Michael A. Arnzen is a horror author and writer of the Bram Stoker Award-winning novel, Grave Markings (Dell Books). He won his second Bram Stoker Award for his newsletter (The Goreletter) and his third for his poetry collection, Freakcidents.
Arnzen was born in Amityville, New York. After a brief stint in the US Army overseas, where he began writing horror stories to entertain his fellow soldiers, he moved to Colorado, where he launched his career in publishing to much success. By the mid-nineties he received the coveted Bram Stoker Award -- the highest accolade in the horror genre. Shortly thereafter, he went on to earn a Master's degree while working on his second novel, soon followed by his Ph.D. in English at the University of Oregon, where he studied the role of horror and nostalgia in 20th century culture in a dissertation called The Popular Uncanny.
100 Jolts (Raw Dog Screaming Press) features 100 of his very best flash fiction stories. His short story collection, Fluid Mosaic (Wildside Press) collects his best stories from the 1990s. His poetry chapbooks include Freakcidents, Gorelets: Unpleasant Poetry, Dying (With No Apologies to Martha Stewart), Paratabloids, Chew, Sportuary and Writhing in Darkness. His most recent published work is Play Dead, a crime thriller with a poker theme.
Duke of Buckingham
The titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.
In 1784, George Nugent Temple Grenville, 3rd Earl Temple, a son of Prime Minister George Grenville, was created Marquess of Buckingham in the peerage of Great Britain. He served as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, among other offices. His son, Richard Nugent Temple Grenville was created Duke of Buckingham and Chandos in 1822. For more information on these titles, see the Viscount Cobham.
The title of Duke of Buckingham and Normanby was created in 1703 for John Sheffield, Marquess of Normanby, a notable Tory politician of the late Stuart period, who served under Queen Anne as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council. For more information on this title, see the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby.
In 1784, George Nugent Temple Grenville, 3rd Earl Temple, a son of Prime Minister George Grenville, was created Marquess of Buckingham in the peerage of Great Britain. He served as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, among other offices. His son, Richard Nugent Temple Grenville was created Duke of Buckingham and Chandos in 1822. For more information on these titles, see the Viscount Cobham.
The title of Duke of Buckingham and Normanby was created in 1703 for John Sheffield, Marquess of Normanby, a notable Tory politician of the late Stuart period, who served under Queen Anne as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council. For more information on this title, see the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby.
Danielle Steel
Danielle Fernande Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born on August 14, 1947 in New York City, New York) is an American romantic novelist and author of mainstream dramas.
Best known for her mainstream drama novels, Danielle Steel has sold more than 550 million copies of her books (as of 2005). Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 390 consecutive weeks and 22 have been adapted for television.
Danielle Steel lives in San Francisco, but also maintains a residence in France where she spends several months of each year and a beach house in La Californie near St. Tropez. Despite her public image and varied pursuits, Steel is known to be shy and because of that and her desire to protect her children from the tabloids, she rarely grants interviews or public appearances. Her San Francisco home was built in 1913 as the mansion of sugar tycoon Adolph B. Spreckels.
Best known for her mainstream drama novels, Danielle Steel has sold more than 550 million copies of her books (as of 2005). Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 390 consecutive weeks and 22 have been adapted for television.
Danielle Steel lives in San Francisco, but also maintains a residence in France where she spends several months of each year and a beach house in La Californie near St. Tropez. Despite her public image and varied pursuits, Steel is known to be shy and because of that and her desire to protect her children from the tabloids, she rarely grants interviews or public appearances. Her San Francisco home was built in 1913 as the mansion of sugar tycoon Adolph B. Spreckels.
Christine Feehan
Christine Feehan (b. Christine King in California, USA) is an American romance-paranormal writer. She has published more than 26 novels, including five series, and numerous novellas since 1999.
The Dark Series introduces the Carpathians, a powerful and ancient race. They have many gifts, including the ability to shape-shift, and extended life spans, living over 1000 years. Though they feed on human blood, they don't kill their human prey, and for the most part live among humans without detection. Despite their gifts, the Carpathians are on the edge of extinction. There have been few children born to them in the past few centuries, and those that have been born are all male and often die in the first year. It has been more than 500 years since a female has been born. In the absence of their female counterparts, also known as "lifemates", male Carpathians lose the ability to feel emotions and to see in color. The only feeling left to them is the thrill of making a kill. Once a male has done this, he loses his soul and "turns", becoming the monster of human legend, the vampire or the "undead". With so few females left, males are forced to make a stark choice: either become vampire or "greet the dawn" (i.e. commit suicide).
The Dark Series introduces the Carpathians, a powerful and ancient race. They have many gifts, including the ability to shape-shift, and extended life spans, living over 1000 years. Though they feed on human blood, they don't kill their human prey, and for the most part live among humans without detection. Despite their gifts, the Carpathians are on the edge of extinction. There have been few children born to them in the past few centuries, and those that have been born are all male and often die in the first year. It has been more than 500 years since a female has been born. In the absence of their female counterparts, also known as "lifemates", male Carpathians lose the ability to feel emotions and to see in color. The only feeling left to them is the thrill of making a kill. Once a male has done this, he loses his soul and "turns", becoming the monster of human legend, the vampire or the "undead". With so few females left, males are forced to make a stark choice: either become vampire or "greet the dawn" (i.e. commit suicide).
Simon Rose
Simon Rose (born February 23, 1961 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England) is a Canadian author of science fiction and fantasy novels for children. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
His first novel for young readers, The Alchemist's Portrait, published in 2003, was nominated for the Golden Eagle Award.[citation needed] The Sorcerer's Letterbox, published in 2004, was also nominated for the Golden Eagle Award, along with the Silver Birch Award and Diamond Willow Award.[citation needed] His other novels are The Clone Conspiracy (2005), The Emerald Curse (2006) and The Heretic's Tomb (2007). A sixth novel, The Doomsday Mask, will be published in 2009. He is also a contributing author to The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, Volume One, published in 2007 and has published articles in newsletters, magazines and online.
