MANILA, Philippines - The most talked about and praised first novel of 2007, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz is about a sweet but disastrously overweight ghetto nerd who from the New Jersey home he shares with his old world mother and rebellious sister dreams of becoming the Dominican JRR Tolkien and, most of all, finding love. But Oscar may never get what he wants. Blame the fukú, a curse that has haunted Oscar’s family for generations, following them on their epic journey from Santo Domingo to the USA. Encapsulating Dominican-American history, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao opens our eyes to an astonishing vision of the contemporary American experience and explores the endless human capacity to persevere and risk it all in the name of love. Available at National Book Store.
Nigel Hicks’ Enchanting Philippines is part of a series by John Beaufoy Publishing. It is illustrated with wonderful pictures by Hicks as he takes the readers through the Philippine archipelago. The book shows the Philippines a s biodiversity hotspot with incredible natural resources for dive enthusiasts, birdwatchers and adventure travelers to explore. From the island and beach life of the Visayas to Mindanao in the south and the wild frontiers of Mindoro and Palawan to bustling Manila, Enchanting Philippines is a captivating portrait of this beautiful country.