Bookworm of Gensan

Bookworm of Gensan's MIBF Book Hauls

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:36:00 +0000

The best deals can be had during the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF). Brand new books are discounted from 15-75%! There are also a lot of second-hand hardcovers! For a probinsiyano bookworm like me, many of the books I've been nagging local bookstores about can be found here.

Most of my MBIF book purchases are business books I use for teaching and mentoring, novels,and Filipiniana.

And then there are lots and lots of freebies with your book purchases! Fully Booked tops it in giving away freebies and free MIBF entrance passes.

Gift-book for my judging in the ReaderCon. :)

Finally got myself a copy of these books!

Second hardcovers for only P99!

A definitive Filipino dictionary from UP

The Hobbit with annotations to add to my LOTR collection.

In my continuing quest to understand my Chinese-ness.

The MIBF is an opportunity to enrich further my Filipiniana collection.

A signed copy of Marites Danguilan Vitug's latest book.

Adding this book to my Ninoy & Cory Aquino book collection.

When my interest in comics and graphic novels was revived, there was no turning back for me. :)

Advance copy of Mitch Albom's latest novel.

Bookworm of Gensan goes to the 33rd MIBF

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 06:58:00 +0000

Bookworm of Gensan arrives on the 2nd day of the 33rd MIBF

Preparations

September 2012 marked two firsts for me: attendance to my first international book fair (the 33rd Manila International Book Fair) and my first time to watch a live stage musical (Phantom of the Opera).

In this time of plane promo fares, it was important for me to have available information about these events to plan my trip from Gensan to Manila. Ticket sale for Phantom of the Opera was announced in May (through Ticketworld) while the exact date of the 33rd MIBF was announced in July. Before I bought my Phantom ticket online in May, I had to google when the previous MIBFs were held (second week of September) to make sure that the Manila trip duration could cover both events. And so I booked my promo fare ticket from September 13-18.

When the 33rd MIBF date was announced in July (Sept. 12-16), I realized my estimate was off by a day, thus I arrived at the SMX venue on the second day.

Earlier in August, Facebook was awash with posters from National Book Store, Powerbooks, Anvil, Goodwill Book Store announcing new book offerings and book signings during the MIBF. These made it easy for me to plan my five-day itinerary in the metro. I was able to bring the books I wanted the authors to sign for me.

MIBF Day 2

Bookworm of Gensan gets ready to plunge into an ocean of books inside the MIBF with the free gatepasses provided by National Book Store.

After checking in at the hotel where I was billeted, I went straight to the SMX for the second day of the 33rd MIBF. I saw large tarp billboards showing the schedule of special events (already available at the MIBF website) and a locator map of the 136 booths of the exhibitors/sellers. Copies of this map were not available at the three registration counters (where you buy entrance tickets to the MIBF at P20 for adults and P10 for kids) so I had to take a cam photo of it to help me navigate the four halls occupied by the MIBF. It was only during MBIF Day 4 when I discovered the Secretariat booth inside Hall # 2 giving out these maps.

I had to take a cam photo of the locator map of the booths at the SMX lobby to help me navigate through the 4 halls occupied by the MIBF

The first thing that hit me upon entering the MIBF was the intoxicating smell of new books! Already I was drowning in it! Imagine four large halls measuring 9,130 square meters filled with books!

And the people! I had gone to book fairs here in Mindanao before and I thought the crowd filling the MV Doulos and Logos (floating book stores) was already that many, but I have never seen this LARGE number of people interested in books! Many came in vans and buses! Students, librarians, teachers, school administrators, parents and their kids, teeners, and of course, bookworms like me.

The diversity of books was overwhelming!

MIBF Day 3

Bookworm of Gensan asks Mr. Colayco about our coop inviting him to Gensan to give a seminar

The third day of the 33rd MIBF started off with the book signing by Francisco Colayco of his money management books. A staff member coordinating the event started checking if those who lined up for it had receipts for their books. When she saw mine in plastic cover and without the ubiquitous red plastic bag, she asked me for the receipt. I told her that I flew all the way from Gensan to have my copy signed by Mr. Colayco and that I had to ask how our university coop can invite him to conduct his seminar for us. I showed her the price tag still stuck at the back of my copy to prove I bought it from their store branch in Gensan. I also told her that the event was a book signing and NOT a book launching which, of course, requires buying a copy of it to be signed by the author. She then asked me to keep quiet about not having a receipt and to stay in line. When it was my turn, I introduced myself to Mr. Colayco and asked him how our coop can invite him to give us a money management seminar in Gensan. He graciously asked his staff to give me his card and get my contact information.

I hied off to the OMFlit booth to get the magnetic page keeper from Ida Torres. It was a gift for my joining their online survey last week. I would return to this booth on MIBF Day 5 to buy some children's books.

I went to the Goodwill Book Store booth to look for a copy of Arlyn dela Cruz's A Lifetime of Freedom. I asked a staff where I could find and buy a copy of it. He said: We don't carry that title here, sir. But Goodwill and Katha published it according to the poster I saw on Facebook, I said. No sir, Goodwill did not publish it, he answered. I countered, how can that be? Tomorrow it will be launched here at the MIBF! He said: I'll ask somebody about it, sir.

Somebody, presumably a supervisor, came over and when told that I was looking for Arlyn's book, he pointed to a shelf far from us containing copies of it. I told the supervisor what the staff told me and gave the staff a lecture: "If you don't know, ask. Don't give an answer to something you don't know" and "This is an international book fair, for God's sake!" I went to pay for my copy at the cashier's and told them I regularly visit their Davao City branch.

Side trip

In the afternoon, I met up with my friend, writer-poet Romulo "Joey" Baquiran Jr., for some merienda and chitchat at Bonifacio Global City. I also asked him to sign my copy of Sagad sa Buto which I described to him as his most personal work. We had such fun keeping up with each other's lives. Joey and I were both fellows in the 1989 National Writers Workshop of Silliman University in Dumaguete City.

I went to Fully Booked main store in Bonifacio High Street for the relaunching of Not On Our Watch edited by Jo-ann Maglipon. I immediately bought a copy of it and had it signed by the editor Jo-Ann Maglipon. I also saw and talked to columnist Conrado de Quiros.