Simon Rose offers a wide variety of presentations, workshops and author in residence programs for schools and libraries and is an Instructor with the National Writing for Children Center. He also performs editing and manuscript evaluation services for writers and offers freelance writing for the business community.
His first novel for young readers, The Alchemist's Portrait, published in 2003, was nominated for the Golden Eagle Award.[citation needed] The Sorcerer's Letterbox, published in 2004, was also nominated for the Golden Eagle Award, along with the Silver Birch Award and Diamond Willow Award.[citation needed] His other novels are The Clone Conspiracy (2005), The Emerald Curse (2006) and The Heretic's Tomb (2007). A sixth novel, The Doomsday Mask, will be published in 2009. He is also a contributing author to The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, Volume One, published in 2007 and has published articles in newsletters, magazines and online.
Simon Rose offers a wide variety of presentations, workshops and author in residence programs for schools and libraries and is an Instructor with the National Writing for Children Center. He also performs editing and manuscript evaluation services for writers and offers freelance writing for the business community.
Susan Cooper
Susan Mary Cooper (born 23 May 1935) is a British author best known for The Dark Is Rising, an award-winning five-volume fantasy saga set in and around England and Wales. The books incorporate traditional British mythology (Arthurian and folkloric elements) with original material (e.g. "the Old Ones"). She has written works for children, adolescents and adults.
Susan Cooper is also a board member of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, a not-for-profit organization in the U.S. that actively advocates for literacy, literature, and libraries.
Born in 1935, in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, Susan Cooper lived in Buckinghamshire until she was 21, when her parents moved to her grandmother's village of Aberdovey, Wales. She attended Slough High School and then earned a degree in English from the University of Oxford.
Susan Cooper is also a board member of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, a not-for-profit organization in the U.S. that actively advocates for literacy, literature, and libraries.
Born in 1935, in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, Susan Cooper lived in Buckinghamshire until she was 21, when her parents moved to her grandmother's village of Aberdovey, Wales. She attended Slough High School and then earned a degree in English from the University of Oxford.
Jack Higgins
Jack Higgins (b. July 27, 1929) is the principal pseudonym of UK novelist Harry Patterson. Higgins is the author of more than sixty novels. Most have been thrillers of various types and, since his breakthrough novel The Eagle Has Landed in 1975, nearly all have been bestsellers. The Eagle Has Landed sold tens of millions of copies worldwide.
Patterson's early novels, written under his own name as well as under the pseudonyms James Graham, Martin Fallon, and Hugh Marlowe, are brisk, competent, but essentially forgettable thrillers that typically feature hardened, cynical heroes, ruthless villains, and dangerous locales. Patterson published thirty-five such novels (sometimes three or four a year) between 1959 and 1974, learning his craft). East of Desolation (1968), A Game for Heroes (1970) and The Savage Day (1972) stand out among his early work for their vividly drawn settings (Greenland, the Channel Islands, and Belfast, respectively) and offbeat plots.
Patterson began using the pseudonym "Jack Higgins" in the late 1960s, but it was the publication of The Eagle Has Landed in 1975 that made "Higgins'" reputation. The Eagle Has Landed represented a step forward in the length and depth of Patterson's work. Its plot (concerned with a German commando unit sent into England to kidnap Winston Churchill) was fresh and innovative (although the plot is clearly reminiscent of Alberto Cavalcanti's wartime film "Went the Day Well?"), and the characters had significantly more depth than in his earlier work. One in particular stood out: Irish gunman, poet, and philosopher Liam Devlin. Higgins followed The Eagle Has Landed with a series of equally ambitious thrillers, including several (Touch the Devil, Confessional, The Eagle Has Flown) featuring return appearances by Devlin.
The third phase of Patterson's career began with the publication of Eye of the Storm in 1992, a fictionalized retelling of an unsuccessful mortar attack on Prime Minister John Major by a ruthless young Irish gunman-philosopher named Sean Dillon, hired by an Iraqi millionaire. Cast as the central character over the next series of novels it is apparent that Dillon is in many ways an amalgamation of Patterson's previous heroes - Chavasse with his flair for languages, Nick Miller's familiarity with martial arts and jazz keyboard skills, Simon Vaughn's Irish roots, facility with firearms and the cynicism that comes with assuming the responsibility of administering a justice unavailable through a civilized legal system.
Patterson's early novels, written under his own name as well as under the pseudonyms James Graham, Martin Fallon, and Hugh Marlowe, are brisk, competent, but essentially forgettable thrillers that typically feature hardened, cynical heroes, ruthless villains, and dangerous locales. Patterson published thirty-five such novels (sometimes three or four a year) between 1959 and 1974, learning his craft). East of Desolation (1968), A Game for Heroes (1970) and The Savage Day (1972) stand out among his early work for their vividly drawn settings (Greenland, the Channel Islands, and Belfast, respectively) and offbeat plots.
Patterson began using the pseudonym "Jack Higgins" in the late 1960s, but it was the publication of The Eagle Has Landed in 1975 that made "Higgins'" reputation. The Eagle Has Landed represented a step forward in the length and depth of Patterson's work. Its plot (concerned with a German commando unit sent into England to kidnap Winston Churchill) was fresh and innovative (although the plot is clearly reminiscent of Alberto Cavalcanti's wartime film "Went the Day Well?"), and the characters had significantly more depth than in his earlier work. One in particular stood out: Irish gunman, poet, and philosopher Liam Devlin. Higgins followed The Eagle Has Landed with a series of equally ambitious thrillers, including several (Touch the Devil, Confessional, The Eagle Has Flown) featuring return appearances by Devlin.
The third phase of Patterson's career began with the publication of Eye of the Storm in 1992, a fictionalized retelling of an unsuccessful mortar attack on Prime Minister John Major by a ruthless young Irish gunman-philosopher named Sean Dillon, hired by an Iraqi millionaire. Cast as the central character over the next series of novels it is apparent that Dillon is in many ways an amalgamation of Patterson's previous heroes - Chavasse with his flair for languages, Nick Miller's familiarity with martial arts and jazz keyboard skills, Simon Vaughn's Irish roots, facility with firearms and the cynicism that comes with assuming the responsibility of administering a justice unavailable through a civilized legal system.
