Choose your next literary fave: 17 books, poems by National Artists to read
MANILA, Philippines — National Literature Month may have been last April, but it is never too late to celebrate great works by great writers.
With the Independence Day in just a few days, it is about time to read books by Filipino authors from across genres. With so many books to choose from, it would help you pick what books to read next if you narrow the choices down to a category. How about books by National Artists for Literature this time?
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) recommends the following titles, which range from poems and short stories to novels and what-have-you, all authored by highly esteemed National Artists for Literature. There will surely be some which would catch your fancy.
'The Flowers of May' by Francisco Arcellana
Set in 1934, this short story revolves around a father who just lost his daughter. It narrates how the grieving family, amid their shock and pain, comes to accept the death of their family member two months after the funeral.
"The Flowers of May" won second place in the 1951 Palanca Awards. It was also featured in "Our Very Own," a TV anthology of dramatic readings directed by Father James Reuter and starring National Artists Lamberto Avellana and Daisy Avellana.
Arcellana was named National Artist in 1990.
'The Tracks of Babylon and Other Poems' by Edith L. Tiempo
If you are into poetry, this is the book for you. This is a collection of poems that exemplifies the National Artist’s genius in creating images and incorporating irony through her phenomenal usage of words.
In this book, you can find poems such as “The Tracks of Babylon,” “The Return,” “Mid-Morning for Sheba,” “Lament for the Littlest Fellow” and “St. Anthony’s Feast,” among others.
Tiempo was conferred the National Artist Award in 1999.
'Likhang Dila, Likhang Diwa' by Bienvenido Lumbera
The anthology book contains 103 poems that the National Artist wrote between 1956 and 1992. Divided into three sections, namely, Paghihintay, Paroo’t Parito, and Paglingon at Pagtanaw, this collection of poems depicts massive poverty, realities of urban dwelling, and the tyranny of the city’s idle upper class.
'A Season of Grace' by N.V.M. Gonzalez
Set in post-war Oriental Mindoro, the novel depicts the barrio life, with farming and kaingin as central themes.
From the book synopsis, the novel counters the myth of the Philippines’ lost native past and cultural weakness in the face of foreign dominance.
González was proclaimed National Artist of the Philippines in 1997.
'Lemlunay: Pagunita sa Gunita' by Virgilio S. Almario
Almario’s latest collection of poems, "Lemlúnay: Pagunita sa Gunita (A Reminder of Memory)," features 30 poems, written from 2018 to 2023, with English translation by poet Marne Kilates.
The book is one of Almario’s most visual books with photographs by journalist and publication designer Roel Hoang Manipon, and design by Manipon and Mervin Concepcion Vergara, adding additional ways of seeing and interpreting.
Almario was proclaimed National Artist in 2003.
'The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus' by Cirilo F. Bautista
“The Archipelago,” “Telex Moon” and “Sunlight on Broken Stones” comprise "The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus," which have been written individually but are connected by historical events.
The first book, “The Archipelago,” depicts the Spanish colonization in the Philippines, while the second book, “Telex Moon,” laments the simultaneous growth and degradation of Manila.
The trilogy continues with “Sunlight on Broken Stones,” chronicling Philippine history and the search of Filipino identity during the tumultuous periods.
A National Artist award was conferred on Bautista in 2014.
'The Woman Who Had Two Navels' by Nick Joaquin
One of the most popular books by Nick Joaquin, next to "A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino," the novel follows the story of a Filipina woman who believes that she has two navels and consults a horse doctor to rectify her abnormality.
Joaquin was named National Artist in 1976.
'Mga Ibong Mandaragit' by Amado V. Hernandez
This is what a telenovela should be made of – swashbuckling adventures of the protagonist, voyeuristic lives of the upper classes, and love stories among the characters, set during the last year of the Japanese occupation.
In its 69 chapters, one can see the author’s yearning for change in the living conditions of the Filipino people and improvements on the social psyche in Philippine society.
