chai

A good read. Worth it.

[severin_severin]

i read my sad republic by eric gamalinda like two or three months ago. somebody lent it to me. it was good.

[cheesielicious]

Originally posted by sterling
The Last Time I Saw Mother
by Arlene Chai

A good read. Worth it.

i agree :) i randomly chose this book para i-criticize for our final paper in my english class... natuwa ako kasi ang ganda :) tapos i was surprised to find two of chai's books sa bestseller list ng national bookstore :cheese:

[green_mj]

I recently read F. Sionel Jose's 'Ben Singkol' and 'Gagamba'. Gagamba is light reading and every chapter is written differently as they focus on different sets of the characters. Very entertaining and good for passing time. There are some chapters though where the characters talk about sociological, political, etc issues and I've also noticed that Jose is not that talented in seamlessly integrating his philosophical messages within the story. I agree that the characters come out artificial. All in all I'd recommend the book still.

As for Ben Singkol I think it would have been better had the book been longer. There are many instances when you feel the story got fast forwarded and some characters lack description. As for the love of his life and hatred towards the Japanese, I can't quite feel the emotions of Ben Singkol just yet. Probably budget constraints in the publishing area? A pity since it's a beautiful story only that it seems Jose was restricted in the number of pages allowed.

[rains_delight]

The Umbrella Country by Bino realuyo

The book is good. I see myself in one of the characters there. Kaya lang hindi ako battered child.

[bugsbunny]

the last novel i read was 'Gapo by Lualhati Bautista

[trent_NIN]

Without Seeing the dawn last December 2001 (bookreport) by Stevan ? Javellana

Boring...depressing... :shedtears:

[konstantine]

i read "The Devil Flower" just this weekend by Migs Alvarez something (Enriquez?). It was pretty good...:) Tragic and sensual.:)

[saywhat]

Few months ago. Just re-read some old books I have by Lualhati Bautista. Of course, they're all great read.

[Joules]

Originally posted by saywhat
Few months ago. Just re-read some old books I have by Lualhati Bautista. Of course, they're all great read.

hi! saywhat and bugsbunny, what's great about Lualhati Bautista? i still have to read one of her works; so how is she different from the other filipino writers? beautiful prose? original plots? interesting characters? does she write in english or filipino? just curious. tanx.

[Groucho]

I feel awful having to say this but I read THE PRETENDERS by F. Sionil Jose and I was not impressed by it much. The title pretty ,uch sums up the book's feeble attempt to be relevant. I don't know, I am probably not an aficionado of this type of story. The story has an interesting premise but the narrative structure and the preachy tone were quite cringe-inducing. This was one of his early works, I heard. I don't know about his later outputs. I was with him (though not as traveling companions) in France when he delivered a paper and was awarded some Legion of Honor thing (not sure about this). His paper was famously lambasted by Filipino academicians who were there at this international event.

S. Javellana's WITHOUT SEEING THE DAWN is still a delight to read. Maybe I am a sucker for war epics and war films and I immersed a great deal about wars when I was a bit younger, but I like this book's highly absorbing but tragic story. I read it again late last year when I had a bout with flu and maybe that did the trick for me. I read it avidly and really probed some of the landscape descriptions for war allusions. Though there's not much to read between the lines, this book is great in my list because of its keen understanding of tragedy brought about by the horrors of war.

The last Philipino book I read was Bino Realuyo's THE UMBRELLA COUNTRY. I don't know but I was not really moved by it. In my humble opinion, this is one example of Philippine literature written in English that disappoints most Filipinos who expect much from English-medium Filipino writers. Not that the words or meanings were contrived, but there is a sense of trying quite too hard to be distinctively Filipino. The book exposes social, cultural and even familial ills as if to shock and get attention. Again, this is just my own (no doubt) biased view of one book and is not meant to disparage the author or his intentions, but I just felt that when reading it.

[_Mase_]

honestly, i didn't like the last time i saw mother by arlene j. chai. her second book, eating fire and drinking water, is much, much better.

and now i have to do a stupid term paper on the last time i saw mother. great. there's absolutely no accounting for my professor's taste in novels.

[noinertaus]

Last year... a Filipino novel by Liwayway Arceo.. I was so impressed by the talent of the Filipinos in writing. I am looking forward to read a book by Nick Joaquin

[trent_NIN]

Got the Rosales novels/saga F. Sionil Jose lasT Christmas.