Enid Blyton
Enid Mary Blyton (August 11, 1897 – November 28, 1968) was a British children's writer. She was one of the most successful children's storytellers of the twentieth century. Once described as a "one-woman fiction machine", she is noted for numerous series of books based on recurring characters and designed for different age groups. Her books have enjoyed popular success in many parts of the world, and have sold over 400 million copies. By one measure, Blyton is the sixth most popular author worldwide: over 3400 translations of her books are available in 2007 according to UNESCO's Index Translationum; she is behind Lenin and almost equal to Shakespeare. One of her most widely known characters is Noddy, intended for beginning readers. However, her main forte is the young readers' novels, where children ride out their own adventures with minimal adult help. In this genre, particularly popular series include the Famous Five (consisting of 21 novels, 1942 – 1963, based on four children and their dog), the Five Find-Outers and Dog, (15 novels, 1943-1961, where five children regularly outwit the local police) as well as the Secret Seven (15 novels, 1949 – 1963, a society of seven children who solve various mysteries). Her work involves children's adventure stories, and fantasy, sometimes involving magic. Her books were and still are enormously popular in Britain, Malta, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Australia, and as translations, in the former Yugoslavia, Japan, and across most of the globe. Her work has been translated into nearly 90 languages.
Clive Barker
Clive Barker (born 5 October 1952) is an English author, film director and visual artist.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 - 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1986). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories. His most recent novel (2007) is Mister B. Gone.
Barker's distinctive style is characterized by the notion of hidden fantastical worlds coexisting with our own, the role of sexuality in the supernatural and the construction of coherent, complex and detailed universes. Barker has referred to this style as "dark fantasy" or the "fantastique". His stories are notable for a deliberate blurring of the distinction between binary opposites such as hell and heaven, or pleasure and pain (the latter particularly so in 'The Hellbound Heart').
When the Books of Blood were first published in the United States in paperback, Stephen King was quoted on the book covers: "I have seen the future of horror, his name is Clive Barker."[citation needed] A critical analysis of Barker's work appears in S. T. Joshi's The Modern Weird Tale. (2001)
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid (written first by James Robinson, then by future Matrix co-creator Larry Wachowski, with art by Steve Skroce), Hokum & Hex (written by Frank Lovece, art by Anthony Williams), Hyperkind (written by Fred Burke, art by Paris Cullins and Bob Petrecca) and Saint Sinner (written by Elaine Lee, art by Max Douglas). A 2002 Barker telefilm titled Saint Sinner bore no relation to the comic.
Barker horror adaptations and spin-offs in comics include the Marvel/Epic series Hellraiser, Nightbreed, Pinhead, The Harrowers, Book of the Damned and Jihad; Eclipse Books' series and graphic novels Tapping The Vein, Dread, Son of Celluloid, Revelations The Life of Death, Rawhead Rex and The Yattering and Jack, and Dark Horse Comics' Primal, among others. In addition, Clive Barker also served as a consultant and wrote issues of the Hellraiser anthology comic book.
In 2005, IDW published a three-issue adaptation of Barker's children's fantasy novel The Thief of Always, written and painted by Kris Oprisko and Gabriel Hernandez. IDW is also currently publishing a 12 issue adaptation of Barker's novel The Great and Secret Show.
In December 2007, Chris Ryall and Clive Barker announced an upcoming collaboration of an original comic book series, Torakator, to be published by IDW.
Barker is one of the leading authors of contemporary horror/fantasy, writing in the horror genre early in his career, mostly in the form of short stories (collected in Books of Blood 1 - 6), and the Faustian novel The Damnation Game (1986). Later he moved towards modern-day fantasy and urban fantasy with horror elements in Weaveworld (1987), The Great and Secret Show (1989), the world-spanning Imajica (1991) and Sacrament (1996), bringing in the deeper, richer concepts of reality, the nature of the mind and dreams, and the power of words and memories. His most recent novel (2007) is Mister B. Gone.
Barker's distinctive style is characterized by the notion of hidden fantastical worlds coexisting with our own, the role of sexuality in the supernatural and the construction of coherent, complex and detailed universes. Barker has referred to this style as "dark fantasy" or the "fantastique". His stories are notable for a deliberate blurring of the distinction between binary opposites such as hell and heaven, or pleasure and pain (the latter particularly so in 'The Hellbound Heart').
When the Books of Blood were first published in the United States in paperback, Stephen King was quoted on the book covers: "I have seen the future of horror, his name is Clive Barker."[citation needed] A critical analysis of Barker's work appears in S. T. Joshi's The Modern Weird Tale. (2001)
A longtime comics fan, Barker achieved his dream of publishing his own superhero books when Marvel Comics launched the Razorline imprint in 1993. Based on detailed premises, titles and lead characters he created specifically for this, the four interrelated titles — set outside the Marvel universe — were Ectokid (written first by James Robinson, then by future Matrix co-creator Larry Wachowski, with art by Steve Skroce), Hokum & Hex (written by Frank Lovece, art by Anthony Williams), Hyperkind (written by Fred Burke, art by Paris Cullins and Bob Petrecca) and Saint Sinner (written by Elaine Lee, art by Max Douglas). A 2002 Barker telefilm titled Saint Sinner bore no relation to the comic.
Barker horror adaptations and spin-offs in comics include the Marvel/Epic series Hellraiser, Nightbreed, Pinhead, The Harrowers, Book of the Damned and Jihad; Eclipse Books' series and graphic novels Tapping The Vein, Dread, Son of Celluloid, Revelations The Life of Death, Rawhead Rex and The Yattering and Jack, and Dark Horse Comics' Primal, among others. In addition, Clive Barker also served as a consultant and wrote issues of the Hellraiser anthology comic book.
In 2005, IDW published a three-issue adaptation of Barker's children's fantasy novel The Thief of Always, written and painted by Kris Oprisko and Gabriel Hernandez. IDW is also currently publishing a 12 issue adaptation of Barker's novel The Great and Secret Show.
