Current Reads
To your left, I've got that whole "Currently Reading" section. I just wanted to share about "When the Rainbow Goddess Wept" by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard. It was on my last trip to da City when I was hangin' out at Barnes & Nobles and I was browsing when the cover of this book caught my eye. I saw an old black and white picture with women dressed in Maria Clara dresses and men in the traditional Barong Tagalog. In a nutshell (without giving away the ending), the story takes places before and during the Japanese invasion in the Philippines during WWII. It's more of a historical fiction told through the eyes of a young girl and it talks about the hardships of the people back in that time. It also brings into the mix a lot of Philippine mythology, which I thought was very cool. I bought it, excited that I had found it. My Dad wanted to read it first, and after a few days when he was done, told me that it's a good story but, "you won't understand it." He went on to further explain that story reminded him of when he was a kid. My Dad was born during the Japanese occupation and if the stories that I've heard are correct, my grandparents had to hide out in the mountains after his birth for fear of their lives. This book isn't for the faint of heart; it's gruesome in the details of how Filipinos were treated and tortured. I found myself getting teary-eyed and in some cases, had to put the book down and step away from it. It's a powerful read and it makes one understand that generation a little bit more. If you're looking for a good book, check this out. If ya'll can't find it, check Arkipelago Books and while you're at it, check out the other links on the site...very cool.