MIBF Day 4

A habagat was lashing the metro with rains and gusty winds, but it was an auspicious day for me on Day 4 of the MIBF.

Bookworm of Gensan introduces himself to the Lourd

Upon learning that I'm from Gensan, Lourd holds on to me and says: I'm not letting you go until you give me tunaaaaa!

Bookworm of Gensan meets Historian Ambeth Ocampo who signs copies of his two latest books.

Arlyn dela Cruz welcomed me like an old friend. She's been to Gensan and said my presence brought lots of happy memories for her.

An MIBF bonus for Bookworm of Gensan is meeting Ricky Lee and telling him the fun and joy reading his Para Kay B and Amapola novels.

Bookworm of Gensan meets Filipino Book Bloggers Tarie Subido and Blooey Singson who are proudly holding up their personalized blogger t-shirts, pasalubong from moi :)

Since I missed the first ReaderCon of the Filipino Book Bloggers last year during the 32nd MIBF, I was hoping I could attend the second one this year, but alas, it was held a month earlier than the 33rd MIBF. Being a member of this group, I was hoping to meet them in person during the ReaderCon. Nevertheless, I was still able to meet some of them - Tarie Subido, Honey de Peralta, Blooey Singson, Kwesi Jan Junsan, and Jzhun Agev on MIBF Day 4. :)

MIBF Day 5

My itinerary for Day 5 was hectic because the two events were closely scheduled next to each other. The first was the book signing by Budjette Tan, Kajo Baldisimo, Ian Sta. Maria and Mervin Ignacio slated right before the start of The Phantom of the Opera.

Budjette Tan of Trese fame signs my copy of his graphic novel.

Souvenir shot with Wella, Budjette's wife, Budjette and Kajo.

Bookworm of Gensan talks to Mervin Ignacio and Ian Sta. Maria about Gensan and Manny Pacquiao.

Dolphy remembers Mindanao and Gensan

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:54:00 +0000

(Note: Dolphy passed away July 10, 2012)

The Philippines' premier comedian, Dolphy, shared his memories of touring the Philippines post-WWII as a budding dancer/comedian in his book Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-isa as told to Bibeth Orteza:

Si Paquito Bolero, hindi lang movie director. Siya rin ang impresario ng traveling group of entertainers na umaabot sa Tuguegarao and then later on Visayas, Mindanao, pati 'yung Jolo, Sulu, Basilan; narating namin.

Wala pang mga armalite no'n ang mga sundalo. Ang mga Muslim karamihan pa no'n nakapatadyong, naka-malong. Ang sukbit nila, mga kris, kampilan, parang itak lang. At saka nagkakasundo pa no'n ang mga Muslim at Kristiyano. Very peaceful. Bago pa ito no'ng 'yong Koronadal naging Gensan at ang lahat ay pinalitan ng pangalan.

At that time Dolphy's stage name was Golay for his half-Chinese characterization and jokes.

Finding a treasure of a book

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:24:00 +0000

May 7, 2012 -- Booksale here in Gensan opened with a fresh supply of second-hand and remaindered books. And of course, I was there to trawl for new ones to read.

Tucked in the middle of the coffee table books shelves was this poor sight of a book in a box. I stretched to reach for it. And when I finally took the book out of the shabby box and had a good look at it, I did a double take!

It was a book by one of my fave authors, Stephen King! I've read My Pretty Pony in Nightmares & Dreamscapes, King's anthology of short stories, but I was not aware it was published as a separate book with illustrations by Barbara Kruger.

Marked down to $25 from its brand new price of $50, Booksale was selling it for P60! The box would need some restoration, but it was a deal I could not walk away from. And so I brought it home and assessed the damage it sustained from too much handling.

The bottom of the box was about to fall off


The frayed edges of the box looked like it was nibbled on

And so I took out the materials needed to restore it and make it worth its space in the bookcase containing the other books in my Stephen King collection.

Using strips of construction paper to cover the frayed edges

Although it was not restored to its mint condition, the book now looks presentable :)

But I was in for one last surprise. Since I was not aware that My Pretty Pony was published as a separate book (a large one at that!), I decided to Google it. Imagine my surprise when I found out that it was one of 15,000 copies issued as a trade edition!

And my copy is a first trade edition! Woooot!

Here's an audio version of the book as read by Jery Garcia of the Grateful Dead band:

May the Fourth be with You: My Star Wars collection

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:34:00 +0000

May the Fourth be with You! is a play on the greeting, May the force be with you! And so it came to be that the 4th of May is considered as Star Wars Day.

In celebration of this special day, let me share with you my Star Wars collection. :)

This is the star of my collection!

Sample page from the Star Wars Vault

These magazines took time and patience to collect. I bought the Time magazines issues featuring Star Wars from the newsstands.Thank goodness for Booksale for making available the other magazines at cheap prices!

Tales of the Golden Droid is an anthology of short stories involving C-3PO

A must-have book for Star Wars fans

The graphic novel of Episode VI

The graphic novel of Episode V

Toys! Toys! Toys!

My fave R2-D2!

It is a lunchbox with separate compartments for rice/soup and viands. The arms are detachable and can be used as spoon and fork.

My Titanic book collection

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:16:00 +0000

In commemoration of the 100th year of RMS Titanic, I'm sharing here the books I collected over the years waaay before the wreck was discovered in 1985 and the James Cameron film. If you're not familiar with the RMS Titanic tragedy, read more here.

The book that started this collection. I read Walter Lord's A Night to Remember in college in the early 70s. Lord came out with a follow-up book, The Night Lives On.

The book on the investigation of the RMS Titanic sinking

National Geographic Magazine's reportage on the discovery of the wreck of RMS Titanic by Dr. Robert Ballard in 1985.

The latest addition to the Titanic canon which claims to be the definitive story


A book chronicling the sinking and finding of the unsinkable RMS Titanic

Ballard's Discovery of Titanic

Three books by oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard on his ocean explorations including his discovery of the wreck of RMS Titanic.