In December 2007, Chris Ryall and Clive Barker announced an upcoming collaboration of an original comic book series, Torakator, to be published by IDW.
James Patterson
James B. Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an award-winning American author.
Patterson received his bachelor's degree from Manhattan College, and his Masters degree at Vanderbilt University.
He lives in Palm Beach, Florida with his wife, Susan, and son, Jack.
James Patterson is an award-winning American author. Formerly the chairman of advertising company J. W. Thompson in the early 1990s, Patterson came up with the slogan "Toys R Us Kid." Shortly after his success with Along Came A Spider, he retired from the firm and devoted his time to writing. The novels—featuring his character, Alex Cross, a black forensic psychologist formerly of the Washington, D.C. Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, now working as a private psychologist and government consultant—are the most popular books among Patterson readers and the top selling US Detective series in the past ten years.
In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover novels sold was a James Patterson title – totaling an estimated 16 million books sold last year in North America alone. In total, Patterson’s books have sold an estimated 150 million copies worldwide. He has won awards including the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, and the International Thriller of the Year award. James Patterson was called "the man who can’t miss" in Time magazine. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children’s bestsellers lists, and to have two books on NovelTracker’s top-ten list at the same time. He holds the New York Times bestsellers list record with 39 New York Times bestselling titles overall. He even made an appearance on the Fox TV show The Simpsons (in the episode "Yokel Chords") as himself.
Patterson is also well known for sharing the spotlight with different co-authors such as Maxine Paetro and Andrew Gross and has often said that collaborating with others brings new and interesting ideas to his stories.
He also founded the James Patterson PageTurner Awards, now in its third year. Patterson has personally given away over $600,000 to reward “people, companies, schools, and other institutions who find original and effective ways to spread the excitement of books and reading.”
Patterson’s bestselling Women’s Murder Club series was adapted for a television series show starring former Law & Order star Angie Harmon. The show premiered in the fall of 2007 on ABC and ran for one season. Other movie deals are currently in the works with various Hollywood studios including a major motion picture based on his Maximum Ride series, to be produced by Avi Arad, the producer of the X-Men and Spiderman film series. Most recently, the forthcoming Dangerous Days of Daniel X has been optioned by New Regency.
Patterson received his bachelor's degree from Manhattan College, and his Masters degree at Vanderbilt University.
He lives in Palm Beach, Florida with his wife, Susan, and son, Jack.
James Patterson is an award-winning American author. Formerly the chairman of advertising company J. W. Thompson in the early 1990s, Patterson came up with the slogan "Toys R Us Kid." Shortly after his success with Along Came A Spider, he retired from the firm and devoted his time to writing. The novels—featuring his character, Alex Cross, a black forensic psychologist formerly of the Washington, D.C. Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, now working as a private psychologist and government consultant—are the most popular books among Patterson readers and the top selling US Detective series in the past ten years.
In 2007, one of every fifteen hardcover novels sold was a James Patterson title – totaling an estimated 16 million books sold last year in North America alone. In total, Patterson’s books have sold an estimated 150 million copies worldwide. He has won awards including the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, and the International Thriller of the Year award. James Patterson was called "the man who can’t miss" in Time magazine. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children’s bestsellers lists, and to have two books on NovelTracker’s top-ten list at the same time. He holds the New York Times bestsellers list record with 39 New York Times bestselling titles overall. He even made an appearance on the Fox TV show The Simpsons (in the episode "Yokel Chords") as himself.
Patterson is also well known for sharing the spotlight with different co-authors such as Maxine Paetro and Andrew Gross and has often said that collaborating with others brings new and interesting ideas to his stories.
He also founded the James Patterson PageTurner Awards, now in its third year. Patterson has personally given away over $600,000 to reward “people, companies, schools, and other institutions who find original and effective ways to spread the excitement of books and reading.”
Patterson’s bestselling Women’s Murder Club series was adapted for a television series show starring former Law & Order star Angie Harmon. The show premiered in the fall of 2007 on ABC and ran for one season. Other movie deals are currently in the works with various Hollywood studios including a major motion picture based on his Maximum Ride series, to be produced by Avi Arad, the producer of the X-Men and Spiderman film series. Most recently, the forthcoming Dangerous Days of Daniel X has been optioned by New Regency.
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen (pronounced [ˈhanˀs ˈkʰʁæʂd̥jan ˈɑnɐsn̩] in Danish, or simply H. C. Andersen [hɔse ˈɑnɐsn̩]; (April 2, 1805 – August 4, 1875) was a Danish author and poet, most famous for his fairy tales. Among his best-known stories are The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling and The Red Shoes. During Andersen's lifetime he was feted by royalty and acclaimed for having brought joy to children across Europe. His fairy tales have been translated into over 150 languages and continue to be published in millions of copies all over the world and inspired many other works.
In the English-speaking world, stories such as "Thumbelina", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes", and "The Princess and the Pea" remain popular and are widely read. "The emperor's new clothes" and "ugly duckling" have both passed into the English language as well-known expressions.
In the Copenhagen harbor there is a statue of The Little Mermaid, placed in honour of Hans Christian Andersen. 2 April, Andersen's birthday, is celebrated as International Children's Book Day.
The year 2005 was the bicentenary of Andersen's birth and his life and work was celebrated around the world. In Denmark, particularly, the nation's most famous son has been feted like no other literary figure.
In the city of Lublin, Poland is the Puppet Theatre of Hans Christian Andersen.
A $12.5 million theme park based on Andersen's tales and life opened in Shanghai at the end of 2006. Multi-media games as well as all kinds of cultural contests related to the fairytales are available to visitors. He was chosen as the star of the park because he is a "nice, hardworking person who was not afraid of poverty", Shanghai Gujin Investment general manager Zhai Shiqiang was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.
In the English-speaking world, stories such as "Thumbelina", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes", and "The Princess and the Pea" remain popular and are widely read. "The emperor's new clothes" and "ugly duckling" have both passed into the English language as well-known expressions.
