Monday, July 20, 2020

SALE - Cecilia Brainard Books for $5 Each



SALE - Ceciila Brainard Books for $5 each

PALH has Cecilia Brainard books on sale. These are new, but may have minor wear, at $5 each, US shipping is $10: Will combine shipping. Email palhbooks@gmail.com, Visit ceciliabrainard.com (click on books and other books) for more information.

Titles:

Cecilia's Diary: 1962-1969;



Growing Up Filipino: Stores for Young Aduts 


Magdalena (US edition)

Journey of 100 Years: Reflections on the Centennial of Phi. Independence




 Out of Cebu: Essays and Personal Prose
 
 
tags: Philippine literature, Philippine books, Filipiniana, literature, #CeciliaBrainard 



Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Interviews of Filipino Americans #CopingWithCovid



INTERVIEWS OF FILIPINOS IN AMERICA by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, 

The following interviews are part of Cecilia Brainard's Filipinos #CopingWithCovid series. These were done last May 25, 2020. Since then, the United States has had a surge of Covid cases with 3.48 million confirmed cases, and 138,000 deaths (as of July 15,2020). 

Copyright 2020 by Cecilia M. Brainard


MARIANO ABERASTURI

ER Nurse, New York 


Interview done on May 25, 2020

I am 24 years old.  I am a nurse, working night shifts 3 times a week at Suny downstate Brooklyn. I only deal with covid patients since my hospital was one of the three hospitals in NY that became a covid-only patients hospital. We have lost many patients to covid but I haven't lost anyone I know personally.

As of May 25, we are still on lockdown. I am not alone. I am with my sister, Ina, her boyfriend and my girlfriend Sabrina. 


Financially we have to spend more for safety.

National Geographic Features Brainard's Growing Up Filipino Books





PALH (Philippine American Literary House) is proud that National Geographic has featured its two publications: GROWING UP FILIPINO: STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS & GROWING UP FILIPINO: MORE STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS in its Summer Reading List.
Edited by Cecilia Manguerra Branard, Growing Up Filipino 1 and 2 collect stories about the saga of what it means to be young and Filipino.

Both books and also the Kindle editions are easily available from AMAZON. ***


For more information: https://ceciliabrainard.com/…/growing-up-filipino-stories-…/

https://ceciliabrainard.com/book/growing-up-filipino-ii/

***

School Library Journal reviews both books as follows: 



GROWING UP FILIPINO: STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS::
These 29 short stories offer a highly textured portrait of Filipino youth and an excellent sampling of creative writing. Thematically arranged, most of the pieces have been written since the turn of the 21st century. Each story is introduced by a thumbnail sketch of the author and a paragraph or two about some element of Filipino culture or history that is relevant to the story. Authors include those born and continuing to live in the Philippines, emigres, and American-born Filipinos. Tough but relevant topics addressed include a gay youth’s affection for his supportive mother, the role of religious didacticism in the formation of a childhood perception, consumer culture as it is experienced by modern teens in Manila, and coping with bullies of all ages and stations in life. While the introduction seems more appropriate to graduate school than high school students, and the layout and book design are not attractive, there is much here to merit consideration. There are more Filipinos living in the U.S. than most people realize, but finding literature reflective of their experiences is difficult. The high caliber and broad but wholly accessible range of this collection, however, makes this title a solid purchase for multiple reasons. (School Library Journal) 



GROWING UP FILIPINO II: MORE STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS:
Brainard has again selected powerful, evocative stories of family: of promises and disappointment, failure and resentment, tenacious and all-consuming love, anxiety and transcendent hope. There is plenty here to stimulate discussion and encourage an appreciation of Filipino writing and culture. This anthology is a worthy successor to the first volume and has appeal to an audience beyond high school literature courses. (School Library Journal)


 
AND RELEASED IN 2022 & 2023 by PALH and the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House

GROWING UP FILIPINO 3: NEW STORIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS 
Growing Up Filipino 3 is another masterful assemblage of short fiction collected and edited by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard … In sum, Growing Up Filipino 3 is excellent. It should be in the collection of every public and college/university library and is a must-have acquisition for individuals who deeply value Philippine literature. ~ (Dr. Lynn M. Grow, Professor, Literary Critic Specializing in Philippine Literature in English, for Positively Filipino)

 Tags: Philippines, Filipino, Pinoy, literature, stories, fiction, short stories, anthology, young adult, teenagers


Friday, July 10, 2020

Filipinos #CopingWithCovid -- Brian Ascalon Roley, Ohio USA





The following is part of my series, Filipinos Coping with Covid.

Responding to my interview questions, Brian Ascalon Roley describes life  in Ohio, USA, during the time of coronavirus. This was written on May 24, 2020.

Update July 10, 2020 by Brian Roley: "Since I first answered these questions, the lockdown ended, but now there’s been a surge in my county and masks are required again. Not much has changed in terms of my work patterns. But I am preparing my two undergraduate classes this fall classes online. 

