By Allen Gaborro Miguel Syjuco’s literary talent and writing flair are pulsatingly progressive, demanding, and risqué. This was the case with his seminal novel, “Illustrado.” It is even more so with his latest craft of fiction, the titillatingly-titled “I Was the President’s Mistress!!” Entwined throughout Syjuco’s novel are a stock of internal and external montages, […]
By Marivir Montebon So gently written, the novel “Storm across my cherished bamboo bridge” (Austin Macauley Publishers, 2022, 215 pages) is unputtable down as it emerges victorious against the harrowing brutality of murder, betrayal, and survival. It’s author Gene del Carmen’s first book as a novelist. And oh my, I was touched by its transformational […]
By Loida Nicolas Lewis This is an excerpt from the author’s memoir, “An Asian-American Story of Love, Marriage, Motherhood, and Running a Billion-Dollar Empire,” to be released in 2023 by Wiley and Sons. The book is a glimpse into the interracial marriage in New York between a Filipino woman and an African American. The 80th anniversary of Reginald […]
By Harvey Barkin Who says you can’t make a great sandwich by slapping ulam in between toasts? Food stylist and cookbook collaborator Jenn de la Vega says, “Sandwiches can certainly start as ulam between bread. I encourage folks to try putting their dinner leftovers in a sandwich. You might be surprised by the combination.” Jenn […]
By Cristina DC Pastor It seems Sophia Lee has so many grandmothers. Typically, you have two. In the story of how she became Simon & Schuster’s latest heralded children’s book author, her maternal and paternal grandmothersnot to mention the grand aunties, played pivotal roles. They all surrounded her with love from the time she was […]
By Allen Gaborro Probably only a small fraction of Filipino Americans know who Philip Vera Cruz was. Once upon a time, during the late 1950s to the 1970s, Vera Cruz was a pivotal and pathfinding labor representative of the California farmworkers as well as a committed, empathic, and kindred soul to their plight. Craig Scharlin […]
By Lynn Topel The “-ber” months have arrived, and that’s Filipino-speak for the beginning of the Christmas season. FilAm cozy mystery writer, Mia P. Manansala, cleverly works the Filipino love for Christmas in her latest book offering called Blackmail and Bibingka where her lead, Lila Macapagal deals with the return of the prodigal cousin, Ronnie, […]
By Tricia J. Capistrano In a parallel universe, last June’s presidential inauguration would have the Philippines welcoming a President Ferdinand Romualdez Tabuebue, Jr. This is because, according to genealogist, Todd Sales Lucero, after the Claveria surname decree of 1849, the Marcos family adopted the name “Tabuebue.” According to Lucero, President Marcos Jr.’s grandfather, father of […]
By Allen Gaborro As American democracy catches its breath in the wake of the Trump presidency, it is important to go back and learn about the dysfunctional and at times frightening behavior of the 45th president. Award-winning journalists Robert Costa and Bob Woodward (the latter of Watergate fame) have taken in the sights and sounds […]