An illustrated history of Titanic

Ken Marschall's book of gorgeous drawings of RMS Titanic's cross sections

A large book containing reproductions of ship tickets, etc

Heartbreaking accounts of survivors and the families of the lost

This book contains photos taken during the dives to the wreck of RMS Titanic undertaken by James Cameron and his team of scientists.

Three books related to Titanic, a film by James Cameron.

Bookworm of Gensan: Bargain Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:41:00 +0000

Bookworm of Gensan reads: Reading List for December 2011 - February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Biographies galore in my Reading List for December 2011 - February 2012:

Bookworm of Gensan goes sleuthing: Is Trese 4: Last Seen at Midnight featuring a chapter on a Pacquiao look-a-like boxer set in Gensan?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Yesterday (October 5) while browsing at National Book Store, Robinsons Place Gensan branch, I was alerted by a saleslady that copies of Trese 4: Last Seen at Midnight (written by Budjette Tan and art by Kajo Baldisimo) have arrived. She showed me a copy of it fresh from the unpacked carton. However she told me that it will be sold nationwide simultaneously starting October 8 yet. So I asked to have a snapshot of it after reserving a copy. (Trese is a graphic novel - on its fourth volume - about the exploits of Alexandra Trese who takes on cases that take a turn for the weird and supernatural).

Upon coming home, I immediately uploaded the photo on Facebook and posted a message in Budjette Tan's wall:

Budjette reposted my message on his FB wall:

His message "TRESE 4 is now in GenSan! (How... appropriate :-)" was intriguing and tickled my Sherlockian instinct. I sensed a mystery afoot.

And today I saw this video "Trese4 Trailer" on Youtube:

If you watch the above video, at 0:58-0:58, you will see a chapter page "The Fight of the Year" with Kajo's drawing of a boxer who looks like Manny Pacquiao with black eyes.

Then in the description below the video is a synopsis of the said chapter:

As I read the description, a litany of OMG's spewed from my mouth to join the cascading drool! Gensan and Pacman in Trese 4! How cool is that!

Locator map for Case 17: The Fight of the Year (photo courtesy of Budjette Tan)

But wait! Is Budjette pulling my leg? Or is a tiyanak doing that?

I took out my copies of the first three volumes of Trese and examined the settings of each case/chapter:

Volume 1:
Case 1 - At the intersection of Balete and 13th street (Balete Drive)
Case 2 - Rules of the Race (Carlos Garcia Avenue - C5)
Case 3 - The Tragic Case of Dr. Burgos (Paco)
Case 4 - Our Secret Constellation (Malate)

Volume 2:
Case 5 - A Little Known Murder in Studio 4 (Mother Ignacia Avenue)
Case 6 - The Outpost on Kalayaan Street (Kalayaan Avenue)
Case 7 - Embrace of the Unwanted (Ortigas Avenue)
Case 8 - The Association Dues of Livewell Village (J. P. Rizal, Makati)

Volume 3:
Case 9 - A Private Retaliation (Cubao)
Case 10 - Patient 414 in Mandaluyong (Mandaluyong)
Case 11 - The Fort Bonifacio Massacre (Fort Bonifacio)
Case 12 - The Baptism of Alexandra Trese (Malate)
Case 13 - An Act of War (New Bilibid Prison)

Volume 4: (info taken from the Youtube video description for Trese4 trailer)
Case 14 - Cadena de Amor (Luneta Park)
Case 15 - A Private Collection (Manila)
Case 16 - Wanted: Bedspacer (Katipunan Avenue)
Case 17 - The Fight of the Year (General Santos City)

Cases 1-16 are all set in Metro Manila while the last case is set in Gensan! Is this an indication that Budjette and Kajo are finally going against the "restrictions" of Metro Manila and will feature more locales in Visayas and Mindanao (or even abroad where OFWs abound) in Trese's further adventures?

At any rate, this is a welcome deviation and with a nationwide simultaneous release of Trese 4 in National Book Store branches on October 8, Alexandra Trese will finally have a national following of graphic novel readers from Aparri to Jolo!

As I said in Facebook, I'll be first in line to buy a copy of Trese 4 on October 8. Congratulations to Budjette and Kajo for keeping Pinoy graphic novels in our collective consciousness!

‘The Lady or the Tiger?’: Facing Life’s Choices (My Favorite Book Winner June 5, 2005 Philippine Star)

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:41:00 +0000

The Lady or The Tiger and Other Stories

by Frank Stockton

December 1999. With the Y2K scare and end-of-the-millennium jitters hovering in the air, I found myself in a bookstore for some last-minute Christmas shopping. I was looking for the abridged versions of the classics Heidi and The Secret Garden to give to my nieces when I saw a vaguely-familiar title on the shelves: The Lady or The Tiger and Other Stories. As I traced the embossed title with my right index finger, a particular memory flooded my consciousness.

1970. Our sophomore English class of 40 boys was quiet as our teacher, Mr. Roger Rebucan, read aloud Frank Stockton’s short story The Lady or The Tiger? in a voice with a slight tinge of Hiligaynon accent. Our yet-to-be-raging hormones and our boyishness were piqued by the intriguing title which promised romance and adventure. We were not disappointed by the tale that unraveled before us – a love affair between a young man and his sweetheart whose father, the semi-barbaric king, wants to end. The king sentences the guy to choose between two doors. One leads to a beautiful woman; the other, to a hungry tiger. With bated breath, we struggled with the protagonist as he wracked his brain as to which door to open. If he opened the door to the beautiful woman, he would be forced to marry her. Opening the other door would mean his instant death. We heaved a collective sigh when Mr. Rebucan read the part where the princess signaled to the guy by moving her hand to the right but were abruptly shocked to hear the story’s final sentence: And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door – the lady or the tiger?

Just as it did in 1882 when it was first published, the story spawned a cacophony of arguments among us which, for one whole week, spilled over to recess times, lunch breaks and lulls in between basketball games played after school. If ever there was one single story that the boys of Notre Dame of Dadiangas Boys’ Department (NDDBD) Batch ‘73 remembered having read, I am sure their aging selves now would shout in unison: The Lady or The Tiger?

