Curriculum Vitae of Miguel B. Llora,and various other topics

This Filipino Studies page is divided into three distinct but interrelated sections. The section directly following this introduction is focused on the various formal academic engagements I have had in the past with Filipino Studies topics. The section following the formal engagements (i.e. papers, etc.) is a more informal section that involves a set of reviews on books and movies that fed into my more formal submissions (with links to the items on Amazon.com). By demarcating the two, any visitor to the site can either go directly to the review section or peruse the papers (or PowerPoint presentations) first and then move on to the reviews get an idea on some of the specific text used as reference -- the visitor is, in effect, given a choice. The last section is really just a 'pinoy pride' section. For detailed information on any items listed on this page, please feel free to explore and do be generous with your feedback.


	Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism by Benedict Anderson: Anderson writes a very compelling seminal piece that on the one hand flirts with the postmodern (through the introduction of words like 'imagined' and 'construction') but falls back on the ever secure category laden project of the Enlightenment. Aside from this, it seems apparent to me that Anderson had misread Rizal and may have misread other writers as well. Both items I see as problematic despite my recommending this book highly as a point of engagement. Where does one start? This common question by most students of nationhood and nationalism is a common quandary. Anderson is a good place to start as most dominant discourses go - but is certainly not a place to stop. "Nation-ness" is apparently the most universally legitimate value in political life but has apparently been elided as an "anomaly" by Marxism. Understandably so as, according to Anderson - in his postmodern best, nationalism cuts through the meta-narratives and provides a local solution. It is "Imagined" because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow members. Most of them, or will not even hear of the rest, yet in the minds of each lives the image of the community, a shared community. It is imagined as "Sovereign" because the concept was born in an age in which Enlightenment and Revolution were destroying the legitimacy of the divinely ordained hierarchical dynastic realm. In my opinion, this was not such as bad thing, but it seems the ancien regime was replaced by a secular dominant model that opened up spaces of new problematics by creating a new currency and further demarcating the world along imagined lines. Coming to maturity at a stage of human history when even the most devout adherent of any universal religions were inescapably confronted with living "Pluralism." It is imagined as a community, because, regardless of the actual inequality and exploitation that may prevail in each, the nation is always conceived as a deep, horizontal comradeship. In fact all communities larger than primordial villages of face-to-face (and according to Anderson even these) are imagined. I don't take exception to the concept of imagined as if it is imagined it has become real. However, there are instant problematics assigned to this almost one size fits all solution. Besides falling into the Enlightenment project of demarcation and categorization, the problem of who decides what is what and who is who in this orgy of demarcation and categorization is still stuck with the problem of who decides and what is decided. Here is a classic example, Anderson posits that nation-ness has become sort of the de facto standard within which all the games are played and all the rules laid out. Anderson himself seems to be part of this dominant discourse and has given out, as an example, the rise of the imagined Philippines through the text of Jose Rizal. A more careful and responsible study of the Philippines will show that Rizal was less an advocate of independence but closer and more equal ties to the empire. Rizal fought for closer ties to the empire; equal status under those laws; representation in the central government in Spain to have a voice; checks on the abuses perpetuated by the Holy Orders, and not independence. If one wishes to look for shades of "nationalism" one should not read Noli Me Tangere nor El Filibusterismo nor for that matter Ultimo Adios but rather look to Emilio Aguinaldo, Andres Bonifacio and Marcelo H. Del Pilar. Despite Rizal's references to "Adios, Patria adorada...." (Farewell, dear Land,....) and Anderson footnote "Not only, of course by functionaries, though they were the main group. Consider, for example, the geography of Noli Me Tangere (and many other nationalist novels). Though some of the most important characters in Rizal's text are Spanish, and some of the Filipino characters have been to Spain (off the novel's stage), the circumambience of travel by any of the characters is confined to what, eleven years after its publication and two years after its author's execution, would become the Republic of the Philippines." (Anderson, 1991: 115). Taking aside authorial functions, just because a novel becomes a catalyst for revolt does not automatically make it a nationalist novel. Noli and Fili (as they are affectionately called) are not per se nationalist novels and were not direct players in nationhood. Noli and Fili (and Rizal for that matter) are part of the nationalist discourse but not in the form that Anderson suggests. Aside form the abovementioned, there still remains, despite the postmodern language, the problem of an almost nostalgic attachment to the Enlightenment project. Far from being the light of reason to shed light and resolve problems surrounding the human condition, the Enlightenment according to scholars such as Michel Foucault, replaced the ancien regime model of social marginalization and class demarcations with a better mousetrap of domination, which was simply a modernized technology of social control. It would no longer be possible to look to the obvious figures of sovereignty and privilege - embodied in king and counts - for the telling signs of "power." While Anderson attempts to define the nations along of secularized lines, the nation seems to take on a new ontological position replacing religions making one almost a new religion. Aside from the almost exclusive nature and its endorsement as "the" model of legitimacy calls back, I feel, to an Enlightenment scenario that excludes more than it includes. Having said all that, I strongly urge everyone to read this as "a" explanation rather than "the" explanation and move along from there.
	Nationalism and the State by John Breuilly: Breuilly makes a serious attempt to explore the genesis and evolution of nationalism. In this somewhat argumentative piece relating to nationalism and the state, Breuilly sees nationalism as a "product" rather than a "cause." Effectively, through his text he sees nationalism at conceived narrowly as a form rather of political opposition that a phenomenon in itself. Breuilly writes "to refer to political movements seeking or exercising state power and justifying such actions with nationalist arguments." Breuilly classifies nationalism into four categories: (1) unification, (2) separatist, (3) anti-colonial, and (4) reform. The main argument or theme or area of concern for Breuilly is with nationalist political action. Here it seems he has made a unique contribution to the area study of nationalism. Breuilly attempts, with some success, an extremely ambitious task of comparing nationalist movements over a considerable period of time and space. He does so in an effort to explain both of the conditions essential for such a movement to occur. Moreover, he does so to explain the implications of the interplay between a specific political context and the particular form of nationalism. Much like Leah Greenfeld (Nationalism, Five Roads to Modernity) and E.J. Hobsbawm (Nations and Nationalism Since 1780) [both also available on Amazon.com], Breuilly posits that these conditions are ripe only within the context of the rise of the modern state. Nationalism, at least the European sort gives rise and expression against a foreign threat. Of great importance to Breuilly is the path in which political and institutional structures of the state against particular individual nationalism react and the conditions their forms give their ultimate possibility for success. Breuilly takes away from nationalism its claim to be a historical "natural" occurrence and, much like Hobsbawm demonstrates its rise as a construct. Breuilly is concerned with power. Power is concerned with property. Property is concerned with class. If nationalist ideology stand in clear contradiction to class ideology and organization how would he explain the "ressentiment" that Greenfeld took such pains to explain? He does agree with Greenfeld in that he also sees nationhood as a purely modern phenomenon constructed by the agents of modernity. Breuilly re-emphasizes his primary assertion, that "Nationalism is, above and beyond all else, about politics." Partha Chatterjee, in his very insightful examination "The Nation and its Fragments" (also available on Amazon.com) offers a counter thesis that nationalism is solely a function of the modern state. Chatterjee asserts that nationalism is not purely a function of the rise of modernity to look at it solely from this perspective is to miss out on a vast cultural contribution. Nationalism is at its most potent, according to Breuilly, as an opposition movement. Only within specific circumstances (such occurrences as turning against "anti-national" collectives or "nation-building" in new states) and are likely to form more than one element in a state's foreign policy. Breuilly's thesis is to: the removal of the transcendental or instrumental interpretation of nationalism by deconstructing it not as an ideology but rather as a concrete political movement with particular aims -- first and foremost that of attaining and using power. Nationalism therefor calls attention to a sense of "national character." Breuilly attempts to fill what he sees as a serious chasm in the theorizing of nationalism. Breuilly defines nationalism as a creed of `political movements seeking or exercising state power' and justifying their actions with `nationalist arguments.' This reader detects a sense of circularity in his argument. Nationalism, Breuilly posits, `has little to do with the existence or non-existence of a nation' it had little to do with the unification of Germany or Italy. Bismarck was not a German patriot, and only pretended to be one in order to take the wind out of the sails of the liberal opposition. Very true; but his political maneuvering could only be feasible because national sentiment was already strong. Breuilly places nationalism working in opposition to an already existing state. Nationalism is a parasitic movement and ideology shaped by what is opposed. This, most certainly leaves out the vast irrationality of the nationalism most in evidence in history, the kind promoted by governments and directed towards external aggression. Moreover, for a universal to work in theory, an exception would prove the theory false. How would Breuilly explain the phenomenon of Israel, where the nation existed way before the state? If nationalism is explained in terms of its opposition against a state, it effectively renders nationalism an internal dynamic. Nationalism, at least in this context, would hold no significance to explain Israel's tenacity against forces that act against it from the outside. Running counter to Marxists like E.J. Hobsbawm, Breuilly dismisses Marxist explanations. Breuilly writes that `Marxism' has failed to `grapple with the subject' -- a formidable oversimplification. Breuilly should consider the likes of Antonio Gramsci (Gramsci through Joseph Buttigeg in "Prison Notebooks" Volume 1 -- also available on Amazon.com) who placed complexity into the discourse of nationalism from a Marxist perspective. Breuilly writes that it is difficult to encounter `a specific Marxist approach to anything.' He further posits that in any political movement social or economic interests are involved and factors of class cannot be overlooked -- effecting a circularity. Is it only abbout power and purely internal? Only history can answer that question.