In the Copenhagen harbor there is a statue of The Little Mermaid, placed in honour of Hans Christian Andersen. 2 April, Andersen's birthday, is celebrated as International Children's Book Day.
The year 2005 was the bicentenary of Andersen's birth and his life and work was celebrated around the world. In Denmark, particularly, the nation's most famous son has been feted like no other literary figure.
In the city of Lublin, Poland is the Puppet Theatre of Hans Christian Andersen.
A $12.5 million theme park based on Andersen's tales and life opened in Shanghai at the end of 2006. Multi-media games as well as all kinds of cultural contests related to the fairytales are available to visitors. He was chosen as the star of the park because he is a "nice, hardworking person who was not afraid of poverty", Shanghai Gujin Investment general manager Zhai Shiqiang was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples "Jack" Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963), commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis, was an Irish writer and scholar. Lewis's works are diverse and include medieval literature, Christian apologetics, literary criticism, radio broadcasts, essays on Christianity, and fiction relating to the fight between good and evil. Examples of Lewis's allegorical fiction include The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Space Trilogy.
Lewis was a close friend of J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings. Both authors were leading figures in the English faculty at Oxford University and in the informal Oxford literary group known as the "Inklings". According to his memoir Surprised by Joy, Lewis had been baptised in the Church of Ireland at birth, but fell away from his faith during his adolescence. Owing to the influence of Tolkien and other friends, at about the age of 30, Lewis re-converted to Christianity, becoming "a very ordinary layman of the Church of England" (Lewis 1952, p. 6). His conversion had a profound effect on his work, and his wartime radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim. Later in his life he married the American writer Joy Gresham, who died of bone cancer four years later at the age of 45.
Lewis's works have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies over the years. The books that comprise The Chronicles of Narnia have sold the most and have been popularised on stage, in TV, and in cinema. For example, the 1988 BBC TV serialisation and the 2005 film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the 2008 film adaptation of Prince Caspian.
In addition to his scholarly work, Lewis wrote a number of popular novels, including his science fiction Space Trilogy and his fantasy Narnian books, most dealing implicitly with Christian themes such as sin, humanity's fall from grace, and redemption.
Lewis was a close friend of J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings. Both authors were leading figures in the English faculty at Oxford University and in the informal Oxford literary group known as the "Inklings". According to his memoir Surprised by Joy, Lewis had been baptised in the Church of Ireland at birth, but fell away from his faith during his adolescence. Owing to the influence of Tolkien and other friends, at about the age of 30, Lewis re-converted to Christianity, becoming "a very ordinary layman of the Church of England" (Lewis 1952, p. 6). His conversion had a profound effect on his work, and his wartime radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim. Later in his life he married the American writer Joy Gresham, who died of bone cancer four years later at the age of 45.
Lewis's works have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies over the years. The books that comprise The Chronicles of Narnia have sold the most and have been popularised on stage, in TV, and in cinema. For example, the 1988 BBC TV serialisation and the 2005 film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the 2008 film adaptation of Prince Caspian.
In addition to his scholarly work, Lewis wrote a number of popular novels, including his science fiction Space Trilogy and his fantasy Narnian books, most dealing implicitly with Christian themes such as sin, humanity's fall from grace, and redemption.
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author, screenwriter, musician, columnist, actor, film producer and director. Having sold over 350 million copies of his books, King is best known for his work in horror fiction, in which he demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the genre's history. He has also written science fiction, fantasy, short-fiction, non-fiction, screenplays, teleplays and stageplays. Many of his stories have been adapted for other media, including movies, television series and comic books. King has written a number of books using the pen name Richard Bachman and one short story where he was credited as John Swithen. In 2003 he received The National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
On Mother's Day, 1973, King's novel Carrie was accepted by publishing house Doubleday. King has written how he became so discouraged when trying to develop the idea of a girl with psychic powers into a novel that he threw an early draft in the trash, but his wife, Tabitha, rescued it and encouraged him to finish it. He received a $2,500 advance (not large for a novel, even at that time) but the paperback rights eventually earned $400,000, with half going to the publisher. King and his family relocated to Southern Maine because of his mother's failing health. At this time he began writing a book titled Second Coming, later titled Jerusalem's Lot, before finally changing the title to 'Salem's Lot (published 1975). Soon after the release of Carrie in 1974, his mother died of uterine cancer. His Aunt Emrine read the novel to her before she died. King has written of his severe drinking problem at this time, stating that he was drunk while delivering the eulogy at his mother's funeral.
Despite the loss of his mother and his dependency problems, this was an exciting time for King. After his mother's death, King and his family moved to Boulder, Colorado, where King wrote The Shining (published 1977). The family returned to Western Maine in 1975, where King completed his fourth novel, The Stand (published 1978). In 1977 the family traveled briefly to England, returning to Maine that fall where King began teaching creative writing at the University of Maine. King has kept his primary residence in Maine ever since.
On Mother's Day, 1973, King's novel Carrie was accepted by publishing house Doubleday. King has written how he became so discouraged when trying to develop the idea of a girl with psychic powers into a novel that he threw an early draft in the trash, but his wife, Tabitha, rescued it and encouraged him to finish it. He received a $2,500 advance (not large for a novel, even at that time) but the paperback rights eventually earned $400,000, with half going to the publisher. King and his family relocated to Southern Maine because of his mother's failing health. At this time he began writing a book titled Second Coming, later titled Jerusalem's Lot, before finally changing the title to 'Salem's Lot (published 1975). Soon after the release of Carrie in 1974, his mother died of uterine cancer. His Aunt Emrine read the novel to her before she died. King has written of his severe drinking problem at this time, stating that he was drunk while delivering the eulogy at his mother's funeral.
Despite the loss of his mother and his dependency problems, this was an exciting time for King. After his mother's death, King and his family moved to Boulder, Colorado, where King wrote The Shining (published 1977). The family returned to Western Maine in 1975, where King completed his fourth novel, The Stand (published 1978). In 1977 the family traveled briefly to England, returning to Maine that fall where King began teaching creative writing at the University of Maine. King has kept his primary residence in Maine ever since.
