Flippin': Filipinos on America

Luis Francia, Eric Gamalinda

Asian American Writers' Workshop, 1996 - Literary Collections - 377 pages

The Philippines, America's "showcase of democracy" and its only former colony in Asia, remains enigmatic to most Americans. What we know of this archipelago is very often condensed, filtered, or distorted y Western preconceptions and interpretations. Here, for the first time, are Filipino and Filipino American writers telling their lives in their own words. Here are stories of passion and betrayal, home and exile, the politics of the self and a nation in search of itself. Here are poems of such power and beauty that can rank among the best in the world. In these pages the reader will find familiar figures -- the greedy Marcoses, teenage gangs, game shows, rock star clones -- as well as characters and themes of every stripe and hue, from gay youngsters checking out surfer jocks in Hawai'i to Westernized girls coming out of convent school, from a searing recollection of gang rape to meditations on the spirit.



Altogether, these works provide a deeper image of the Philippines and of Filipinos in America, as seen by some of the best writers from both sides of the world. Ultimately, it gives a unique and vivid perspective of America as well.

Contents

• Or I May Be Brown But I Hear America Singin: 1
• The Man Who Thought He Looked Like Robert Taylor: 12
• Crossing Over NVM Gonzales: 23
• A Mans Reward is in Heaven F Sionil Jose: 29
• Fortress in the Plaza Linda TyCasper: 44
• Somethings Got to Give Bataan Faigao: 54
• Fugitive Colors Ninotchka Rosca: 64
• Sideshow Jessica Hagedorn: 70
• The End of Awkwardness Edgard Poma: 79
• Home Peter Bacho: 98
• Elvis of Manila Eric Gamalinda: 110
• Two Deaths Marianne Villanueva: 119
• Her Wild American Self M Evelina Galang: 126
• Fredo Avila Gina Apostol: 139
• Night Sweats joel b: 152
• States of Being Bino Realuyo: 160
• Jungle Manhood Michael Sandoval: 187
• Sunset and Evening Star: 218
• Manhattan Rain: 225
• rica: 238
• ics Anonymous: 244
• erica Ruth Elynia S Mabanglo: 255
• emeber Fermin 1930: 262
• ghtfall Angeles City: 268
• 1: 278
• Manila: 280
• Her First Night Away: 296
• Beetle on a String Vince Gotera: 311
• Jeepneyfying Noel Abubo Mateo: 324
• Cadenza Jose Wendell P Capili: 326
• Drinking Milk in the Dark Kitchen Jessica Nepomuceno: 339
• You Bring Out the Writer in Me: 352
• Dragon Rene J Navarro: 366
• Acknowledgments: 371

About the author

Luis H. Francia is a poet, writer, and critic who has published two books of poetry. He edited the seminal Brown River, White Ocean, an anthology of Philippine literature in English. He teaches Asian American literature at Sarah Lawrence College.

Eric Gamalinda is the author of five books of poetry and fiction. He has been widely published in the United States and the Philippines.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Flippin': Filipinos on America; Volume 15 of Asian American Writers Worksh Series
• Editors: Luis Francia, Eric Gamalinda
• Contributor: Asian American Writers' Workshop
• Publisher: Asian American Writers' Workshop, 1996
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: Feb 28, 2008
• ISBN: 1889876011, 9781889876016
• Length: 377 pages
• Subjects: Literary Collections / Essays; Literary Criticism / American / General