	Nations and Nationalism since 1780 : Programme, Myth, Reality (Canto) by E. J. Hobsbawm: In this timeless and enduring book, Hobsbawm dispels the sentiment that national identity as we perceive it today is natural, primary or essential as to be apart from history -- in effect his stance is anti-primordial. For Hobsbawm, who, at least it appears to this reader, as a Marxist, the rise of "world communism" will transcend the petty provincialism of nationalism. Taking a page out of Benedict Anderson's "Imagined Communities"... a new world order will emerge. Is this Francis Fukuyama in sheep's clothing? OK, fair enough, where is there a space for the prevention of tyranny that Hobsbawm speaks of in this book? My guess is that a dynamic tension is formed around the Fukuyama notion of a new world order centered on a liberal democracy and capitalism while Hobsbawm is still dreaming of a world order around the notion of "people of the world unite!" The notion of "Nationalism" seems to be a hindrance in terms of the new world order by both writers. Hobsbawm wishes us to come to the conclusion that nationalism is wrong, dangerous and ugly. Nationalism is based on myth. Effectively, he sees that the "imagined community" or the myth of the nation is used "to fill the emotional void left by the retreat or disintegration of real human communities. As if to contradict himself, he does not flesh out what these "real" communities are. Are they real or are they "imagined"? If this is all much ado about nothing, then why do people spend so much time, energy and resource to arrange themselves in this fashion? According to Hobsbawm, a particular group of people, an intelligentsia of some nebulous configuration forced nationalism on everyone else. It seems to me that he is suggesting that it is a result of an agenda. The core of this new imagined community has to reach back to a form of ancient or imagined past that will bind those in the hear and now. The new "community" is constructed around the ruins of the past. What is important to consider when it comes to Hobsbawm is the triviality with which he attaches the notion of "imagined" as if it is doomed to fail. As if not making the distinction of when nationalism becomes chauvinism, he lumps them together as a phenomenon whose dusk is approaching. The book is extremely relevant with the rise of globalization. Hobsbawm is particularly keen when he asserts " A world of nations cannot exist," he posits "only a world where some potential national groups... excludes others." It is insightful that Hobsbawm points this out, however, must we throw away the baby with the bathwater and look instead for some notion of pan-nation that will see the end of diversity? If Hobsbawm is right, then his book is usefull to help us work toward some accommodation of diversity. Do we just become "people" then? If the cross migration continuous, are we "determined" by forces outside our control to decide who we are and what we become? Hobsbawm must be read and analyzed and I am grateful for experience and highly recommend this to all readers interested in the area of nationalism -- an idea that people use but rarely fully understand. This is your first step.
	The Nation and Its Fragments by Partha Chatterjee: In this well documented study, Partha Chatterjee challenges the view held by many western scholars that nationalism in Asia and Africa has been based on various modular forms supplied by the rise of nationalism in Europe. Chatterjee is concerned nationalism plays itself out in two very distinct "spaces": the "material" and the "spiritual." For Chatterjee there is the material (external) and the spiritual (internal). One is not touched by the other. The aim is to dispel the myth that post-colonial status assumes a western form. For Chatterjee language is important -- very important. It is the space that makes each unique situation, well, unique. The notion of what is not touchable by the outside forms of the colonial are what resides inside, a space that only language can provide. While the colonized had to adopt western technology to survive, this mechanism is balances out by preserving the spiritual. To flesh this out a bit, Chatterjee does acknowledge the contribution of the West to Asia and African nationalism, but only in what he identifies as the space of the "outside." This space is comprised by such things as the economy, statecraft, science and technology. There is more, apparently, the more important previously unreflected upon area of the "inner" domain of the spiritual. In his groundbreaking study, Chatterjee takes a page out of Benedict Anderson's "Imagined Communities" but he reacts to it. If nationalism is relegated to the realm of the rise of modernity, it misses lots of nuance and may be missing some very important elements. Chatterjee takes aim at the problematic head on at, as I mentioned earlier, the rise of nationalism as a process of modernity. His examination of the peasants in relation not only to Indian nationalism, but as a group within its own, often paradoxical values. Is this cultural nationalism an elite movement as discussed by Leah Greenfeld (Nationalism - Five Roads to Modernity) and E. J. Hobsbawm (Nations and Nationalism since 1780)? (both available on Amazon.com) Is so, how did the peasants come to be involved? This almost "subaltern" approach is indicative of its postcolonial/postmodern roots. Chatterjee argues that it must be superseded by `concrete forms of democratic community' that transcend hierarchical and bourgeois equality models. If you see the rise of a nation simply (or exclusively) within the framework of a function of modernity, do you then lose a sense of how the nation was formed from a cultural perspective? Gandhi's notion of family, community and group, based on mutual respect seems to pale in significance by the political and bureaucratic power of the modern state. Chatterjee then offers us the exception that the rise of Bengali nationalism. The items engaged in by Chatterjee are provocative to say the least and does challenge us to question what we feel or know about nationalism. Particularity and difference comes to the forefront of consideration in this book. We all need to take a long hard look at it.
