It begins with a body. On a clear day in winter, the battered corpse of Crispin Salvador is pulled from the Hudson River -- taken from the world is the controversial lion of Philippine literature. Gone, too, is the only manuscript of his final book, a work meant to rescue him from obscurity by...  more

It begins with a body. On a clear day in winter, the battered corpse of Crispin Salvador is pulled from the Hudson River -- taken from the world is the controversial lion of Philippine literature. Gone, too, is the only manuscript of his final book, a work meant to rescue him from obscurity by exposing the crimes of the Filipino ruling families. Miguel, his student and only remaining friend, sets out for Manila to investigate. To understand the death, Miguel scours the life, piecing together Salvador?s story through his poetry, interviews, novels, polemics, and memoirs. The result is a rich and dramatic family saga of four generations, tracing 150 years of Philippine history forged under the Spanish, the Americans, and the Filipinos themselves. Finally, we are surprised to learn that this story belongs to young Miguel as much as to his lost mentor, and we are treated to an unhindered view of a society caught between reckless decay and hopeful progress. Exuberant and wise, wildly funny and deeply moving, Ilustrado explores the hidden truths that haunt every family. It is a daring and inventive debut by a new writer of astonishing talent.

Hoops dreams in the Philippines-a fresh and unforgettable basketball diary of one man's journey and one nation's passion. Welcome to the Philippines, where the men are 5'4," the everyman's Air Jordans are a pair of flip-flops, and the rhythm of life is punctuated by the bouncing of a...  more

Hoops dreams in the Philippines-a fresh and unforgettable basketball diary of one man's journey and one nation's passion. Welcome to the Philippines, where the men are 5'4," the everyman's Air Jordans are a pair of flip-flops, and the rhythm of life is punctuated by the bouncing of a basketball... Allured by the idea of an island nation full of people who love the game as irrationally as he does, American journalist Rafe Bartholomew arrived in Manila to unlock the riddle of basketball's grip on the Philippines. On his unforgettable journey, Bartholomew spends a season inside the locker room of a Philippine professional team, dines with politicians who exploit hoops for electoral success, travels with a troupe of midgets and transsexuals who play exhibition games at rural fiestas, and even acts in a local soap opera. Sweating his way through hard-fought games of 3-on-3, played with homemade hoops for 50-cent wagers, Bartholomew uses a mix of journalistic knowhow and the hard- court ethics he learned from his dad to get in the paint and behind the scenes of Filipinos' against-all-odds devotion to the sport.

A riveting look into the personal lives of our presidents through the eyes of their White House doctor Dr. Connie Mariano served 9 years at the White House under Presidents George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton, and George W. Bush. She participated in world headline-making news events and...  more

A riveting look into the personal lives of our presidents through the eyes of their White House doctor Dr. Connie Mariano served 9 years at the White House under Presidents George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton, and George W. Bush. She participated in world headline-making news events and traveled all over the world. She cared for visiting dignitaries and was charged with caring for all the members of the First Family. From flirting with King Juan Carlos of Spain to spending the night on the Queen of England?s yacht, Dr. Mariano glimpsed a glittering and powerful celebrity that few ever see. White House Doctor is a fascinating look into what goes on behind closed doors at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

A debut collection from a vibrant, streetwise voice. Patrick Rosal's poetry rings with the music of no-frills industrial towns of central New Jersey. Portraits of hip-hoppers and condemned men (whose misdeeds as boys forever shaped their futures) alternate with dynamic riffs on...  more

A debut collection from a vibrant, streetwise voice. Patrick Rosal's poetry rings with the music of no-frills industrial towns of central New Jersey. Portraits of hip-hoppers and condemned men (whose misdeeds as boys forever shaped their futures) alternate with dynamic riffs on longing—sexual and filial—and on the poet's Filipino roots. Unpredictable and breathtaking as a sax solo, these poems are the indelible marks made by a world that has been simultaneously kept close and left behind.

From one of our most charismatic poets, a personal song to America.This pulsating collection picks up the beat and imagery of Patrick Rosal's thrilling debut, Uprock Headspin Scramble and Dive. Here, though, the poet's electric narratives and portraits extend beyond the working class streets of...  more

From one of our most charismatic poets, a personal song to America.This pulsating collection picks up the beat and imagery of Patrick Rosal's thrilling debut, Uprock Headspin Scramble and Dive. Here, though, the poet's electric narratives and portraits extend beyond the working class streets of urban New Jersey. Modeling poems on the kundiman, a song of unrequited love sung by Filipinos for their country in times of oppression, he professes his conflicted feelings for America, while celebrating and lamenting his various heritages—whether by chatting up St. Patrick, riffing on race relations, or channeling Lapu Lapu in a rejoinder to Magellan. Passionate, provocative, and irrepressible throughout, My American Kundiman further establishes Rosal as a poet to be reckoned with.