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris) is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. A prominent figure of 20th century popular music, Wonder has recorded more than thirty top ten hits, won 26 Grammy Awards (a record for a solo artist), plus one for lifetime achievement, won an Academy Award for Best Song and been inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Songwriters halls of fame. He has also been awarded the Polar Music Prize.
Blind from infancy, Wonder signed with Motown Records as a pre-adolescent at age twelve, and continues to perform and record for the label to this day. He has nine U.S. number-one hits to his name and album sales totaling more than 150 million units. Wonder has recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and writes and produces songs for many of his label mates and outside artists as well. Wonder plays the piano, synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums, bongos, organ, melodica, and clavinet. In his early career, he was best known for his harmonica work, but today he is better known for his keyboard skills and vocals.
Wonder has seven children from several relationships and two marriages: in 1970, to Motown singer Syreeta Wright (the marriage ended in divorce in 1972) and, since 2001, to fashion designer Kai Milla Morris.
His daughter, Aisha Morris, was the inspiration for his hit single "Isn't She Lovely." Aisha Morris is a singer who has toured with her father and accompanied him on recordings, including his 2005 album, A Time 2 Love. Wonder has two sons with Kai Milla Morris; the older is named Kailand and he occasionally performs as a drummer on stage with his father. The younger son, Mandla Kadjay Carl Steveland Morris, was born May 13, 2005, his father's 55th birthday.
Wonder is an activist for civil rights and has endorsed presumptive 2008 United States Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Blind from infancy, Wonder signed with Motown Records as a pre-adolescent at age twelve, and continues to perform and record for the label to this day. He has nine U.S. number-one hits to his name and album sales totaling more than 150 million units. Wonder has recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and writes and produces songs for many of his label mates and outside artists as well. Wonder plays the piano, synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums, bongos, organ, melodica, and clavinet. In his early career, he was best known for his harmonica work, but today he is better known for his keyboard skills and vocals.
Wonder has seven children from several relationships and two marriages: in 1970, to Motown singer Syreeta Wright (the marriage ended in divorce in 1972) and, since 2001, to fashion designer Kai Milla Morris.
His daughter, Aisha Morris, was the inspiration for his hit single "Isn't She Lovely." Aisha Morris is a singer who has toured with her father and accompanied him on recordings, including his 2005 album, A Time 2 Love. Wonder has two sons with Kai Milla Morris; the older is named Kailand and he occasionally performs as a drummer on stage with his father. The younger son, Mandla Kadjay Carl Steveland Morris, was born May 13, 2005, his father's 55th birthday.
Wonder is an activist for civil rights and has endorsed presumptive 2008 United States Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel (pronounced /ˈsɔɪs ˈɡaɪzəl/; March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American writer and cartoonist, better known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss (often pronounced /ˈsuːs/, but he himself said /ˈsɔɪs/). He published over 60 children's books, which were often characterized by his imaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use of trisyllabic meter. His most notable books include the bestselling classics Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. His work has been adapted numerous times, including eleven television specials, three feature films, and a Broadway Musical.
Geisel also worked as an illustrator for advertising campaigns, most notably for Flit and Standard Oil, and as a political cartoonist for PM, a New York magazine. During World War II, he joined the Army to work in an animation department of the Air Force, where he wrote Design for Death, a film that later won the 1947 Academy Award for Documentary Feature.
Geisel also worked as an illustrator for advertising campaigns, most notably for Flit and Standard Oil, and as a political cartoonist for PM, a New York magazine. During World War II, he joined the Army to work in an animation department of the Air Force, where he wrote Design for Death, a film that later won the 1947 Academy Award for Documentary Feature.
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller, Lady Mallowan, DBE (15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976), commonly known as Agatha Christie, was an English crime writer of novels, short stories and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but is best remembered for her 80 detective novels and her successful West End theatre plays. Her works, particularly featuring detectives Hercule Poirot or Miss Jane Marple, have given her the title the 'Queen of Crime' and made her one of the most important and innovative writers in the development of the genre.
Christie has been called — by the Guinness Book of World Records, among others — the best-selling writer of books of all time and the best-selling writer of any kind, along with William Shakespeare. Only the Bible is known to have outsold her collected sales of roughly four billion copies of novels. UNESCO states that she is currently the most translated individual author in the world with only the collective corporate works of Walt Disney Productions surpassing her.
Her stage play, The Mousetrap, holds the record for the longest initial run in the world, opening at the Ambassadors Theatre in London on 25 November 1952, and as of 2008 is still running after more than 23,000 performances. In 1955, Christie was the first recipient of the Mystery Writers of America's highest honor, the Grand Master Award, and in the same year, Witness for the Prosecution was given an Edgar Award by the MWA, for Best Play. Most of her books and short stories have been filmed, some many times over (Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and 4.50 From Paddington for instance), and many have been adapted for television, radio, video games and comics.
Christie has been called — by the Guinness Book of World Records, among others — the best-selling writer of books of all time and the best-selling writer of any kind, along with William Shakespeare. Only the Bible is known to have outsold her collected sales of roughly four billion copies of novels. UNESCO states that she is currently the most translated individual author in the world with only the collective corporate works of Walt Disney Productions surpassing her.
Her stage play, The Mousetrap, holds the record for the longest initial run in the world, opening at the Ambassadors Theatre in London on 25 November 1952, and as of 2008 is still running after more than 23,000 performances. In 1955, Christie was the first recipient of the Mystery Writers of America's highest honor, the Grand Master Award, and in the same year, Witness for the Prosecution was given an Edgar Award by the MWA, for Best Play. Most of her books and short stories have been filmed, some many times over (Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and 4.50 From Paddington for instance), and many have been adapted for television, radio, video games and comics.
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965), who writes under the pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British writer and author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, the idea for which was conceived whilst on a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990. The Potter books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold nearly 400 million copies.
Aside from writing the Potter novels, Rowling is equally famous for her "rags to riches" life story, in which she progressed from living on welfare to multi-millionaire status within five years. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £560 million ($1.1 billion), ranking her as the 12th richest woman in Britain. Forbes ranked Rowling as the 48th most powerful celebrity of 2007, and Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fandom. She has become a notable philanthropist, supporting such charities as Comic Relief, One Parent Families and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain.