Brian Ascalon Roley has received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment of the Arts, the University of Cambridge, Cornell University, the Ohio Arts Council, the Association of Asian American Studies, the Djerassi Foundation, Ragdale, the VCCA, and others. An English Professor at Miami University of Ohio, his books include the widely taught AMERICAN SON (W.W. Norton), a New York Times Notable Book, and THE LAST MISTRESS OF JOSE RIZAL AND OTHER STORIES (Northwestern University Press). More at: www.brianroley.com

 

Interview of Brian Ascalon Roley by Cecilia Brainard

Copyright 2020 by Cecilia Brainard 


CECILIA BRAINARDAre you still in lockdown? Are you alone or with others? Do you see other people, and do you practice social distancing if so?


BRIAN ASCALON ROLEY:  Here in Ohio we are still sort of in lockdown. That is, it’s now called something different, stores have partially opened up, and even restaurants are permitted to serve with conditions, though most are still tentative, mostly closed. My habit of getting out of the house with a laptop over coffee is sorely missed. A friend of mine joked that she’d never thought she’d miss Starbucks. So I keep to home, with my wife and two boys. My oldest son’s graduation was a ceremony of one; we followed him with a video camera.

CB:      Are you working? If yes, are you working from your home or do you have to go to your place of work?


BR: I write and teach. My university classes were abruptly made remote; we never had a chance to say goodbye in person. What made it most painful was that the in person rapport was especially good this semester. They never had a graduation. Some had jobs, now gone. I feel bad for them, feel their shock. I’ve camped out in my home office, with laptop, learned to make videos and hold remote meetings. My RSI has flared up from all the computer work.


CB: Were you affected financially by the pandemic? Did you lose your job? Did you get assistance?


BR: I didn’t lose a job, but I lost a leave. That was painful. I felt a book slip away.


CB: Do you go out? To take walks? To see relatives or friends? For exercise?

BR: Fortunately we’ve been able to go outside. My youngest son is learning to drive, so I’ve had him drive me to hiking. That’s been great time together. I know it wouldn’t have been possible in some other states. One painful thing is not being able to take our trips to see my elderly parents and in-laws in California. We don’t want to catch germs on a plane and give it to them, even now that flights are permitted. Precious together-time has been lost. Still is.


CB: Do you wear a face mask? Do you practice social distancing?

I wear a mask to the stores and distance whenever outside the house. But mostly life has been a quarantine of four.


CB: Please describe in a few sentences your daily routine.

BR: In the morning: I retreat with coffee to my room above the garage, and write or read for inspiration. Currently it’s a novel-in-verse, Ludlow, by David Mason about a 1914 massacre in Colorado. I do yoga. Afternoons, I hike.


CB: Do you go buy your own groceries? What precautions do you take?

BR: We go to Kroger, Whole Foods. Everyone wears masks, and we do too. Whole Foods gives them away, so people pretend not to have one.


CBDo you order food to go? What precautions do you take?

BR: We tried in-car pickup from a restaurant. We waited thirty minutes in a hot, clicking car past the time it was supposed to be ready. That happened once. We eat in.


CBDo you shop online or do you go out to stores that are open?

BR: Online, mostly. 

Filipinos #CopingWith Covid - Barbara Ann Velasco Jacala, San Diego, CA, USA



The following is part of my series, Filipinos Coping with Covid.

Responding to my interview questions, Barbara Ann Velasco Jacala describes life for her in San Diego, USA, during the time of coronavirus. She and her husband Jack have been quarantining with their youngest daughter and her family. 

This was written on May 24, 2020.  Update. as of July 10, 2020, the coronavirus cases and deaths have soared in the US. Copyright 2020 by Cecilia Brainard ~ Cecilia Brainard


Life in San Diego, USA during Covid 19
By Barbara Ann Velasco

Dear Cecilia,

My husband Jack and I are quarantining in San Diego with our youngest daughter and her family. We're taking the lockdown as an opportunity to be hands-on with  our three grandkids (5, 3, and 1).

I am retired and fully helping with family at home. My daughter and son-in-law are working remotely. The eldest grandchild is now homeschooling and the younger ones are home from daycare. When my husband and I come in from errands, our kisses and hugs are held off until we wash up. 

Friday, July 3, 2020

Travel Challenge - Vietnam



My own Travel challenge - to post a favorite travel photo daily, to send out something beautiful to this world.
This was taken in Vietnam.


Tags: #travel #Travelpictures #Vietnam #Asia #photographs #photos 

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Travel Challenge, Inle Lake, Burma




My own Travel challenge - to post a favorite travel photo daily, to send out something beautiful to this world.
(I don't know how PC this picture is, but the Long Neck Karen women did not mind being the attraction in a shop in Inle Lake, Burma.)

Tags: travel, Burma, Myanmar, photos 

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Travel Challenge, Burma




My own Travel challenge - to post a favorite travel photo daily, to send out something beautiful to this world.
I took this photo in Burma 

I should add that this photo was used in an ad by a non-profit:




Tags: Burma, Myanmar, travel, photographs, picture, photo