	Nationalism: Five Roads to Modernity by Liah Greenfeld: Perhaps one of the most accessible and complete book relating to European nationalism I have had the pleasure to read. Greenfeld examines nationalism as it moves from nation to nation changing as it moves along. As a point of methodology, she asks three questions: [1] Why and how nationalism emerged? [2] Why and how it was transformed in the process from one society to another? [3] Why and how these different forms of national identity and consciousness translated into institutional practices and patterns of culture, molding the social and political structures of societies which defined themselves as nations? How she deals with it is the really fascinating part of this book. Greenfeld explores nationalism along 2 broad categorical dimensions: popular sovereignty and criteria of membership. For the most part, and educated middle class (as in England and Germany) or the nobility (as in France and Russia) tried to solve a crisis of identity as well as acute feelings of "status inconsistency" in times of drastic changes in the social structure and status hierarchy. This identity crisis of the upwardly mobile social groups gave birth to a conception of England as a community of "free" and "equal" individuals having recourse to political participation. From England the notion of the "nation" changed in form as it moved from country to country coming full circle in the United States where it took its original form. The core of Greenfeld's narration of the metamorphosis of the ideologies -- actually its development is the idea that, German intellectuals lacked the support and recognition of the nobility. The extreme financial and social insecurity German intellectuals felt led them to lose faith in the Aufklarung (Enlightenment) and to embrace a Pietist ontology (coupled with, lest we forget, a secularized Romanticism) which within its precepts held the seeds of racism and authoritarianism. Moreover, the concept of "ressentiment" as Nietzsche used it "On the Genealogy of Morality" (also available on Amazon.com) What is this "ressentiment"? Essentially, it is a notion of existential envy. Envy towards those economically or militarily more powerful countries that resulted (again in the Nietzschean sense) a "transvaluation of values" attached to the borrowed concept of national identity or an outright rejection of these values and the glorification of what one sees as his/her "indigenous" culture. Greenfeld really effects a wonderful analysis of the internal dynamics and the quid-pro-quo connection between the structures, the culture and the individual's psychology. More on this issue, she shows how elites in particular countries -- England, France and Russia evolved national identities the in turn shaped their own "place" or social status as well as aims, goals and hopes. From Greenfeld's perspective the elites formed their idea of society and later transferred it down, in its original form, to the rest of society. As far as this reader is concerned, it is not clear why national identity has such an intense role when it came to the rise of Nazism and the Russian revolution but not the particular form of American racism? Returning to the issue of ressentiment, Greenfeld argues that the specific groups invented nationalism in the fight for recognition (as I mentioned above) and used it as an umbrella concept for national identity, consciousness and recognition. The French and Russian cases are unique in that nationalism gave each case a unique basis for status and self esteem. The American case is different from the process it took in Europe but comes close to the English experience. In the case of America, Americans fought for liberal democracy or for what Greenfeld articulates as "Civic Nationalism." However, in all cases, the creation of national identity really involved redefining what was meant by "the people." Breaking it down further, she breaks down the evolution of nationalism to categories: there is the individualistic-libertarian (UK and US) and the collectivist-authoritarian (France, Germany and Russia). German nationalism, according to Greenfeld, is the epitome of ethnic authoritarian collectivism. Greenfeld is great because she discusses the role language and literature play in the creation of national identity. Moreover, she examines how religion and secularism; war and revolution; intellectuals and education factor in the process of national identity. Her interdisciplinary approach is really admirable considering the size of the project. Her use of Max Weber -- as in how particular groups or strata which are facing a threat to their status or status identity makes Weber accessible and understandable. The details relating to each and every example are too much for this review, and I strongly suggest a careful read. I give her a resounding 5 stars.

In the Philippines, Filipinos were introduced to the English language in 1762 by British invaders, not American.	The Philippines is the world's 3rd largest English-speaking nation, next to the USA and the UK.
The USA bought the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam from Spain in 1898.	Los Angeles, California was co-founded in 1781 by a Filipino named Antonio Miranda Rodriguez, along with 43 Latinos from Mexico sent by the Spanish government.
What antibiotic did Filipino doctor Abelardo Aguilar co-discover? Hint: Brand is Ilosone, named after Iloilo. Erythromycin.	Marc Loinaz first made the one-chip video camera a Filipino inventor from New Jersey.
This son of two Filipino physicians scored over 700 on the verbal portion of the Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) before age 13 - Kiwi Danao Camara of Punahou School, Hawaii.	Who was the Filipino-American dancer who scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT? -- Joyce Monteverde of California.
Who invented the fluorescent lamp? [...] Thomas Edison discovered the electric light bulb while Nikola Tesla -- a Filipino, thought up the fluorescent lighting. Agapito Flores, however, invented the fluorescent lamp we use today (a Cebu man named Benigno Flores of Bantayan Island, according to the Philippine Daily inquirer), a Filipino scientist. Americans helped then-Philippine leader Ramon Magsaysay to develop it for worldwide commerce.	Many foreigners have noted that the Filipino population has Asia's highest rates of inventors and international beauty queens.
Two Filipina beauties, Gloria Diaz and Margie Moran, were chosen as Miss Universe in 1969 and 1973.	Pure- or part- Filipino celebrities in American showbiz include Von Flores, Tia Carrere, Paolo Montalban, Lea Salonga, Ernie Reyes Jr., Nia Peeples, Julio Iglesias Jr., Enrique Iglesias, Lou Diamond Phillips, Phoebe Cates and Rob Schneider.
The first Filipino act to land a top hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the 1960s was the group Rocky Fellers of Manila. Sugar Pie deSanto (father was from the Philippines), The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (according to the October 1984 article "Prince in Exile" by Scott Isler in the magazine Musician), Jaya, Foxy Brown and Enrique Iglesias followed.	Besides gracing fashion magazine covers, this international supermodel from Manila had walked the runways since the 1970s for all the major designers, like Calvin Klein, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Donna Karan, Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent - Anna Bayle.
Who is the personal physician of former U.S. Pres. Bill Clinton? Eleanor "Connie" Concepcion Mariano, a Filipina doctor who was the youngest captain in the US Navy.	Founded in 1595 by Spaniards, the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines is older than Harvard and is the oldest university in Asia. University of Santo Tomas in Manila, established in 1611, is Asia's second oldest.
Carlos P. Romulo (then a Philippines Herald war journalist) was the first Asian and/or Filipino to snatch America's Pulitzer Prize? Carlos P. Romulo is also first Asian to become UN President.	The first two Filipino-Americans to garner the same award 56 years later were Seattle Times' Alex Tizon and Byron Acohido, who is part-Korean.
Filipino writer Jose Rizal could read and write at age 2, and grew up to speak more than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German, French and Chinese. What were his last words? "Consummatum est!"("It is done!")	"What's still most impressive to me about the Philippines is the friendliness of the people, their sense of humor [...]," wrote Honolulu journalist John Griffin in a 1998 visit to Manila.

When I travel, people often ask me why I live in the Philippines? Well here it is...
It is the only place on earth where......
