What do you do when you are suddenly confronted with a week-long holiday and the weather does not allow you to go spend time at the beach? You can go binge watching on television or on Netflix would be the most popular answer. Traffic will limit your chance to go shopping or hang around malls.
But I have a more radical and more profitable proposal – read a book or several books if possible. There are many reasons for reading a book – and there is a wide selection of books for every reason.
There are books you can read for pure enjoyment – the books that create an imaginary world that you can live in and go back to for years whenever you want to let your imagination soar. Unlike television shows or even movies, these books can stay in your imagination throughout your life.
My children were surprised when I first told them that I read Tolkien’s books –The Hobbitt and The Lord of the Rings trilogy way back in the 1960s. Half a century later, these books have the same effects on the imagination of a new generation of readers; and I am sure future generations will continue to be enthralled by tales of hobbits, men and fairies battling the evil orcs.
I recently met a 14-year-old son of an acquaintance and by chance I asked him what he liked to read. He told me science fiction was what he loved. Then I asked him his favorite science fiction fare expecting him to talk of Star Wars and Star Trek. He said Isaac Asimov was his favorite science fiction author and his favorite books were the Foundation trilogy and short story was I, The Robot. He was amazed when I told him that when Asimov wrote those books, computers were still in the experimental stage; and when Asimov wrote about scientifically predicting the future he used a giant slide rule because that was the tool used by scientists and engineers for complex calculations. It was Asimov that invented the slide rule. But Asimov’s books were his favorite because the stories were eternal and the struggle between good and evil will always be a popular theme.
Filipiniana is a genre just waiting for the mass audience it deserves. There are an unbelievably great number of fascinating books about the Philippines, its culture and its history. PASYON AND REVOLUTION: Popular Movements in the Philippines, 1840-1910 by Reynaldo Clemena Ileto is a good place to start. The book was voted as one of the 14 most influential books in Southeast Asia. Ileto’s book is history written “from below” or from the perspective of the “common tao.” It is a literature on peasant social movements . It details poems, songs, jokes and even the bodily motions when making a speech. I found the detailed description of the initiation rites of the Katipunan as a fascinating and enlightening narrative.
Tapping Ink, Tatooing Identities: Tradition and Modernity in Contemporary Kalinga Society North Luzon, Philippines by Analyn V. Salvador Amores. Contrary to what most millenials believe, tattooing is an ancient practice in the Philippines. This book is a unique account of contemporary and post tattooing practices among Kalinga people in Northern Luzon. The author has documented traditional tattooing practices and designs and explores the origins and meaning of designs. The books also takes into account the contemporary relevance of tatoooing as an aspect of asserting identity as well as a practice that draws tourists into the region. The tatooing practice of the Kalinga have both a long history and also a vibrant future.
There are several excellent colored photographs in the book. One interesting colored photo shows five-year-old Sapi Kabbigaat Yaw, a Kalinga child with his friends with tattoos on their chest and doing a Kalinga dance to the tune of Bob Marley music.
Elite: An Anthology is a collection of stories and poems about the Filipino elite and their many different faces. They are portrayed as dynastic founders, entrepreneurs, intellectuals and patriots, but also as killers, opportunists, and purveyors of greed and corruption. The stories also portray the “tribal customs of the wealthy, powerful, high status and educated cohorts who have been heroes and villains in Philippine history, society, culture, politics and economy.”
The short story authors include a list of “who’s who” in Philippine literature with names like Jose Rizal, F. Sionil Jose, Bienvenido Santos, Luis Teodoro, Gilda Cordero Fernando, Kerima Polotan, Jose Dalisay Jr., Vicente Groyon and many more.
History from the eyes of the ordinary people is best told in the form of historical fiction. While uncommon, there are some really good novels about the life of the Filipino during certain periods in our history.
A Passing Season by Azucena Grajo Uranza is a novel about ordinary people during the time of twin wars of 1896 and 1898 known as the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine American War. It is the story of the Eduartes, the de Almogueras, the Herrerras and the Ricaforts “ trying to hold on to old and trusted rituals of daily life amidst the turbulence ad upheaval in the last years of 19th century in Manila.”
LUGAR : Essays on Philippine Heritage and Architecture by Augusto Villalon has become a truly relevant book today as we are engaged in a struggle to preserve the architectural heritage of the Philippines amidst the mercenary impulse to destroy them and convert them into malls and condominiums.
Augusto Villalon is one of the foremost crusaders for heritage conservation.”The series of essays celebrates the uniqueness of Filipino culture as expressed through its build environment, the vanishing record of the country’s priceless cultural and natural heritage.”
Anthony Trollope once said: “The habit of reading is the only enjoyment in which there is no alloy; it lasts when all other pleasures fade.”
Creative writing classes for kids/teens
Young Writers’ Hangout for Kids & Teens on November 18, December 2 and December 9 (1:30-3pm/independent sessions).All sessions are at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street. For registration and fee details text 0917-6240196 or email writethingsph@gmail.com.
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Email: elfrencruz@gmail.com