Although she writes under the pen name "J. K. Rowling", pronounced rolling (IPA: /ˈroʊlɪŋ/), her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply "Joanne Rowling". Before publishing her first book, her publisher Bloomsbury feared that the target audience of young boys might be reluctant to buy books written by a female author. It requested that Rowling use two initials, rather than reveal her first name. As she had no middle name, she chose K. for Kathleen as the second initial of her pseudonym, from her paternal grandmother. The name Kathleen has never been part of her real name. Following her marriage, she sometimes uses the name Joanne Murray when conducting private matters. She calls herself "Jo" and says, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry."
Aside from writing the Potter novels, Rowling is equally famous for her "rags to riches" life story, in which she progressed from living on welfare to multi-millionaire status within five years. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £560 million ($1.1 billion), ranking her as the 12th richest woman in Britain. Forbes ranked Rowling as the 48th most powerful celebrity of 2007, and Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fandom. She has become a notable philanthropist, supporting such charities as Comic Relief, One Parent Families and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain.
Although she writes under the pen name "J. K. Rowling", pronounced rolling (IPA: /ˈroʊlɪŋ/), her name when her first Harry Potter book was published was simply "Joanne Rowling". Before publishing her first book, her publisher Bloomsbury feared that the target audience of young boys might be reluctant to buy books written by a female author. It requested that Rowling use two initials, rather than reveal her first name. As she had no middle name, she chose K. for Kathleen as the second initial of her pseudonym, from her paternal grandmother. The name Kathleen has never been part of her real name. Following her marriage, she sometimes uses the name Joanne Murray when conducting private matters. She calls herself "Jo" and says, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry."
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE (IPA: /ˈtoʊl.kiːn/) (3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the high fantasy classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from 1925 to 1945, and Merton Professor of English language and literature from 1945 to 1959. He was a close friend of C. S. Lewis—they were both members of the informal literary discussion group known as the Inklings. Tolkien was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972.
After his death, Tolkien's son, Christopher, published a series of works based on his father's extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. These, together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories, invented languages, and literary essays about an imagined world called Arda, and Middle-earth within it. Between 1951 and 1955 Tolkien applied the word legendarium to the larger part of these writings.
While many other authors had published works of fantasy before Tolkien, the great success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when they were published in paperback in the United States led directly to a popular resurgence of the genre. This has caused Tolkien to be popularly identified as the "father" of modern fantasy literature—or more precisely, high fantasy. Tolkien's writings have inspired many other works of fantasy and have had a lasting effect on the entire field. In 2008, The Times ranked him sixth on a list of 'The 50 greatest British writers since 1945'.
Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from 1925 to 1945, and Merton Professor of English language and literature from 1945 to 1959. He was a close friend of C. S. Lewis—they were both members of the informal literary discussion group known as the Inklings. Tolkien was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972.
After his death, Tolkien's son, Christopher, published a series of works based on his father's extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. These, together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories, invented languages, and literary essays about an imagined world called Arda, and Middle-earth within it. Between 1951 and 1955 Tolkien applied the word legendarium to the larger part of these writings.
While many other authors had published works of fantasy before Tolkien, the great success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when they were published in paperback in the United States led directly to a popular resurgence of the genre. This has caused Tolkien to be popularly identified as the "father" of modern fantasy literature—or more precisely, high fantasy. Tolkien's writings have inspired many other works of fantasy and have had a lasting effect on the entire field. In 2008, The Times ranked him sixth on a list of 'The 50 greatest British writers since 1945'.
Lewis Carroll
The Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (IPA: /ˈdɒdsən/) (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll (/ˈkærəl/), was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
His facility at word play, logic, and fantasy has delighted audiences ranging from children to the literary elite, and beyond this his work has become embedded deeply in modern culture, directly influencing many artists.
There are societies dedicated to the enjoyment and promotion of his works and the investigation of his life in many parts of the world including North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
His facility at word play, logic, and fantasy has delighted audiences ranging from children to the literary elite, and beyond this his work has become embedded deeply in modern culture, directly influencing many artists.
There are societies dedicated to the enjoyment and promotion of his works and the investigation of his life in many parts of the world including North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
Ogie Alcasid
Herminio Alcasid, Jr., more popularly known as Ogie Alcasid (born August 27, 1967), is a Filipino singer, songwriter, comedian, composer, television host, actor, and entrepreneur.
Alcasid debuted as a singer in 1989 with the release of his self-titled album. Ogie Alcasid reached gold record status, while his debut single "Nandito Ako" (Here I Am) was awarded "Song of the Year" by local radio station Magic 89.9. He has since released 18 albums, including a Christmas album (Larawan ng Pasko/ Images of Christmas, 1994), a live album (OA sa Hits (Live), 2002), and four greatest hits albums.
He has received a total of five gold records, three platinum records, and three double platinum records.
Alcasid's television career started as one of the hosts of comedy show Small Brothers on ABS-CBN on 1992. He also appeared on other comedy programs such as ABS-CBN's Mana Mana (from 1991 to 1992), ABC's Tropang Trumpo (from 1994 to 1995), GMA Network's Bubble Gang (from 1995 to present), and QTV's Ay, Robot! (from 2005 to 2007).
He also branched out as a game show host, beginning in ABS-CBN's Game Na Game Na on 1995 and the Philippine version of Family Feud on ABC in 2001. Alcasid also recently hosted Celebrity Duets: Philippine Edition on GMA with Regine Velasquez and is currently one of the main hosts on musical variety show SOP Rules.
Alcasid is currently the judge in Pinoy Idol. He is now hosting his new game show Da Big Show.
Alcasid debuted as a singer in 1989 with the release of his self-titled album. Ogie Alcasid reached gold record status, while his debut single "Nandito Ako" (Here I Am) was awarded "Song of the Year" by local radio station Magic 89.9. He has since released 18 albums, including a Christmas album (Larawan ng Pasko/ Images of Christmas, 1994), a live album (OA sa Hits (Live), 2002), and four greatest hits albums.