1. Every street has a basketball court.
2. Even doctors, lawyers and engineers are unemployed.
3. Doctors study to become nurses for employment abroad.
4. Students pay more money than they will earn afterwards.
5. School is considered the second home and the mall considered the third.
6. Call-center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses.
7. Everyone has his personal ghost story and superstition.
8. Mountains like Makiling and Banahaw are considered holy places.
9. Everything can be forged.
10. All kinds of animals are edible.
11. Starbucks coffee is more expensive than gas.
12. Driving 4 kms can take as much as four hours.
13. Flyovers bring you from the freeway to the side streets.
14. Crossing the street involves running for your dear life.
15. The personal computer is mainly used for games and Friendster.
16. Where colonial mentality is dishonestly denied!
17. Where 4 a.m. is not even considered bedtime yet.
18. People can pay to defy the law.
19. Everything and everyone is spoofed.
20. Where even the poverty-stricken get to wear Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger (peke)!
21. The honking of car horns is a way of life.
22. Being called a bum is never offensive.
23. Floodwaters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during therainy season.
24. Where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive.
25. Where wearing your national colors make you baduy.
26. Where even the poverty-stricken have the latest cell phones. (GSM-galing sa magnanakaw)
27. Where insurance does not work.
28. Where water can only be classified as tap and dirty.
29. Clean water is for sale (35 pesos per gallon).
30. Where the government makes the people pray for miracles. (Amen to that!)
31. Where University of the Philippines where all the weird people go.
32. Ateneo is where all the nerds go.
33. La Salle is where all the Chinese go.
34. College of Saint Benilde is where all the stupid Chinese go and;
35. University of Asia and the Pacific is where all the irrelevantly rich people go.
36. Fast food is a diet meal.
37. Traffic signs are merely suggestions, not regulations.
38. Where being mugged is normal and It happens to everyone.
39. Rodents are normal house pets.
40. The definition of traffic is the 'non-movement' of vehicles.
41. Where the fighter planes of the 1940s are used for military engagements
and;
42. The new fighter planes are displayed in museums.
43. Where cigarettes and alcohol are a necessity, and where the lottery is a commodity.
44. Where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news provides the drama.
45. Where actors make the rules and where politicians provide the entertainment.
46. People can get away with stealing trillions of pesos but not a thousand.
47. Where being an hour late is still considered punctual (Grabe talaga 'to!)
48. Where the squatters have more to complain (even if they do not pay their tax) - than those employed and have their tax automatically deducted from their salaries.
49. And where everyone wants to leave the country!
FILIPINO SIGNS OF WIT:
1. The sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.
2. Anita Bakery
3. A 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day & Night
4. Barber shop called Felix The Cut;
5. A bakery named Bread Pitt
6. Fast-food place selling 'maruya' (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey.
7. Then, there are Christopher Plumbing
8. A boutique called The Way We Wear
9. A video rental shop called Leon King Video Rental
10. A restaurant in Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken
11. A local burger restaurant called Mang Donald's
12. A doughnut shop called MacDonuts
13. A shop selling 'lumpia' (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll
14. And two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.
Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the 'Taglish' (The Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy accent..
Filipino such as:
15. At a restaurant menu in Cebu "We hab sopdrink in can an in batol" [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle].
16. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises - [translation: Beads and Pieces --or-- Bits and Pieces]
There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to 'correct' them like.......
17. In a restaurant in Baguio City, the 'summer capital' of the Philippines: "Wanted: Boy Waitress"
18. On a highway in Pampanga: "We Make Modern Antique Furniture"
19. On the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan: "We Shoot You While You Wait"
20. And on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila: "Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier".
Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression such as:
21. A shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: "We Sell Imported Robber Shoes" (these could be the 'sneakiest' sneakers);
22. A rental property sign in Jaro reads: "House For Rent, Fully Furnaced" (it must really be hot inside)!
23. Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique - if not altogether odd. City in southern Philippines which said: "Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation".
24. European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia - which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr. Ho and Mr. Po respectively - (believe it or not)!
25. Some folks also 'creatively' redesign English to be more efficient.
"The creative confusion between language and culture leads to more than just simple unintentional errors in syntax, but in the adoption of new words, "says reader Robert Goodfellow who came across a sign .....House Fersallarend' (house for sale or rent). Why use five words when two will do?
26. According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako, there is so much wit in the Philippines because "We are a country where a good sense of humor is needed to survive". We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and bad actors.
Now I ask you where else in the world would one want to live?


	Dusk: Dusk is a book about many things. Mainly, Dusk is about walking fine lines, choices, and a country founded on disunity. Dusk is foisted as the opening novel of the Rosales Saga. The saga is a celebration of a sense of resilience against all kinds of adversity - mostly external. F. Sionil Jose starts as well as ends the saga with Eustaquio. The story begins with Eustaquio's meeting with Dalin - the enigmatic visitor. From outside research I am led to believe that the Rosales Saga is a story of 4 generations of a Filipino family - an Ilocano family. The lives of these "little people" become intertwined with the pantheon of heroes - in this book Eustaquio meets Apolinario Mabini and Gregorio H. Del Pilar. That may not mean much to non-Filipinos, however, to a farmer from Po-on that would mean a great leap in status. Although Emilio Aguinaldo is often mentioned he is never really seen or heard from. Eustaquio and his progeny are entangled in the tumultuous history of the Philippines. The Philippines is a country that has seen no respite from the horrors of colonial incursion. With the initial salvo by Ba-ac (Eustaquio's father) the brood of tenant farmers is compelled to leave the village of Cabugaw. Seeking refuge from the "guardia civil" a local gendarmerie organized under the auspices of the Spanish colonial with a contingent of local soldiers. Eustaquio and his ilk find solaces in a small town called Rosales - under the protection of a landowner called Jacinto. Jacinto reminds Eustaquio of a kindly priest who served as his Svengali - a Padre Jose. However, Eustaquio never really gets to reconcile the two. The group settles and works hard - somewhat romantizing the legendary Ilocano work ethic. The group has a chance at a new start. Inevitably, they are once again dragged in to the ravages of war. Contrary to what the publisher and other critics have suggested - Dusk is no place near Gabriel Garcia Maarquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude." It could be argued that the Saga may be more akin to Victor Hugo's Les Miserables - where the main characters perform an crriminal act but it is assumed with just intent and a hand forced. Jose is wonderful about the pastoral depictions of an innocent group of people just trying to get away from all the hustle and chaos of the colonial ear. As much as I too was attracted to the pastoral, well wishful thinking does not really breed results. I was drawn in by the personal nature of the descriptions - we even become intimately acquainted with Kimat - Eustaquio's horse (actually Jacinto's horse). Jose treats the subject with as much deft and sensitivity that a person with regional loyalties has. Despite the call for a unified Philippines, the Tagalog hegemony is questioned (and this is a good thing). However, the constant references to the differences between the regions - about Ilocano discipline juxtaposed agaainst "self-indulgent and lazy" (265) folks from Pangasinan. Well, yes, Jose becomes self reflective that this kind of generalizations are detrimental: "It is not right-attributing inborn faults and virtues to people" (265) - the problem is the stigma sticks. Best not to valorize nor vilify any group in particular, I argue. Although it is a problem with us Filipinos - we do this sort of petty stuff - we will never be able to "trust our own people, their judgment, if we are to build a nation." (289). Even Jose and I are on the same page on this one - by waxing sentimental (sometimes overly) about alleged Ilocano discipline - he effectively "outs" the rest. Mind you, I don't have the final say on this - you the reader will have to make up your own mind. No matter what, I highly recommend this read to anyone who wishes to get a grip on the Filipino angst.
