What gift do you buy that bookworm tita who already has copies of the latest James Patterson, John Grisham or Stephen King books?
Or that hard-to-please, unique-flavour-seeking, food-snob friend of yours?
Grab a copy (if you can) of these Top 3 Pinoy books to discover this Christmas—they are all different genres ranging from food essays, to graphic novels, to gothic romance.
Tikim by Doreen G. Fernandez
Tikim is not a cookbook, and yet, reading the 49 food essays makes readers want to grab a pot and start cooking something, anything.
From balut to bachoy, carabao milk to pastillas, this is a glowing, comprehensive tribute to Filipino food by food critic Doreen G. Fernandez, who sadly passed away in 2002.
Armed with a Master of Arts degree major in English Literature and a Ph.D. in Literature from the Ateneo de Manila University, Fernandez’s command of the written prose shines in every essay, giving flavour and texture to topics such as halo-halo, adobo, and achara.
Part-history book, part-guide book, part-foodie book, Fernandez switches up her essays by talking about the origins of Filipino cuisine in one essay, recounting a durian experience next, then giving precise directions on where to find the best halo-halo in another.
This book, published in 1994, is a treasure trove full of insider wisdom culled from ten years of Fernandez’s columns in various publications.
It’s not cheap to buy this rare book in North America—get someone to buy it for you from the National Book Store in the Philippines as pasalubong. At 299 pesos (approximately $6 Canadian), it’s a steal.
Celestina’s House by Clarissa Trinidad Gonzalez
“It begins with an act of betrayal that destroys the tenuous bonds of Celestina Errantes’s family,” reads the summary for Celestina’s House, a gothic romance, tragedy and ghost-filled book by Clarissa Trinidad Gonzalez.
The book takes you right to the heart of the Philippines, vividly describing the sounds, tastes and smells of Manila, inside a haunted house, into a woman’s guarded secrets, straight into her broken heart.
This book delves into the spiritual side of the Philippines, and lays bare the demons that inhabit people’s souls.
This story will stay with you and haunt you with its deep, haunting sadness and its tale of love and innocence lost.
Gonzalez was born on Halloween, and “grew up in a world animated by spirits and the occasional miracle”.
She lives in Toronto.
Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me by Lorina Mapa
A memoir presented in comic-book style, this book is Lorina Mapa‘s “personal account” of returning to Manila for her father’s funeral.
Her father’s death triggers memories for her, and she recounts her childhood with religious themes, culture and politics.
This easy-to-read graphic novel provides an illustrated account of the EDSA revolution, and personal stories of famous family friends during that tumultuous era.
Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos and Me was nominated by the American Library Association as a Great Graphic Novel for Teens.
Mapa was nominated for the Joe Schuster award for best writer, and was also on the CBC’s 2017 list of Writers to Watch.