It was one powerful tale that made such an impact on my life. It made me realize then, as a 13-year-old boy, real life’s lesson No. 1: life is full of choices. Later, I would find some choices easy to make, some so difficult that it dredged up every metaphor I’ve come across: to be between the devil and the deep blue sea, a rock and a hard place, Scylla and Charybdis.

The impact was even greater with the influence Mr. Rebucan had on my intellectual life. As our English teacher, he taught us a language that resonates with dynamism when used as a tool for self-expression. He was as sports-minded as he was an avid reader. Being not much of the sporty type due to my myopic eyes, I would read library books while keeping watch over the school bags and uniforms of those classmates who played in the field. I would often see Mr. Rebucan reading in between ballgames he was officiating, in the canteen while taking his snacks, in the faculty room when he had finished checking our papers, and in the parade grounds while waiting for the civic-military parade to start. I was drawn to him because we shared something in common – reading. Pretty soon, I approached him for titles to look for in the library. With him as a mentor, my love for words and reading became boundless. He did not stay long in the teaching profession as he later worked for a government agency and a soft-drink bottling company. Years later, he and I would often cross paths in search of reading materials in local bookstores and magazine stands. Cherished books were exchanged between us.

December 1999. It has been 29 years since I last heard/read Stockton’s 120-year-old story. My pulse raced as I discovered from the book’s back cover blurb that the story has a sequel: The Discourager of Hesitancy. That clinched it! This book would be the perfect gift for Mr. Rebucan. I was sure, he, too, would be as interested as I was to know how the story ended. I bought two copies and sent one to him with a short note that I hope one day we could meet and debate on the two short stories.

As I reread the story that night, I reflected on the motivations (mine and others) that led to choices impacting my life, career and relationships. I realized that at the high and low points in my life, some people acted as the semi-barbaric king who forced me to make hard decisions while others, like the princess, led me to "ladies" and "tigers" as consequences of my decisions after considering their advices and maneuverings. Whatever their motives, I thank them all because through them, I have learned to accept responsibility for my own decisions in life. As Frank Stockton aptly said in reply to the countless questions he got about the story’s ending: "If you decide which it was — the lady or the tiger — you find out what kind of person you are yourself."

[This essay was the winner for the week ending June 5, 2005 of the My Favorite Book contest jointly sponsored by the National Bookstore and Philippine Star. It was published in the Philippine Star June 5, 2005 issue.]

Bookworm of Gensan collects: PacMan books and magazines

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:52:00 +0000

Manny Pacquiao (PacMan) books and magazines

Occupying a special corner of my library is my collection of books and magazines on boxer Manny Pacquiao. His life and achievements in the boxing ring are truly an inspiration to many.


The first book on PacMan to be published. Written by sports writer and columnist Recah Trinidad. Co-published by Anvil Publishing , Inc. and Philippine Daily Inquirer.Newsprint and bookpaper. 179 pages. Available at National Book Store and Powerbooks.

PacMan's autobiography in English and Filipino editions. The English edition was written by Manny Pacquiao and Timothy James while the Filipino edition was translated by Teodoro Antonio, Roberto Anonuevo and Susie Borrero. Philippine edition published by Anvil Publishing, Inc. with permission from Dunham Books. 223 (English ed.) and 127 (Filipino ed.) pages. Newsprint. Available at National Book Store and Powerbooks. Also bundled with Trinidad's book.


By Gary Andrew Poole. This came out almost at the same time as the autobiography. Trade paper back edition. Published by Da Capo Press. 251 pages. Available at National Book Store, Powerbooks, and Fully Booked.

A bookazine filled with pictures and short articles. Published in Hong Kong by Global Integrated Media (HK) Ltd. 73 pages. Glossy pages.

sample page from A Tribute to The Legend.

The first graphic novel on PacMan by Jose Gamboa. Self-published. 90 pages. Black & white illustrations on book paper.

sample page of the Pacquiao graphic novel

Bookworm of Gensan bargain finds

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:59:00 +0000

I always make it a point to save up for the annual National Book Store's price-cut sale on books in August.

All books on the shelves are practically on sale at 5-10% off. But I go straight to the bargain book bins for books discounted up to 75%. For less than ₱100, one can buy children's books, cookbooks, fashion and craft books, and hardbound books. In the ₱200 range, one can have graphic novels, photography books, business books. As early as August, I have already bought several gift-books for friends and family to be given on their birthdays and for Christmas. It is also the chance to add to my collection of books by authors I love reading.

The best bargain finds for me this year are three coffee table books published by National Book Store previously sold at ₱1000++ and sold at ₱150 each:

Bookworm of Gensan reads The Anvil Jose Rizal Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:10:00 +0000

The Anvil Jose Rizal Reader

Ani Habulan - General Editor

Anvil Publishing Inc.

2011

Newsprint, 158 pages

₱250, available at National Book Store and Powerbooks

Quick browse: An interesting anthology about Rizal. Contains plays, short stories, essays, photos and drawings about our national hero.

Bookworm of Gensan laments The Nick Joaquin Book Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 06:06:00 +0000

Nick Joaquin is a multi-awarded writer-journalist. So when Anvil Publishing, National Book Store and Powerbooks launched the Nick Joaquin Book Festival this July, I was excited about the chance to complete my collection of Nick Joaquin's books.

But my enthusiasm was doused when I saw that the participating branches of National Book Store and Powerbooks were all in Metro Manila and Luzon ONLY.

WHY????

Doesn't a NATIONAL ARTIST of Nick Joaquin's stature deserve a NATIONWIDE book festival? I know this book fair was conducted to promote the biography of Nick Joaquin written by his nephew Tony Joaquin. But it appears to me as a hastily-conceived promo.

Why promote Nick Joaquin's books ONLY in Metro Manila and Luzon? Don't the readers of Visayas and Mindanao deserve the chance to discover/rediscover the literary genius of Joaquin?

The two branches of National Book Store here in Gensan carry only 3-4 of the nine books shown in the poster. I had to request some titles I needed from the customer service counter here.

This book festival is a missed opportunity for the publisher, book stores and readers alike and it needs a major rethinking.