	Under the Crescent Moon: Rebellion in Mindanao by Marites Dañguilan Vitug: Under the Crescent Moon: Rebellion in Mindanao is an essential book if one really wants to understand the origins of the issue in Southern Philippines. Marites Danguilan Vitug & Glenda M. Gloria, as a team, bring a sense of perspective that is rare when discussing Mindanao. Vitug and Gloria place the genesis of the situation in Mindanao squarely with the Jabidah Massacre as the spark. This does not imply that (1) It all began with the Jabidah Massacre or (2) That there were other factors leading up or contributing to the Massacre. Kudos all around - although there is something for the really interested, this book is really written for a Filipino audience. Under the Crescent Moon is an exhaustively researched, balanced, and professionally scribed reportage about what went on and what is going on in Southern Philippines. According to the duo of Vitug and Gloria, the seeds of the "rebellion" stem from the savage March 18, 1968 Jabidah Massacre. This stunning event - because it was so rash and spontaneous (not to mention suspicious) forced the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to come out of the closet - so to speak. Subsequently, the breakaway Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as well as the infamous Abu Sayyaf was formed. Tagged as a renegade "Lost Command" this group is now in the middle of a storm of controversy. In 1990 Khaddafy Janjalani, decided to take it upon himself to directly attack the leadership of Nuur Misuari. Janjalani decided to take matters into his own hands and break away from the mainstream MNLF and Nuur Misuari. Vitug and Gloria are wonderful at examining the angst experienced by Misuari in his quest for a strategy - either to go with the PLO model of complete separation or to compromise on an autonomous region. The MNLF, according to Vitug and Gloria found their voice (and then lost it) while pegging their hopes on the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), a union of Muslim nations to which the Bangsamoro Nation looked for support. In Under the Crescent Moon, Vitug and Gloria also explore the rise of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). According to Vitug and Gloria, the MILF group growth can be linked to its involvement with the Mujahadeen of Afghanistan. One of the more stellar moments of this exploration is the articulation of and reportage of the peace process (began and completed) by former President Fidel Ramos. What I found most informative was the counter positions and various reactions to the peace process. The book explores the benefits of peace to the Bangsamoro nation and the various combatants but the writers are keen to point out the various parties that stood to lose if the peace process went through - most of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Vitug and Gloria did not seem to be on one side of the other on the issue. Both focused instead less on the military side of things but went along with the Ramos plan. Ramos decided to try to alleviate poverty, to build infrastructure thus taking away a large motivator to take up arms. Under the Crescent Moon is a timely book what with all the goings on in Mindanao: the rise of the Abu Sayyaf, the demise of Nuur Misuari, the tension between the MNLF and MILF and the relations to Manila. Readers of the news, on a daily basis, read current events and are not prepared thus cannot understand how things came to be. Under the Crescent Moon is a book that should be read by a cross section of readers. The book presents more questions than it does answers - and that is a good thing. It presents how understanding agenda/motivation is crucial to getting a clear picture - getting a clear picture of any situation being a pre-requisite to finding a lasting solution.
	Noli Me Tangere (Shaps Library of Translations) by Jose P. Rizal, et al: Noli Me Tangere has rightfully gained a place of national importance since it was completed in its original form - in Spanish - in 1887. Soledad Lacson-Locsin renews its spirit in this easy to read English language translation - complete with helpful footnotes and a warmth that only one close to the material can appreicate. "Noli" as it is affectionately called, forms part of the canon text in Filipino education. Translated into Tagalog, it brings a unique perspective to the life and times of colonial Philippines. Translated into English, it brings it to life for the rest of the world. As a simple introduction - without giving too much away - the story centers around two characters - Ibarra and Elias and the trials and tribulation surrounding their individual quests for happiness and justice. Standing between all this and the reason for all the discord is a power structure triad of the Church - mostly the Holy Orders; the State mechanism - the Civil Guards, the Alferez, etc.; and Culture - Imperial Culture to be more exact. Lockked within this Discourse and the constraints applied on them by all these forces, Ibarra and Elias - forming both sides of Filipino existential angst and liberating spirit - are crushed beneath the wheel. Everyone is a victim. Rizal was by no means a seer of any kind. However, what rings true then, as it does now, is the way Filipinos create values. In a unique perspective as an emigre, Rizal completed this novel while he was in Spain - with all the joys and sense of perspective that was allowed. If we listen to him now as we listened to him then, perhaps we can transcend our human-all-too-humanes and become what we are capable of becoming. Written at about the same time as Nietzsche was writting, the message is almost similar yet also very different. While Noli was iconoclastic about the abuses of the church and the almost stunted sense of becoming, Nietzsche took it one step further and formed an indictment against the nihilism of Europe via the message of the church in general. What I am trying to say here is that Rizal and Nietzsche see a sense of becoming stunted by anti-humanist dogma. I salute both, who have gone to the great beyond ahead of us and read their messages of "becoming". If you wish to peek into the Filipino psyche - as a non -Filipino, there is no better avenue than Rizal's Noli - specially this version. As a Filipino at home as well as a Filipino abroad - we need to re-read Noli and heed its warning. We obviously did not learn about ourselves the way Rizal meant to teach us - the results are self evident. Once again, I have not read a finer translation than this one by Soledad Lacson-Locsin. As a metaphor for the Philippines, Maria Clara could not have looked more beautiful.
	Eating Fire and Drinking Water by Arelene Chai: Chai writes with the insight of a "matanda". In a semiotic analysis that will defy explanation, "matanda", as a signifier, carries with it tons of meanings that is both static and dynamic, which brings me to another point. Chai writes for me, a filipino. Chai succeeds in reminding me, but moreover places me in the situation. You can explain to an outsider that "matanda" means elder, a person to respect, wise through the years of experience (where she explores the subject with more detail and complexity in "The Last time I saw Mother") as if there is some sort of equivalent in other cultures. Maybe there is, however, to understand Chai is to BE in the discourse of the filipino. A bit too high brow? Not really. When she speaks about anger, forgiveness, resolution and coming to terms - we all automatically assume that it is universal and it might be. However, Chai speaks to an experience that is unique to the filipino with all the complexity that this gauntlet provides. Let there be no mistake - I love her work. More for its social commentary and easy style, I highly recommend it to all who seek to understand the filipino psyche (in particular) and themselves (in general). She gives us (the pinoy) the complexity we deserve. Wise beyond her years and writing with a sensitivity (ok, guys lets be really honest here....) of a Woman's perspective it should be required reading in both Asian and Womens Studies. A triumph for the filipino, for women and for the human spirit.
	Last Time I Saw Mother by Arlene Chai: No question, we are certainly the "Other". When it comes to analysis, Chai is measured on a scale that does not really apply to her. There were calls for further character building and terms that needed further explanation. However, that is where Chai is greatest - that she comes into this discourse unpretentious - it is as if I was talking to my Lola onn a Sunday afternoon. In order to effect the epiphany that Caridad undergoes, we have to take Chai at face value. I believe that she succeeds with Ligaya - she may not have meant to do this but Ligaya is the result of the forces of Dionysis contra Apollo. Nietzsche spoke of Dionysis as "raw stuff" and Apollo as a sense of order. To live in the realm of Apollo would be to be dead without dying - Thelma (p. 309). To live in the chaotic realm of the passionate Dionysis is unrealistic - Emma. The two forces need each other and they are present in Ligaya. She is the poster child for broken dreams and it might be reasonable to say she deserves to carry around a bit of baggage. She is living in the tension. She is beauty. I hope Chai never stops writing and I will keep buying her books. Despite "Eating Fire and Drinking Water", the call for her to write and write often is clear. This is the absent voice we have been waiting for for a long time. It has arrived. Who can argue with the likes of Amy Tan and Bryce Courtenay when they praise her work. There is someting in this for all of us. Given enough time to mature and refine her writing she will one day inhabit that space beside Tan and Courtenay - in a lot of ways she already does. 5 sttars, no question!
