Sionil Jose novel in German launch at the German Club
MANILA, Philippines - Gagamba, the F. Sionil José novel translated into German by Manila expat Markus Ruckstuhl, will be launched at the German Club, Penthouse, Eurovilla II Building, 118 V. A. Rufino Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City on March 26 at 5 p.m.
Der Spinnenmann is published by Horlemann in Berlin. Previously, Horlemann published the José novel Mass.
Gagamba is an excellent guide through the different layers of Filipino society. Gagamba, a cripple, sells sweepstakes tickets at the entrance to Camarin, a posh Ermita restaurant. He sees them all — men in power, politicians, journalists, generals, landlords, and the gorgeous call girls who made Camarin famous. In mid-July 1990 a killer earthquake strikes and entombs all the beautiful people dining at the Camarin; Gagamba survives the earthquake, as do two other lucky people who were buried in the rubble. In this novel, Francisco Sionil José paints in 10 frescoes the diverse groups, the social levels and the countless problems of today’s Filipino reality, and he raises a fundamental question about life’s meaning and suggests at the same time the only rational answer.