Han Ong has written a brilliant exploration of race and class, of character and identity, and of the slippery natures of privilege and expertise. William Paulinha, a Filipino street hustler, is in the early days of self-imposed reform when he meets Shem C. A failed writer now ostracized by his...  more

Han Ong has written a brilliant exploration of race and class, of character and identity, and of the slippery natures of privilege and expertise. William Paulinha, a Filipino street hustler, is in the early days of self-imposed reform when he meets Shem C. A failed writer now ostracized by his wife and New York City's literati, Shem recruits Paulinha to retaliate against the community that has spurned him. Under Shem's guidance, Paulinha becomes Master Chao, a revered practitioner of Feng Shui—the Chinese art of creating a harmonious environment. As this latter-day confidence man cuts a swath through upper-crust society, his biting observations form a comic picaresque of class resentment and revenge.

After three decades in the United States, Roger Caracera must return to his native Philippines to bury his father, the corrupt and charismatic head of a sugar dynasty. Once in Manila, however, Roger must embark on two searches. The first quest revolves around the unfortunate inheritance of...  more

After three decades in the United States, Roger Caracera must return to his native Philippines to bury his father, the corrupt and charismatic head of a sugar dynasty. Once in Manila, however, Roger must embark on two searches. The first quest revolves around the unfortunate inheritance of half-a-million dollars; money that Roger sees as tainted and must therefore give away. The search for a proper beneficiary leads Caracera through the highs and lows of modern Filipino culture, through the city's luxury homes and back alley brothels. It is on this quest that Roger discovers a second journey, centering not on his native country's history, but on his family's dark past. Embedded in these two histories is a revelation of personal and political proportions.

A wonderfully provocative and appealing novel, from the much-loved author of Anywhere But Here and A Regular Guy, her first in ten years. It tells the story of two women whose lives entwine and unfold behind the glittery surface of Hollywood.Claire, a composer and a new mother, comes to LA so...  more

A wonderfully provocative and appealing novel, from the much-loved author of Anywhere But Here and A Regular Guy, her first in ten years. It tells the story of two women whose lives entwine and unfold behind the glittery surface of Hollywood.Claire, a composer and a new mother, comes to LA so her husband can follow his passion for writing television comedy. Suddenly the marriage?once a genuine 50/50 arrangement?changes, with Paul working long hours and Claire left at home with a baby, William, whom she adores but has no idea how to care for. Lola, a fifty-two-year-old mother of five who is working in America to pay for her own children?s higher education back in the Philippines, becomes their nanny. Lola stabilizes the rocky household and soon other parents try to lure her away. What she sacrifices to stay with Claire and ?Williamo? remains her own closely guarded secret.In a novel at turns satirical and heartbreaking, where mothers? modern ideas are given practical overhauls by nannies, we meet Lola?s vast network of fellow caregivers, each with her own story to tell. We see the upstairs competition for the best nanny and the downstairs competition for the best deal, and are forced to ask whether it is possible to buy love for our children and what that transaction costs us all.We look into two contemporary marriages?one in America and one in the Philippines?and witness their endangerment, despite the best of intentions.My Hollywood is a tender, witty, and resonant novel that provides the profound pleasures readers have come to expect from Mona Simpson, here writing at the height of her powers.

One of the most acclaimed thrillers of the year...The "extraordinary"* national bestseller by the award-winning author of The Beach."Riveting...The Tesseract offers myriad secret pleasures beyond its seemingly plot-driven narrative of intrigue in the streets of Manila."-San Francisco Chronicle...  more

One of the most acclaimed thrillers of the year...The "extraordinary"* national bestseller by the award-winning author of The Beach."Riveting...The Tesseract offers myriad secret pleasures beyond its seemingly plot-driven narrative of intrigue in the streets of Manila."-San Francisco Chronicle Book Review"The Tesseract has the traits of a thriller, but it's also a love story, a character study, a portrait of life among Manila's street kids, even an experiment in narration...a feverish, affecting, altogether captivating story....What really makes The Tesseract so gripping is the author's dazzling performance as a storyteller-not the bloody climaxes per se but the innovative techniques and deft changes of pace with which they are related. This is one of those rare novels that can be read for thrills but also taken apart and examined the way a jeweler does a fine watch. Garland also lavishes his characters with quirks that ring true, outbursts of human oddity that transform a moment that most authors would rush past into something memorable...all but flawless, a tour de force of brilliant narration and psychological acuity."-i>The Washington Post "Virtuosic...cinematic, poetic, terrifyingly precise."-The New York Times Book Review"Bristles with suspense...mature, intelligent, and rewarding."-People"[A] swift psychological thriller...beautifully rendered."-Spin"Powerful, exotic...unfold[s] like a corrupt and mysterious flower."-J.G. Ballard"Thoroughly assured...violently entertaining."-Michiko Kakutani, New York Times"A steam engine of a narrative."-Newsweek"Reminiscent of Graham Greene."-The New Yorker"Delivers tremendous speed and style."-Dallas Morning News"A dangerously hot novel."-The Christian Science Monitor"Inventive and compelling."-Los Angeles Times"A dashing tour de force."-St. Louis Post-Dispatch"Richly emotional."-Harper's Bazaar"[A] page-turner."-Time Out New York