	Dream Jungle by Jessica Hagedorn: When I first encountered the work of Jessica Hagedorn, I have to admit - I found the oeuvre suspect. I read "Dogeaters" and this was my initial reaction: "As a Filipino abroad, you will be nostalgic but you will be disturbed by it. The language is pure sensationalism - but it is representative of a slice of life that we might not be proud of but seem to fall into without much examination. That "Dogeaters" is a cold, hard look at ourselves, I give her the 5 stars. The question I have for Jessica Hagedorn is, if this is deconstruction, where is the reconstruction? Do we remain "Dogeaters"?" Then, my curiosity got the better of me, I read "Gangsters of Love." I found myself easing up a little: "Perspective is another thing Hagedorn is good at. Despite destabilizing a basically linear story she plays with perspectives when she switches from Rocky to Elvis and plays around with what Elvis is thinking and feeling. The whole question of the Chinese experience is not really fully developed in this story - as if Hagedorn did not really want to go there - as if to tease us that there is more there. Maybe the story can be picked up by something like the movie Mano Po (Regal Films) or Arlene Chai's works. Nonetheless, the book ["Gangsters of Love"] is as compelling as any in its genre. After reading Dogeaters, I was convinced that Hagedorn may have missed an opportunity by not presenting a possible solution - but perhaps the cathartic nature of her work is a solution in itself. I highly recommend this book ["Gangsters of Love"] not only to the Diaspora Filipino trying to form some sense of closure but to the widest possible audience to get a sense of the Filipino immigrant experience and to begin dialogue. This piece ["Gangsters of Love"] is new dawn - a reconstruction from a deconstruction.." Then I picked up "Dream Jungles" and now I find myself caught by the "cojones." In this work, we see a more subdued but not any less forceful Hagedorn - it seems that all the angst that filled "Dogeaters" has washed away and we are left with a more penetrating piece - heavily researched and always problematizing. The problem with a forum like this one - the review section - is that it allows for perspectivism making reader response to the book less polished, more real. Since we are in the space of perspectives... The narrative can be seen to be emanating from two central perspectives: Zamora de Lagazpi and his counterpoint Rizalina. In a funny sort of way, Hagedorn is trapped in a self-created "double-bind." While she problematizes all types of categories she inadvertently reifies them. At the hub of this tale, is Zamora de Legazpi - the son of a powerful family of the Filipino elite. Zamora is a "mestizo," personifying what the common sense understanding is of mixed Spanish and Filipino "blood." The mestizo is stereotyped as having a huge appetite and a passion for conquest the not only rivals the Spanish conquistadors but in a sense picks up from where they have left off. Oddly enough, reality has provided Hagedorn with a convenient backdrop as she includes the account of Pigafetta. Zamora is as guilty as Pigafetta of a malignant form of "Orientalism" - actually it is more like "Primitivism." Zamora "discovers" the "Taobo" - a lost tribe of natives. Zamora makes one of the younger members Bodabil his "Wild Child." In an effort to legitimize his bizarre project - Zamora solicits the aid of his friend and college roommate journalist Ken Forbes. Who is she kidding? Anyone who is the least bit familiar with the story of the Tasadays will spot Manda Elizalde, John Nance, and the Tasadays. As I have previously written, about Robin Hemley's exceptional book, "Invented Eden: The Elusive, Disputed History of the Tasaday." The story of Emmanuel "Manda" Elizalde is as problematic as ever. If there was any reason to doubt the veracity of the story at all, it would be very involvement of Elizalde at the center and the Marcos" at the periphery - or where they? Anyway, another way to position oneself as a reader is to see things from Rizalina's perspective. Juxtaposed against the caricature of the elite in Zamora, is the powerless imagery of Rizalina vis-à-vis not just Zamora but Moody, Mayor Fritz, and Pierce. Rizalina enters the milieu a peasant girl who comes to work for Lagazpi as a maid - the daughter of the cook actually. Zamora finds himself smitten by the young Rizalina and pursues her immediately. I am still in a quandary about the use of names - Rizalina and Zamora, is there something in that? Why would Rizal or his project be played through the personification of a young girl of 14? Oh well, stuff to keep thinking about. Rizalina's life becomes increasingly problematic. It begins when she runs away and is just as quickly abandoned by a never-do-well boyfriend - who apparently already had a wife. Rizalina finds a job as a prostitute in the metropole. Rizalina is "strong," serving as a counterpoint to Lagazpi's inherent weakness. Rizalina is nothing short of a survival machine. In a sense I found myself thinking that this is a really poignant articulation of how Filipinos negotiate survival. In the end, isn't that what we are really all about survival? Anyway, as Hagedorn's oeuvre grows - like fine wine - she just gets better with age. Back to the source... Charlie Chan anyone?
	In the Presence of My Enemies: It was really difficult reading this very personal and moving rendition of the events surrounding the May 27-28 abduction at Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan, Philippines. At the center of the whole incident is the involvement of Martin and Gracia Burnham - two missionaries and Guillermo Sobrero - an American contractor. Since the book was penned by and is within the perspective OF Gracia, the events surrounding the beheading of Sobrero seem to pass fleetingly. So much has been written about this book and it is really difficult to add anything new. However, what struck me - and this is not in any way to diminish the tragedy of the beheading of Sobrero, the subsequent deaths of Martin Burnham and Ediborah Yap - but I really found Gracia's insistence on the dichotomies of good/bad really problematic. In a scenario where so much money is changing hands, it would appear from her own observations that the involvement of the Philippine army - or at least a faction within the army was involved in the whole affair. To borrow from Gracia herself: "I forgot to mention that when the guys went out for budget, they'd pick up ammunition as well. You may wonder how such a group as the Abu Sayyaf always seemed well supplied with weaponry. Were their al-Qaeda friends sending them supply boats in the middle of the night? No, no - nothing so exotic as that. The Abu Sayyaf told us their source was none other than the Philippine army itself. More than once I heard Solaiman on the sat-phone calling Zamboanga, talking to a lady named Ma'am Blanco. He would give all his specifications for guns, bullets, you name it. "Who are you ordering from?" we asked him one day. "Oh, the army," he replied. "We pay a lot more than it should cost, of course. So somebody's making a lot of money. But at least we get what we need." I was amazed. The fact that such firepower could quite possibly wind up killing one's fellow soldiers seemed not to matter at all (150)." I was grateful for her observations relating to the inherent contradiction surrounding this faction of Islam (since we cannot paint the entire army as on the take we cannot also paint the entire body of Islam as inherently violent). However, Gracia shares this insight with us: "With this way of thinking, clearly the odds of reaching paradise were slim to none. The Abu Sayyaf didn't mince words when speaking of those who had "fallen short," those who didn't see eye to eye with the Abu Sayyaf and were therefore "not really true Muslims." This included even such notables as Muammar Qadhafi of Libya and the Saudi royal family. In fact, Saudi Arabia was especially scorned for being soft on Muslim principles, as evidenced by allowing the infidel troops of the United States and other Western nations to use Saudi military bases (153)." Now, with so much virulence leveled at both Qadhafi and the Saudi royal family, you would think the last folks the Abu Sayyaf would turn to would be Qadhafi himself. Well, the exact opposite is true (as is evidence by the quote below). This should bring to presence to any reader that this whole scheme is more about making money for the go-betweens in the Philippine government, Armed forces factions that are selling and perpetuating violence in southern Mindanao to justify their existence, and numerous local terrorist groups - all out to make money. Gracia shares this with us: "We want you to make an audiotape for the Muammar Qadhafi Foundation." This was the same organization that had put up (or at least passed along) $25 million the year before for the Sipadan hostages. This was a handy way for them to appear magnanimous and caring in the eyes of the world while simultaneously financing their Muslim brethren's jihad (158)." There is more. It seems, from these insights that stories were sold to U.S. media on a fairly regular basis. This calls to question the responsibility and involvement of the U.S. (and perhaps local media) concerning the sensationalism of this whole business of terrorism. Should the media not question their motives as well? ""She told us that September 11had really hurt our chances, because now the U.S. was mad at terrorists and would never pay anything. As far as other sources of money were concerned, the stakes had grown too big for ransom. And besides, the Philippine generals and government officials would need their cut. It was not very encouraging news. [...] While there, I learned that a new plan was being hatched. Sabaya said, "Arlyn, you can go out and sell this footage to CNN or some network for at least a million dollars - maybe two million. Just send it back to us directly for their ransom, and then we can let them go. You'll get to be famous, we'll get paid - everybody will be happy." (199)." In her conversation with Gloria Arroyo, Gracia had this to say: "I told her I wasn't mad at anybody, and I wasn't blaming anybody - except the Abu Sayyaf. I assured her that we had never forgotten who the bad guys were (280)." Despite all the insights to the contrary, how can Gracia still maintain this sense of good versus bad? Where in a world plagued with everyone trying to get a cut, everyone trying to push their own agenda - there is no more clarity about who the good guys are and the bad guys are. It would seem from the evidence she herself provides that all hands are stained. The lesson we need to walk away with after putting the book down and engaging in this process is that all the naiveté just melts away and that there is more complexity. We cannot even attempt to solve problems in that part of the world with dichotomies but a more sophisticated understanding of the local conditions. If any insight should stick - let it be this.
