A homebody's literary guide to Manila

Istay home on weekends. I can’t imagine a better weekend spent than one spent staying put at home listening to records, watching TV, and reading. The latter activity in particular is something I’d readily recommend to a balikbayan who’s just arrived and needs to shore up his or her strength to meet Manila head-on. You’ll spend half the time in traffic anyway (even on weekends) so it’s better to have a book on hand to make sense of the city around you. This is a city marked by both an excess of affluence and poverty, a sense of horror vacui and wasteland. If anything, it might make the most sense on the printed page.

Start at 9 a.m. until you’re done.

Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag

By Edgardo M. Reyes

Perhaps the quintessential book about the capital, it was made into a classic film by Lino Brocka and Mike de Leon in 1975. (The director added the word “Manila” to the title.) Despite the setting, the source novel transcends the period and is as relevant today as it was when it was first published. It captures the tragedy and fractured beauty of the city and those that come here to seek their good fortunes. 

Soledad’s Sister

By Jose Y. Dalisay Jr.

The first great Filipino novel of this century and still the best one so far, it showcases the author’s flair for bringing ordinary lives into sharp relief from the bustle of their surroundings. Through his characteristic flair as well as care in his use of words and language, it succeeds most because it makes us familiar with the best thing about the Philippines: its people.

Responde

By Norman Wilwayco

Not all the stories take place in Manila. However, any returning Filipino would delight in Wilwayco’s language in telling his stories. The scope ranges from the humorous to the tragic but all written in the language his characters would really speak in. It’s as much a joy to read aloud as it is to see on the page. Great fun.

Showbiz Lengua

By Jose F. Lacaba

This collection of essays showcases the author’s continuing fascination and detailing of how we develop and use words in the country. It’s obvious that this is serious business for a writer who’s still most known for his reportage of the First Quarter Storm as well as the screenplays for films like Sister Stella L. Originally appearing in Yes! magazine, these essays are not ponderous but offer glimpses of the Filipino psyche in all its ragged glory.