I'm still struggling to finish the first one hehehehe

[Joules]

Originally posted by Groucho
I feel awful having to say this but I read THE PRETENDERS by F. Sionil Jose and I was not impressed by it much. The title pretty ,uch sums up the book's feeble attempt to be relevant. I don't know, I am probably not an aficionado of this type of story. The story has an interesting premise but the narrative structure and the preachy tone were quite cringe-inducing.

hi, same sentiments here. I was expecting so much from Jose when I started
with "Mass", and I kept reading and reading, waiting for that page when the novel would improve and make me feel something for his story, for the characters. But that moment never came. It was so lacking. It just looked profound because of those pockets of long soliloquies. Yep, maybe "Mass" is also a "Pretender". I labored to finish the novel and felt consoled because it kept me company during a long transpacific flight. And this is why I've asked you guys for your opinion about his other Rosales novels. There's so much hype on how good Jose is (many people saying he's a potential Nobel laureate); so I wonder, did I just choose the wrong novel? I got hold of Jose's "Dusk" recently, to give him another chance; I'm having second thoughts now if it's worth the time.

Groucho, thumbs down for "The Umbrella's Country"? It's good na lang pala I decided to read Brian Ascalon Roley's American Son, over that novel. IMO, Roley's novella, about the immigrant experience of two half-white-half-Flip brothers, was pretty good. Short, convincing and not pretentious.

[dorkgrace]

Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn

I can't remember when I bought it; it's been awhile. I got it because I saw the play and thought it was really good so I decided to buy and read the book as well.

Joules, thanks for that input about American Son. The author did a reading at the asian american writer's workshop here in NY when the book came out; didn't have a chance to go but I wanted to get the book. I just never get around to it. I'll make sure I get the book on my next trip to the bookstore. :nerdgirl:

[saywhat]

Originally posted by Joules

hi! saywhat and bugsbunny, what's great about Lualhati Bautista? i still have to read one of her works; so how is she different from the other filipino writers? beautiful prose? original plots? interesting characters? does she write in english or filipino? just curious. tanx.

Lualhati Bautista writes with complete honesty. Her characters are interesting, the types you'd love to meet in person; my favorite of which is Lea Bustamante (Bata, Bata.. Pa'no Ka Ginawa?) She's this single parent who has a couple of kids, fathered by two different men in her life. She works for an NGO, takes no crap from anyone, and is a woman who's comfortable with her sexuality.

And yes, L. Bautista writes in Filipino and you'd love her sense of humor.

If you want, I'll lend you a book. Read Bata, bata.. The book is a whole lot better than the movie -- as usual. :)

[eydryth]

GAGAMBA by F. Sionil Jose

Kept me wondering why he is touted as one of the best writers of the country. Some of his insights are good, though. However, the distinct Filipino characteristics are lost in the fancy English that he so subscribes to. I find that sad. Gagamba's social realism would have been better if it were told a la Luwalhati Bautista style. :)

[DeepBlued]

My Brother, My Executioner by F. Sionil Jose

His illustrations were vivid and the plot was excellent. This was the last time I read a novel since I am not really into fiction.

However the last Filipino book that I read was a book on Rizal by Ambeth Ocampo. The title escapes my mind though. I am a history freak, I like facts, and I just love reading and studying about these heroes and about our past.

[topak_fos]

The last book I read by a Filipino author was...

ABNKKBSNPLAko by Bob Ong.

Naalala ko tuloy nung elementary pa ko. saktong-sakto ang nutri bun t sopas! Really funny, finished it in one sitting lang ata.

[farfalla]

Originally posted by DeepBlued
However the last Filipino book that I read was a book on Rizal by Ambeth Ocampo. The title escapes my mind though. I am a history freak, I like facts, and I just love reading and studying about these heroes and about our past.

I'm guessing it's Rizal without the Overcoat? :) loved this collection of essays too, you should also read ambeth ocampo's other collections, such as Aguinaldo's breakfast, Mabini's Ghost, etc. very enlightening indeed. :D

[BabyFATS]

Last time was in college, 1997 or 1998.
This book by Lualhati Bautista with "Daigdig" in its title.
(Sorry, I've forgotten already.) :D

[riza_arnaud]

I'm reading The Woman Who Had Two Navels by NICK JOAQUIN Many people say he is probably the best writer today (kasali na ako dun!)... his style is good!!!

Medyo luma na yung book but hey! It's Nick Joaquin's work!!!