	In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines by Stanley Karnow: An experienced foreign correspondent, Karnow has penned an engaging and exhaustive narrative of US engagement in the Philippines. Karnow ends where he starts, with Cory Aquino. Cory spoke to a joint session of Congress with an entreaty for desperately needed aid and foreign investment. Karnow then deftly gives us a synopsis of incidents culminating in to Cory Aquino's appearance in Washington. Karnow later delves into the martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino. He describes the licentious reign of the Marcoses. He explains Marcos' loss in the presidential election to Ninoy's widow Cory Aquino. Karnow also delves into the Marcoses' eventual exile to Hawaii and Reagan's vacillation regarding the removal. Finally, Karnow sensitively explores President Aquino's eroding popularity and its impact on the Philippines. Karnow articulates the long history of the Philippines, of which he writes that it was: "Three centuries in a Catholic convent and fifty years in Hollywood." Karnow writes at the conclusion of this first chapter: "Few countries ... have been more heavily shackled by the past than the Philippines." How much of that, we have to ask is really his form of neo-colonialism. I will not deny Karnow's place as a great writer and his amazing insight into the Philippine situation. However, as much as he is an insider, he has to temper his writing that is heavily influenced by his personal friendship and sentiment for the Aquinos. To Karnow's credit, the project is vast. The scope of the book starts from Ferdinand Magellan's accidental arrival in the Philippines in 1521 and ends in Aquino's appeal to the US Congress in 1986. Karnow's rendition of the history of the Philippines is both resplendent and sensational. Karnow appropriately provides a cast of pivotal characters at the end of the book. The motley crew of notables includes such diverse personalities as William McKinley, Emilio Aguinaldo, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Edward Lansdale and Ramon Magsaysay. Also included are notables like Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmena, Sr., Carlos P. Romulo and Douglas MacArthur -- the self-created redeemer of the Philippines. Karnow posits that the egregious corruption and uncontrolled plunder that bewilder the Philippines can only be grasped within it's unique historical context. Karnow takes great pains to elucidate this points by continually going back to the extensive archive of historical links to the US. In the end, he will write: "Yet the critics who derided her (Cory Aquino) for relying on America for salvation had either forgotten or deliberately ignored reality. If only to serve its own interests, America had repeatedly rescued the Philippines -- just as, out of gratitude for relatively benign tutelage, Filipinos had sacrificed themselves for the US. So both Americans and Filipinos implicitly understood that, however, lopsided, thorny and at times frustrating their 'special relationship' might be, it reflected a century of shared experience." Karnow writes that owing to the fact that the US has consistently supported the oligarchy as the fount for political leaders, the status quo was reinforced. Owing to this reforms that were promised during election campaigns were never instituted. Karnow contends that the US placed its stamp of approval on the corruption the plagues the Philippines. Corruption in the Philippines, according to Karnow, can be traced all the way back to Spanish rule in the islands. Thus, the anomaly of Ferdinand Marcos' reign is his perseverance, not his rapacity. Peter Tarr outlined in the National that: "This is a peculiar and misleading book... Karnow is one of America's sentimental imperialists. He laments the errors of those who intervened, but not the act of intervention itself. Rather than criticize or condemn American colonialists, he emphasizes that they intended to help... [Karnow] is well placed to dispel some of the myths that have been passed down over the years. But rather than demystify, he has given new life to some of the most pernicious of these... Karnow's claim of ethical neutrality is preposterous; In Our Image is full of ethical judgment, and in the main they indicate the author's inclination to explain away the American colonial impulse." You, the reader, be the judge. However, I will echo Tarr in that Karnow is far from neutral -- he is clouded by the almost romantic notions he has of the Aquinos -- particularly Cory. However, he does redeem himself when he takes step back to try to be objective about her administration. In the end, Karnow's history is an elucidation rather than a prescription. Karnow argues that the Philippines has many "issues" to which there are no easy answers, no shortcuts. I concur with Karnow on this point and add that perhaps a re-evaluation of our values may shed some light into this almost chronic situation. Karnow's Pulitzer Prize is well deserved as he has accomplished what few writers have been able to do, he has simplified (without essentializing) a complex history. Karnow's use of a mix personal reflection as well as historical record, he has made "In Our Image" is both engrossing and educational. A must read for novice historians like myself. For those interested in the special topics of Asian studies -- this is a must have and must be widely discussed.
	Little Brown Brother: How the United States Purchased and Pacified the Philippines by Leon Wolff: In Little Brown Brother, Leon Wolff contends that while Jose Rizal was a catalyst for the movement, Emilio Aguinaldo was "Revolution incarnate." Wolf describes Aguinaldo as a stubborn man of limited education who cleverly unified eight million people in the revolution against Spain. He reportedly had a great hatred for the Spanish and sought to prove that the Filipino was mentally and morally above the Europeans. As a result of imperialism, the US took control of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico via the Spanish American War. Although there was still an abundant amount of land throughout the world that applied to the Manifest Destiny ideology, acquiring land on opposite sides of the globe required new methods. It would not be as easy as building roads and displacing a few thousand American Indians. Controlling colonial possession thousands of miles away required a new military commitment. This commitment came by way of a modern Navy. The US steamed into oversees expansion when the Federal Government commissioned the building of several cruisers and battleships between 1883 to 1890. It was clear to the US that those countries who controlled the seas, controlled their own destiny. Wolff has done some extensive research and has come up with a balanced account of the situation in the Philippines during the Spanish American war. Little is really known of the extent of the atrocities that were the result of the Manifest Destiny and Benevolent Assimilation ideology but Wolf is balanced in his treatment of, on the Militray side: Aguinaldo, Dewey, Otis, and McArthur. On the political side, he is clear to point out that there was opposition to this proclomation for many reasons. His extensive treatment of the debate between William Jennings Bryan and William McKinley are also very extensive. An easy book to read and a very extensive and well researched piece. I give it 5 stars.