Bookworm of Gensan explores A Token of Our Friendship by John L. Silva

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:22:00 +0000

A Token of Our Friendship

Philippine Photos of Male Affection - First Half of the 20th Century

by John L. Silva

John L. Silva and I became friends in Facebook because of the "Jan-jan incident" in the Willing Willie game show. John Silva was among the first to denounce on Facebook what was done to the boy who cried while performing a dance usually done by macho dancers in gaybars. And I would tag him whenever there were other online developments and opinions on the incident. He called for the advertisers to withdraw their ads in the show. For his crusading efforts, John was named in a libel case filed by Willie Revillame.

John Silva was Senior Consultant to the National Museum and was recently appointed by President Aquino as Commissioner to the Unesco. He writes and blogs about cultural matters, heritage and history. He also wrote an arts appreciation book for public school teachers.

The Intrigue of the Implied

Before John Silva announced the launch of his book, A Token of Our Friendship in July this year, I was able to browse through two large-format photo books by Evan Bachner in my fave used book store.

These books collects "images of comradeship, particularly of men being physically close, largely disappeared from the public record. But, as these stunning photographs attest, ordinary American men in the extraordinary circumstances of World War II were affectionate, winsome, and playful-disarmingly innocent in a time of cataclysmic peril." Unlike the usual photos we see of men in uniform in combat, the ones in these books show how these same men behave away from the battle zones.

Both Evan Bachner and John Silva are longtime collectors of photographs. And so I was quite intrigued by the book of John Silva, subtitled Philippine Photos of Male Affection - First Half of the 20th Century. I ordered a copy of it from John himself and he graciously sent it to me with an inscription.

The book is divided into three sections: Solo Images, Couples, and Group Poses.

I was drawn to the Solo Images section. The photos in it resonate with implied "aloneness" as in the picture below:


Page 30 of A Token of Our Friendship

There is the implicit plea in these photos: don't ever forget me even if this is just a poor likeness of myself.

In the Couples section, the male affection is shown between the two men in the photos in terms of hand draped over the other's shoulder and/or arm wrapped around the waist of the other. There's the furtive holding of hands like in the photo below:

Page 95 of A Token of Our Friendship

In this section, the most puzzling picture is the one with the inscription at the back that says: "Bebing, ... consider it great for there is a hidden symbol in it. You friend forever, Beny & Pit"

Page 78 of A Token of Our Friendship

In my attempt to figure out the hidden symbol, I take my cue from "your friend forever, Beny & Pit". Bebing's friend (note the singular form in the complimentary close) is definitely Beny and not Pit. And that is just one of the tantalizing intrigues of the implied in this book.

In the Group Poses section, the photos of trios can be divided into two groups: the triumvirate (all three men are equals) and the couple + the odd-man-out (saling-pusa).

A sample of the triumvirate, page 147 of A Token of Our Friendship

In the following samples of the Couple + odd-man-out (saling pusa) Group Pose, any student of human behavior can see in the body language of the couple how the odd-man-out is excluded in their affection for each other:

(Page 8) Note the possessive hands on the arms.

(Page 118) Note the middle man's shoulder turned away from the one at left but turned toward the one at right

(Page 132) Note the distance of the odd-man-out from the couple

(Page 146) Looks like a rigodon de amor

John Silva, in several interviews for the book launch, said: In the book, "one who could almost relive the scenes of the past: manners, dressing, movements, and forms of affection now unknown to us." Indeed, I spent several hours pouring over the photos examining the clothes, shoes (are those two-toned Ang Tibay shoes?), ties (owned and borrowed), the implied affection in the poses, the inscriptions (what do they really mean by "original" then?) and had sneak peeks of how these men lived in various decades of the first half of the 20th Century.

Thank you, John, for such an engrossing read!

Bookworm of Gensan loves The Smurfs (graphic novels)

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:57:00 +0000

The Smurfs

Next to the Disney and Pixar characters like Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang, my favorites also are the Smurfs, the little blue male creatures created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo (pen name of Pierre Culliford) on October 23, 1958. From comics, the Smurfs became a hit TV cartoon series in the 80s. Each Smurf portrays a specific human personality to which the readers and TV viewers can relate to.

This year in preparation for The Smurfs movie, Papercutz published The Smurfs graphic novels collecting the stories in several volumes (9 so far but 6 are currently available in the Philippines). These graphic novels and the movie will surely introduce the Smurfs to a new generation of fans.

Volume 1: The Purple Smurfs, The Flying Smurf, The Smurf and His Neighbors

Volume 2: The Smurfs and the Magic Flute

Volume 3: The Smurf King, The Smurfony

Volume 4: The Smurfette, The Hungry Smurfs

Volume 5: The Smurfs and the Egg, The Fake Smurf, The Hundredth Smurf

Volume 6: The Smurfs and the Howlibird, The Smurf Express, You can't Smurf in the way of Progress

The Smurfs on my laptop

Bookworm of Gensan DIY: How to remove those pesky sticky price tags

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:27:00 +0000

Those pesky sticky price tags only bother me when a) they're placed on the book front covers b) they're placed on the book back covers AND cover the back cover blurbs.

Early on, I tried removing these stickers with my fingernails, but after a few removals, they started to hurt! So I turned to Google for some tips.

The Expensive Method:

One tip suggested that I use WD-40 aka No-Mess Pen. I found one in Handyman, but it's so pricey. Nevertheless, I bought one and gave it a try.

Here's how the peel-off test went:


Take off the cap and press the felt tip firmly over the price tag until the WD-40 liquid seeps on it.

WARNING: WD-40 may be harmful when swallowed, inhaled or when it comes in contact with eyes.

Make sure the liquid is evenly distributed over the price tag.

After 2-3 hours: Using your fingernail, peel off the price tag.

Voila! No more price tag!

The Cheapest Method:

Instead of using WD-40, use tap water instead. It's the cheapest way and what's more is that there's no waiting time. Here's how:

1. Use drops of tap water to wet the price tag.
2. Using your thumb or index finger, rub on the price tag until the paper material peels off.
3. After the paper material is peeled off, what remains is the glue material.
4. Use your fingernails to scrape the glue material off the cover.
Warning: This method may cause patches of the bookcover to be peeled off together with the glue material being scraped off.

