Pinoy: A' merican Tale - The books

For last year's production, The Rave Scenes, part of the rehearsal process included watching several movies as a cast, but also starting each rehearsal taking turns picking a book from a pile of selections, and then opening to a random page and reading. You can find these movies and books at the resources blog entry I made not much more than a month ago.

Anyway, I want to incorporate literature again, maybe in the rehearsal process, but certainly more in the writing of it.  I find it somewhat ironic that I'm doing this on today...Sunday. While "the book" can have many interpretations, I find myself drawn to the "people of the book" phrase.  My mom, being Filipino, raised me Catholic.  I, being Filipino-American (as well as Black), have since been searching for my own path.

And while I might not revere "The" book as central to my beliefs, I certainly believe that books in general are.  And, yes I even mean the physical object the text is held in.  I am not an e-book convert, and while that may change depending on the affordability of technology, there's just something I prefer about holding the paper in my hand.  Same reason I still like reading the physical newspaper with breakfast, when I can.

Maybe it's all just symbolism, knowledge being physicalized in a vessel and imparted to others. All the more ironic (maybe) that I am sharing these with you online. Maybe not, because it's still the transfer of information.  Anyway, with that, here are the 10 books of Pinoy: A 'merican Tale.


From Asia to DC:

• A History of the Philippines: From Indos Bravos to Filipinos (2010)
• Publisher | Amazon
• Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans (1989)
• Publisher | Amazon
• Filipino American Lives (1995)
• Publisher | Amazon
• Filipinos in Washington, DC (2009)
• Publisher | Amazon

Jose Rizal:

• The First Filipino: A Biography of José Rizal (1963)
• Amazon
• Noli Me Tangere: A Novel (1997), translated by Soledad Lacson-Locsin
• Publisher | Amazon
• Rizal's Prose (1962)
• Amazon

Fil-Ams & Psych:

• Depression and Other Mental Health Issues: The Filipino American Experience (1995)
• Amazon
• Filipino American Psychology: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice (2009)
• Publisher | Amazon | Facebook
• Filipino American Psychology: A Collection of Personal Narratives (2009)
• Publisher | Amazon

If possible (especially for the ones that are out of print), if being Filipino-American is part of your background, your culture, I definitely encourage you to consider purchasing any of these books which you haven't read, even if you're not a "book" person.

Even if it's just one, it can only help you to continue becoming the person you already are.

- JR, A Way of Life Productions, Vision Director

Other Resources

• Arcadia Publishing - Facebook
• Overlook Press - Twitter
• Kevin Nadal - Facebook | YouTube