	Invented Eden: The Elusive, Disputed History of the Tasaday by Robin Hemley: Robin Hemley is quick to point out that human beings are enamored by the romantic aspect of finding what Rousseau called "The Noble Savage." Admit it - it is a seductive concept. In 1971, just over 30 years ago, a small tribe was apparently "discovered" living in and around the Cotabato jungle in southern Mindanao. Predictably, the world media was thrilled about the discovery of the "Stone Age" "Gentle Tasaday," rainforest inhabitants living "like prehistoric man" in caves. Journalists and some anthropologists were quick to call it "the anthropological find of the century." On the flipside, they were just as quick to label it "the hoax of the century." Anyone with any connection to the Marcos administration is familiar with the modus operandi of taking a shred to truth and blowing it up eventually ending up a story that had no connection to its original - as "exhibit A" I present the Plaza Miranda bombings, the issue of Marcos medals, and now the Tasaday. Is it simulation or simulacra? There is one lesson I learned after closing Robin Hemley's Invented Eden: The Elusive, Disputed History of the Tasaday, that history is more about the present and the future than it is about the "truth" or the past. It is all about agendas and those who try to explain this inscrutable tribe in or out often end up revealing more about themselves then they do of their object of study. I am more reminded about what Michel Foucault wrote about discourses than I was about Jean Baudrillard's musings on simulacra. In Discipline and Punish, Foucault writes: "In this central and centralized humanity, the effect and instruments of complex power relations, bodies and forces subjected to multiple mechanisms of `incarceration', objects for discourses that are in themselves elements for this strategy, must we hear the distant roar of battle." A creative-writing professor, Hemley, in my opinion is not suited to tackle the anthropological issues that revolve around the Tasaday's story. He is however well suited to deal with the narrative surrounding the Tasadays, a story that is part fact and part fiction, some science and mostly sensationalism. At the locus of this controversy is the authorial function of Manuel "Manda" Elizalde Jr. a Harvard-educated former minister of indigenous people (PANAMIN). On this premise alone, one can rest assured that the facts will be skewed - turning the little anthropological contribution the Tasaday may have offered to the world into a gong show. Hemley's conclusions are vaguer than anything. If you are looking for a heavily researched academic thesis or answer to this question, this is not the book to read. With all the story telling and personal narrative, Hemley sounds more like an apologist for John Nance. One way to look at this book is that the real story is man's ability to violate the prime directive, augment, influence, attribute and promote an agenda. In closing out this section, Invented Eden is not about the hoax of the Tasadays but the narrative of a rogue's gallery of actors with as much to gain on the one hand and as much to lose on the other - if the Tasaday episode was proven to be a hoax. With so much done to prevent experts from studying the Tasaday, the cloud of suspicion will always hang over it and will forever be a stain to the Filipino identity. The book tries to be balanced - Hemley needs to be given kudos for thiss. However, in the end Hemley is just another actor trying to make a cottage industry out of this tragic situation. We cannot really escape the discourse we are so trying to deconstruct. Despite the efforts of Swiss reporter Oswald Iten and three heavily agendad conferences later, the Tasaday myth might have remained forgotten but the problem of the Tasaday's genuineness remains without any real closure. On the high side, Invented Eden is a good story. Based on Hemley's intrepid nature we are introduced to places we would not normally see as well as people we would never meet. Invented Eden was tough slogging for 339 pages even if I was really interested in the subject). Revisionism is making a strong case for itself in both anthropology and history - which is a double edged sword. Taken too its extreme, we will become how Hemley describes postmodern thinkers - as navel gazers more interested in discussing signs and symbols. On the flipside, Hemley likes to point to Claude Levi-Strauss's warning of professional posers. What is at stake here is simulacrum. Think about it... we found a community so primitive it mimicked Stone Age culture - for the romantic in us, it would provide an antidote to a society hell bent on violence and consumerism - would it really be so bad to find something like that? Scientists and writers the world over were desperate that they would just as easily invent it. Even Hemley is quick to point that someone would love to point out that man had hit a point of no return, like we took the wrong turn. Just to get a handle on what John Nance, Judith Moses, Oswald Iten and yes, even Robin Hemley have at stake, is it important to read this book. It is against this backdrop that I am reminded of Jean Baudrillard, who writes: "It is against this hell of the paradox that the ethnologists wished to protect themselves by cordoning off the Tasaday with virgin forest... The Tasaday, frozen in their natural element, will provide a perfect alibi, an eternal guarantee" from Simulacra and Simulation. Read the book, in it we will discover less about the Tasaday and more about ourselves
	Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides: The book is good - a most narratives go. However, I found the book a little one sided. Not to harp on the notion of winner narrative versus loser narrative, the problem with hero worship pieces is that it fails to give the Other (in this case the Japanese) a fair listening to. In my defense let me just say this: I am not saying that the men of the US Sixth Ranger battalion were not heroes, that is beyond dispute, heroes they are indeed! However, unlike a two-sided piece like Tora, Tora, Tora; Ghost Soldiers lends itself to some inexcusable biases and embellishment. Allow me to reiterate, I salute the 121 men of the Sixth Ranger Battalion. As a summary: Hampton Sides presents his narrative in a war-correspondent style, of a military operation in the Philippines during World War II. In this operation, a 121 strong US Sixth Ranger Battalion lead by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mucci was ordered to rescue prisoners of war in the town of Cabanatuan in an effort to stave of what US officials feared might be a final solution by a desperate and nearly defeated Japanese army. Alongside a dedicated group of Filipino guerillas, Mucci and his men accomplished their mission. No doubt that the abandonment of the needs of the POWs by the Japanese is a hotly contested issue: Was it some culturally based bias of the Japanese against soldiers that they thought were unfit for service because they surrendered? Was it a breakdown in the infrastructure that led to the Japanese inability to handle so many POWs? Was it a conscious attempt by the Japanese to eliminate the burden of so many prisoners? Was it fear on the side of the Japanese that if they were caught, they might be subject to the same kinds of atrocities? These questions and more have been asked over and over with conflicting responses. Sides argues from a perspective of cynical abandonment. Arguably Sides took a position that somehow Cabanatuan was unique. However, records show that conditions were no worse in the Philippines than other places in Asia. This does not diminish the importance of what these men accomplished: absolutely not. However, Ghost Soldiers diminishes what happened in other places in Asia in terms of the Japanese imposed conditions. I have difficulty working my way around this dilemma but it almost seems like the actual events that occurred are less important than what the events and the subsequent narrative are put to in the present and for the future. The vilification of the Japanese gives them no dimension and no complexity and that tends to marginalize their narrative. There can be no doubt that the Japanese treated the Americans and Filipinos with brutality. Why? I guess we will never really know for sure. However, Sides does two things here: he brings to presence and remembrance the heroism of the US Sixth Ranger battalion, for which we should all be grateful, and he is part and parcel of a trend to overly dramatize military encounters to give a sense of heroism that we can very much appreciate unmediated.