The Cheaper Method:

1. Buy the cheapest mineral oil in the supermarket/pharmacy.

2. Use a drop or two of mineral oil and spread it evenly over the price tag until it becomes translucent. Then let it stand for 3-6 hours for maximum effect. Warning: The mineral oil may cause stains on thinner book covers, especially the non-glossy ones.

3. After 3-6 hours, the price tag can be easily peeled off.

4. Use cloth to wipe off remaining oil and glue residue on the cover.

There you go!

In case of multiple price tags (one tag placed over the other), make sure the top one is translucent after applying the mineral oil.

After 3-6 hours, peel off the top price tag.

Apply more mineral oil on the second price tag. Wait for 30 minutes to 1 hour before peeling it off.

Use cloth to wipe off remaining oil and glue residue.

Bookworm of Gensan collects The Little Prince

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 02:05:00 +0000

My collection of Little Prince books and multimedia materials

One of my favorite books since college is Little Prince by Antoine de St. Exupery. An Oblates of Notre Dame (OND) nun, Sr. Josefina Chiongson, introduced it to me. She warned me beforehand that it was not just a children's book.

It was a thin pocketbook with black and white line drawings and colored watercolor paintings (by the author himself) and easy-to-understand English translation of the original French text of Le Petit Prince. After reading it for the first time, I realized how profound it was. Since then, I started collecting different translations and editions of it.

In Chapter XXI of the book, the fox shared a secret with the Little Prince: "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." In the caption below each picture in my book collection, you can read how each translator rendered this secret.

Katherine Woods's translation

This is my very first copy of this best-selling translation by Katherine Woods. It is an old used book with colored cover and illustrations.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

Irene Testot-Ferry's translation

From the Wordsworth Classics edition of The Little Prince.

"But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart."

Richard Howard's translation

Howard's version is the one of the latest translations (2000) of the original French text.

"One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."

Ros and Chloe Schwartz's translation

This edition is the latest translation (2010) published by the Collector's Library. This is the smallest book in my collection.

"You only see clearly with your heart. The most important things are invisible to the eyes."

Sarah Ardizzone's translation

Also one of the latest translations (2010), but this one is for a graphic novel edition of the book illustrated by Joann Sfar.

"You can only see clearly with the heart. What matters is invisible to the eye."

Desiderio Ching's Filipino translation

Ang Munting Prinsipe, the Filipino edition, was published in 1991 by the Claretian Publications.

"...sa pamamagitan lamang ng puso makakakitang mabuti. Hindi kita ng mata ang pinakapuso ng mga bagay."

Now that you've read the different translations, which version do you prefer? :)

And now for the rest of the collection -

The Carousel Book edition

This is a unique book because it features 6 of the original watercolor paintings by the author in pop-up and carousel design.

Top view of the Carousel Book edition

The Little Prince Book of Fun and Adventure

I found this used book in the kiddie section of my favorite used book shop. It's filled with scribblings and drawings in crayon. I guess the kid who used to own this had so much fun with the activities in it.

The Little Prince interactive e-book

This e-book is so user-friendly! You can turn the virtual pages and listen to the story being narrated and voice-acted.

The Little Prince audiobook

This audiobook edition features the voices of Richard Gere as the narrator and Haley Joel Osment as the Little Prince. Definitely a collector's item!

The Little Prince movie musical

With Steven Warner as the Little Prince, Gene Wilder as the Fox, and Bob Fosse as the Snake, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (famous for My Fair Lady and Camelot) created the musical version of this book.

The Deluxe Pop-up Book edition

The Little Prince comes alive when you read this pop-up edition to your kids. St. Exupery's watercolor paintings are vividly crafted in each page. Richard Howard's translation was used as text in this edition.

Bookworm of Gensan loves The Hobbit (Graphic Novel)

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:27:00 +0000

Since The Hobbit is still being filmed on location now and if you're too lazy to read the book by J. R. R. Tolkien, then The Hobbit (graphic novel) illustrated by David Wenzel is for you!

The Hobbit is the prequel to The Lord of the Ring trilogy. It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a relative of Frodo Baggins, how the wizard Gandalf persuaded him to join 13 dwarfs on a quest and how the ring came into his possession.


Bilbo Baggins meets Gandalf


Bilbo matches wits with Gollum by way of riddles

Smaug, the dragon, sleeping on a heap of treasures

Bilbo, made invisible by the ring, beholds Smaug amidst the treasures

When I first read The Hobbit in college, I immediately identified with Bilbo because he was a writer and also because in the first book of the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, he celebrated his eleventy first (111th) birthday. Like Bilbo, I will be celebrating my own eleventy first birthday on 11-11-11!

Bookworm of Gensan loves A for Adobo

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:53:00 +0000

Here's a delectable and fun way to teach your kids the ABCs - A for Adobo by Nelson Agustin. Unlike other alphabet books, it presents the letters of the alphabet with delicious Pinoy dishes.

Also recommended for foodies, this book is sure to stimulate your taste buds and make you mouth water.

Would you be surprised if I told you that this book can be found in the cookbooks section? :)

Bookworm of Gensan goes Sleuthing: In Search of Libertine's Destiny

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:58:00 +0000

(Bookworm of Gensan Note: This blogpost incorporates the two blogposts previous published in Knowread-Knowrite.blogspot.com (1) (2) and Knowread-Knowrite.com (1)(2).)

I read a copy of Libertine’s Destiny in college. It was not placed in the general circulation or reserved section, but the only copy was kept under lock and key by the librarian because it was the most in-demand book at that time. The waiting list was several coupon bonds long. But since I was the most “demanding” bookworm, I arranged to borrow it after the library closed at noon Saturday and return it on the first hour of the library service Monday morning (under strict pains of eternal damnation, hah!).

It was a very fascinating read which kept me up all night until dawn of Sunday. (Keep reading, no story or plot spoilers ahead!)

The book must have impressed me so much that to this day I still remember having read it. It was not literature (I don’t remember it being in the required reading list in any of my English lit classes), but it was written a la Sidney Sheldon’s novels (you know, the ones that keep you turning pages because you want to know what happens next). It was probably the first chicklit book published in the Philippines (even before books like it was called chicklit).