Hernandez was one of the first Filipinos proclaimed as National Artists in 1973, the second year the prestigious award was given.
'Maganda Pa Ang Daigdig' by Lazaro Francisco
First serialized in Liwayway Magazine in 1955, the novel is about a gardener who lost faith in the oppressive social system. After he was accused of committing robbery and homicide, he became a fugitive. With each encounter he had along the way, he returned to live a normal life.
The National Award was posthumously given to Francisco in 2009.
'The Rosales Saga' by F. Sionil Jose
A series of five interconnected historical novels, namely, "Po-on," "Tree," "My Brother My Executioner," "The Pretenders" and "Mass."
The saga traces the five generations of two families, the Samsons and the Asperris, through Spanish and American periods in Philippine history. All books are set in Rosales, Pangasinan, the hometown of the author.
The National Artist award was bestowed upon Jose in 2001.
'I Am A Filipino' by Carlos P. Romulo
If you need inspiration on why you should be proud to be a Filipino despite the realities of our time, read Romulo’s "I Am A Filipino."
Printed in The Philippines Herald in 1941, the essay touched on the “immortal seed of heroes,” exemplifying the sacrifices made by Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, Antonio Luna and Diego Silang, among others. It also contains the pledge of the National Artist as a Filipino.
Romulo became a National Artist in 1982.
'Poems 55' by Jose Garcia Villa
Known for its revolutionary content, the collection of poems portrays a sensual kind of love and the human relationship with the Divine.
The poems found here started the movement of modernism in Philippine poetry. It showcases the reversed consonance rhyme scheme that Villa was known for. He created comma poems that made full use of the punctuation mark in an innovative, poetic way.
Garcia Villa was conferred the National Artist title in 1973.
'Of Cocks and Kites' by Alejandro Roces
Originally titled "Of Cocks and Men" when it was first published by the Philippine Free Press, the story is about people who are predators and use questionable means to get what they want and harm their victims.
This book deemed him “perhaps the country’s best writer of humor stories.”
Roces was bestowed the National Artist award in 2003.
'Kristal na Uniberso' by Rolando S. Tinio
This collection of poems marked Tinio’s return to the Philippine poetic tradition, as mirrored in the affectionate and sentimental nature of the contents.
"Kristal na Uniberso" is divided into five sections: Russian sojourn, domestic poems, poems of parting and regret, love songs (including the Tagalog translation of English love songs) and original lyrics of folk songs.
Tinio was awarded posthumously in 1997 as National Artist for Theater and Literature.
'Brains of the Nation: Pedro Paterno, T.H. Pardo de Tavera, Isabelo de los Reyes and the Production of Modern Knowledge' by Resil B. Mojares
Grounded on the lives and works of Pedro Paterno, T.H. Pardo de Tavera and Isabelo de los Reyes, three of the most infamous movers in Philippine history.
The book gives readers a closer look into the thoughts of these individuals. The book explores the social conditions that shaped the Filipino psyche and consciousness.
Mojares was awarded the National Artist title in 2018.
‘Margosatubig: Maragtas ni Salagunting' by Ramon L. Muzones
Set in a fictive Muslim state called Margosatubig, a hero-heir leads the fight to recover their kingdom after its legitimate rulers because of treachery and intrigue.
Filled with fantastic scenes, romance and epic plot, the Hiligaynon novel is considered the first Ilonggo bestseller. It first appeared as a serial novel published in Yuhum magazine in 1946.
Muzones was a posthumous recipient of the National Artist award in 2018.
'In Another Light: Poems and Essays' by Gemino H. Abad
Want to see a comprehensive view of the landscape of Philippine poetry and fiction in English? Grab a copy of "In Another Light."
The book contains 11 critical essays on Philippine poetry, analyzing it through the Chicago neo-Aristotelian method of Literary criticism. Several poems are included, such as “Islander in the Yard,” “The Moon and the Prisoner” and “Impressions of a Guitarist,” among others.
Abad received the National Artist award in 2022.
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