And so while reading the first two chapters of Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s The Shadow of the Wind about a boy’s search for other books by an author, I suddenly recalled Libertine’s Destiny and bolted out of bed, booted my laptop, googled it and now I’m here writing this blogpost.

And just like The Shadow of Wind's boy, Daniel Sempere, I started hunting down information about Libertine’s Destiny.

The Google search results turned up inquiries about where to buy copies of it, a blog named after it, and finally gave me information from this site (obviously) a library catalog entry in a university in Cavite.

TITLE:	Libertine’s Destiny / P. Anciers.
AUTHOR:	Anciers, P.
PUBLISHED:	Manila : Zenith Books, 1967
DESCRIPTION:	vi, 450 p. ; 23 cm.
NOTES:	Originally serialized by the Weekly Women’s Magazine
SUBJECT:	Serialized fiction.
SUBJECT:	Women in literature.
SUBJECT:	Philippine fiction (English).

Further Google searches on P. Anciers and Zenith Books (Manila) turned up nada.

No entries on Amazon.com or any other book sellers online! No Wikipedia bio-entry on P. Anciers!

Is this the dead end of my search for what seemed to me is a book which first caught the interest of readers when it was serialized in Weekly Women’s Magazine, and later when published, gained a cult following among readers (mostly young women when they first read it, I guess) up to today?

Abangan . . .

UPDATES!

A teacher-friend, Imelda, recalls reading it as a weekly installment in Women's Weekly Magazine. She says it was banned because it was based on a true story.

A librarian-friend and another commenter informed me that they bought copies of the book (decades ago) at Solidaridad Book Shop owned by author F. Sionil Jose. The shop is located right across Robinsons Place Malate in Padre Faura St. As it is already out of print, maybe the Metro-Manila based readers of this blogpost can make inquiries in the said shop (opens Monday to Saturday at 9 a.m., telephone: (632) 523-0870) and request for a reprint of it.

WHERE TO GET A COPY:

As the book is already out of print, a copy of it may be available in college/university libraries near you and you may request the librarian to have it photocopied for your private/home use only.

I am sharing the information below, however because of Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights laws, let me be clear that I am not in any way connected to those offering photocopies of it for sale nor am I endorsing/encouraging you to buy them.

A commenter on my previous blogpost on this book, Ian Clarito, offers bound xerox copies of it at P290 plus shipping/handling(depends on your location). You may email him at this email address: ianclarito@yahoo.com.
Another commenter can reproduce it but it would cost P2,000.00, inclusive of shipping fee. Email address: starlightearz@gmail.com

Bookworm of Gensan recommends: Gone with the Wind (75th Anniversary) and "sequels"

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:25:00 +0000

2011 marks the 75th anniversary of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. Mitchell's first and only novel, Gone with the Wind is said to be the world's second favorite book after The Bible and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1937.

A historical romantic novel set during the Civil War, Gone with the Wind tells the story of Scarlett O'hara and Rhett Butler and how they survived the war. In the words of Mitchell, she described the novel's plot as that of survival:

If Gone With the Wind has a theme it is that of survival. What makes some people come through catastrophes and others, apparently just as able, strong, and brave, go under? It happens in every upheaval. Some people survive; others don't. What qualities are in those who fight their way through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under? I only know that survivors used to call that quality 'gumption.' So I wrote about people who had gumption and people who didn't.

Authorized sequels:

The Mitchell estate allowed two sequels: Scarlett and Rhett Butler's People.

Scarlett, by Alexandra Ripley, is about the Scarlett and Rhett after war and their love-hate relationship. It was published in 1991 and became a bestseller.

Rhett Butler's People, by Donald McCaig and published in 2007, retells the events in Gone with the Wind from the viewpoint of Rhett Butler.

Unauthorized sequels:

From Wikipedia:

In 2002, the copyright holders blocked distribution of an unauthorized sequel published in the U.S, The Winds of Tara by Katherine Pinotti, alleging copyright infringement. The story follows Scarlett as she returns to Tara where a family issue threatens Tara and the family's reputation. In it Scarlett shows just how far she will go to protect her family and her home. The book was immediately removed from bookstores by publisher Xlibris. The book sold in excess of 2,000 copies within 2 weeks before being removed. More recently, in 2008, Australian publisher Fontaine Press re-published The Winds of Tara exclusively for their domestic market, avoiding U.S. copyright restrictions.

The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall is a parody retelling the story of Gone with the Wind from the perspective of the slave characters. Attempts were made to block its publication for copyright infringement but under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, it was released in 2001 and became a bestseller.

Bookworm of Gensan collects: Harry Potter Books

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 04:13:00 +0000

The endgame is here! Harry Potter, the movie series, is at its end four years after the 7th novel (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) was published. I ordered in advance the first editions of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and lined up for them in 2005 and 2007 at the National Book Store branch in Gaisano Mall, Davao City. I have seen the 7 films based on the novels, but I'm not that eager to line up to be among the first to see the last installment. I have a boxed DVD set of the first five films and I'm definitely going to get the rest to complete the collection.

I have a clear idea of how to promote Harry Potter in the future: Read the books first!

Over the years, I have collected the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling. At first, I completely ignored Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I thought it was good for kids and teenagers. But when one of my fave authors, Stephen King, started raving about it, that certainly piqued my curiosity. It was the news that the Harry Potter was encouraging kids to read and making reading cool that made me sit up and decide to buy a copy for myself.

And so I bought the first novel in trade paperback edition and had since replaced it with a hardcover edition I bought from ebay.ph. The rest of the series I bought in hardcover editions; the last two were first editions ordered in advance. When the last two novels were released worldwide, I had to travel three hours by bus to Davao City (116 kilometers from General Santos City) at 3 a.m. and waited in line in front of the National Book Store branch in Gaisano Mall with mostly kids and teeners with their parents at 6 a.m. The noise was unbelievable when a security guard opened the doors and admitted us at 7 a.m. Our wait was rewarded with freebies like Harry Potter posters and bookmarks. The three-hour bus ride home whizzed by because by then I had already started reading the first few chapters.

Other Harry Potter-related books I collected are:

This book was mentioned in the Harry Potter as a textbook in Hogwarts. J. K. Rowling wrote this using the name of the author as specified in the novels.

Quidditch fascinated the students of Hogwarts. J. K. Rowling also wrote this using the name of the author as specified in the novels.

The latest book by J. K. Rowling which was a book of fairy tales given by Albus Dumbledore to Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows

These non-fiction books tackle all matters and sundry about the Harry Potter novels. I purposely did not collect books linking the novels to witchcraft and satanic rituals. I personally thinks such books as hogwarts, err, hogwash.

A pop-up book for kids


Definitely Hogwarts!

The latest pop-up book which is more elaborately crafted.

The dragon of Deathly Hallows

Diagon Alley with Harry and Hagrid


Hogwarts, again!


Facsimile of the admission letter to Hogwarts received by Harry.

Tri-Wizard Quidditch Tournament with guess-who in the center.

Last, but not the least, books on J. K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter and his magical wizarding world.

Bookworm of Gensan collects: 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 02:30:00 +0000

75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking by Paul Levitz is the largest and heaviest book in my collection as of today.

It has 720 pages! It is humongous at 7.2 kilos (15.9 pounds)! It is 29 cm. (11.4 inches) wide and 39.5 cm (15.6 inches tall) tall! It is 7.62 cm (3 inches) thick, although the record belongs to another big, but that's for another blogpost to tackle!

Taschen, the publisher for its large-format and heavy tomes, describes it as the crown jewel in the library of book collectors. And I agree!

This is one book I can't carry with me although it comes with a handy box. I can't read it on my lap because it's too heavy!

Its price is gargantuan too (even at half-price)! Click here to find out its price.

But it contains lots of illustrations, with each chapter marked with a glossy prismatic picture! Looking at the pictures alone will take me days! With 75 years of DC Comics history and its superheroes and characters ranging from Superman to Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, this is one book I intend to savor reading one page at a time.

It has many fold-outs reaching up to four feet!

The symbolic end page.

What lies beneath the colorful dust jacket

Bookworm of Gensan goes sleuthing: Mystery of a Long-lost Book incidentally found in a Used Book Store

noreply@blogger.com (Gilbert Yap Tan) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:22:00 +0000

As usual, I was at my favorite Used Book Store (UBS) on a Sunday morning (July 2) trawling for interesting books to read and to give as gifts. I normally apply my ukay-ukay skills in looking for books that interest me or some bookworm friends, grandkids and godchildren so usually I start at the shelves containing nonfiction books, coffee-table books, novels, children's books and end up at the magazine bins. But that Sunday morning, I started at the magazine bins and proceeded to the coffee-table books. When I pulled out Carl Sagan's Cosmos from the shelf, this is what I saw which shocked me!

The book's dust jacket with two price labels on it.

NF-S 16 code written near the spine of the book.

The first picture above shows the book's dust jacket with two UBS price labels. The picture below it shows my own version of the Dewey Decimal System of classifying the books in my library written in black marker ink near the book spine (NF-S 16)!

I immediately scanned the book for other marks I made on it.

Rubber stamp mark of my name was erased from the inside front cover.

The title page of the book with the rubber stamp mark of my name was torn out.

Rubber stamp mark of my name on page 11.

The rubber stamp mark of my name was carefully cut from page 111.

While taking a few moments to take shots of the book with my cellphone camera, only one thought swirled in my mind: How the hell did my long-lost book end up here in UBS?

Summoning up from my memory the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys which I read as a child and teenager, I resolved to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Back at home, I took out the binder which contains the catalog of books I have in my library. This is what I found in the catalog:

I wrote ? and a check mark after the book title which meant somebody borrowed it, but I couldn't, at that time, recall who it was. I remember though having read it in the early 1990s when I transferred to my present residence and someone borrowed it not long afterwards. That was almost twenty years ago! It was time for some detective work! Let's go, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Nancy Drew, and Joe and Frank Hardy!

As far as I can remember, only two friends used to borrow hard-cover, coffee-table and pocketbooks from me and were delinquent in returning them: Delinquent Young Borrower (DYB) and Delinquent Old Borrower (DOB). DYB is a graduate of the university I work for while DOB is a local writer. Both of them were interested in astronomy, the unknown, UFOs.

My primary suspect was DYB. He used to travel from Davao City and Metro Manila and vice-versa. It could be that he went through hard times and had to sell my books to UBS branches found in Davao City and Metro Manila. But wait! I know for a fact that UBS has a centralized buying system which sources used books from the USA. So it couldn't be DYB. Hmmmm . . .

On the other hand, I always meet DOB at UBS where I would drop hints about his returning my books (to no avail). At the time he borrowed books from me, he told me he needed them to write his book about extraterrestrials landing in Mindanao (this book was finally published last summer).

So I went back to UBS on July 5 to talk to the branch cashier who was on her day-off that Sunday. I took out Carl Sagan's Cosmos from the shelf and showed her the proofs that I own the book.

I told her I had two suspects, but since she didn't know DYB personally, I only mentioned DOB's name. She looked at the book's dust jacket and the price labels. She said one of the labels indicates that the book was shipped to UBS just last month. She told me she remembers DOB buying it and returning it soon after because he already had a copy of it.

Together, we pieced the mystery of the long-lost book and answered the question How the hell did my long-lost book end up here in UBS?:

DOB still has the copy of my book which he borrowed almost twenty years ago. He wants to get rid of it. So when he saw the used copy on sale at UBS, he saw the opportunity to do so.

He bought the book and once back at his house, removed the dust jacket and switched the UBS copy with my book. He took pains to remove signs of my ownership on it (some, but not all) and returned it (my book) covered in the dust jacket of the UBS copy several days later. Sitting on his bookshelf at home now is his copy Carl Sagan's Cosmos.

What he didn't count on was that with my ukay-ukay skills (plus some detective work), I would eventually discover the switching he did.

Mystery of a long-lost book incidentally found in a Used Book Store: SOLVED!

As to what motivated DOB to do the dirty deed of switching my book with what he bought at UBS instead of returning it to its rightful owner (me!) deserves another blogpost. :)