He has received a total of five gold records, three platinum records, and three double platinum records.
Alcasid's television career started as one of the hosts of comedy show Small Brothers on ABS-CBN on 1992. He also appeared on other comedy programs such as ABS-CBN's Mana Mana (from 1991 to 1992), ABC's Tropang Trumpo (from 1994 to 1995), GMA Network's Bubble Gang (from 1995 to present), and QTV's Ay, Robot! (from 2005 to 2007).
He also branched out as a game show host, beginning in ABS-CBN's Game Na Game Na on 1995 and the Philippine version of Family Feud on ABC in 2001. Alcasid also recently hosted Celebrity Duets: Philippine Edition on GMA with Regine Velasquez and is currently one of the main hosts on musical variety show SOP Rules.
Alcasid is currently the judge in Pinoy Idol. He is now hosting his new game show Da Big Show.
Edith L. Tiempo
Edith L. Tiempo (born April 22, 1919 in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya), poet, fictionist, teacher and literary critic is one of the finest Filipino writers in English whose works are characterized by a remarkable fusion of style and substance, of craftsmanship and insight. Her poems are intricate verbal transfigurations of significant experiences as revealed, in two of her much anthologized pieces, "Lament for the Littlest Fellow" and "Bonsai." As fictionist, Tiempo is as morally profound. Her language has been marked as "descriptive but unburdened by scrupulous detailing." She is an influential tradition in Philippine literature in English. Together with her late husband, writer and critic Edilberto K. Tiempo, they founded (in 1962) and directed the Silliman National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City, which has produced some of the Philippines' best writers.
She was conferred the National Artist Award for Literature in 1999.
She was conferred the National Artist Award for Literature in 1999.
Antonio de Morga
Doctor Antonio de Morga Sánchez Garay (1559, Seville, Spain—July 21, 1636) was a lawyer and a high-ranking colonial official in the Philippines, New Spain and Peru. He was also a historian. He published the book Sucesos de las islas Filipinas in 1609, one of the most important works on the early history of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. He also led the Spanish in one naval battle against Dutch corsairs in the Philippines, in 1600.
He graduated from the University of Salamanca in 1574 and in 1578 received a doctorate in canon law. He taught briefly in Osuna, and then returned to Salamanca to study civil law. In 1580 he joined the government service. Among other positions in Spain, he held that of auditor general of the galleys.
In 1593 he was sent to Manila as lieutenant governor of the Philippines, the second most powerful position in the colony, after the governor-general. He arrived in Manila on June 11, 1595, from Acapulco, in New Spain. In 1598 he resigned as lieutenant governor to assume the office of oidor, or judge, in the newly re-established Audiencia of Manila.
Morga suffered important failures in both his military and political capacities. The same cannot be said for his work as historian. In 1609, he published the work for which he is now remembered — Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Events in the Philippine Isles). This work, perhaps the best account of Spanish colonialism in the Philippines written during that period, is based partly on documentary research, partly on keen observation, and partly on Morga's personal involvement and knowledge.
He graduated from the University of Salamanca in 1574 and in 1578 received a doctorate in canon law. He taught briefly in Osuna, and then returned to Salamanca to study civil law. In 1580 he joined the government service. Among other positions in Spain, he held that of auditor general of the galleys.
In 1593 he was sent to Manila as lieutenant governor of the Philippines, the second most powerful position in the colony, after the governor-general. He arrived in Manila on June 11, 1595, from Acapulco, in New Spain. In 1598 he resigned as lieutenant governor to assume the office of oidor, or judge, in the newly re-established Audiencia of Manila.
Morga suffered important failures in both his military and political capacities. The same cannot be said for his work as historian. In 1609, he published the work for which he is now remembered — Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Events in the Philippine Isles). This work, perhaps the best account of Spanish colonialism in the Philippines written during that period, is based partly on documentary research, partly on keen observation, and partly on Morga's personal involvement and knowledge.
Lucio D. San Pedro
Lucio San Pedro (1913-2002) was born on February 11, 1913 in Angono, Rizal, the Philippines. He was a composer and teacher in the Philippines. San Pedro, known in his home country as the composer of the popular lullaby Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (in collaboration with Levi Celerio) and the symphonic poem Lahing Kayumanggi, taught composition at a number of colleges and universities, including the University of the Philippines College of Music, where he served as Chairman of its Composition and Conducting Department from 1970 to 1973.
On May 9, 1991, President Corazon C. Aquino proclaimed Lucio D. San Pedro a National Artist of the Philippines for Music.
He died of cardiac arrest on March 31, 2002 at the age of 89. A number of national artists attended his tribute at the Tanghalang Pambansa, including: Napoleon Abueva, Daisy Avellana, Leonor Gokingco, Nick Joaquin, Arturo Luz, Jose Maceda, and Andrea Veneracion. He is buried in his hometown of Angono, Rizal.
San Pedro came from a family with musical roots and he began his career early. When he was still in his late teens, he became a church organist, taking over the job after the death of his grandfather. By then, he had already composed songs, hymns and two complete Masses for voices and orchestra. After studying with several prominent musicians in the Philippines, San Pedro took advanced composition training with Bernard Wagenaar of the Netherlands. He also studied harmony and orchestration under Vittorio Giannini and took classes at Juilliard in 1947.
On May 9, 1991, President Corazon C. Aquino proclaimed Lucio D. San Pedro a National Artist of the Philippines for Music.
He died of cardiac arrest on March 31, 2002 at the age of 89. A number of national artists attended his tribute at the Tanghalang Pambansa, including: Napoleon Abueva, Daisy Avellana, Leonor Gokingco, Nick Joaquin, Arturo Luz, Jose Maceda, and Andrea Veneracion. He is buried in his hometown of Angono, Rizal.
San Pedro came from a family with musical roots and he began his career early. When he was still in his late teens, he became a church organist, taking over the job after the death of his grandfather. By then, he had already composed songs, hymns and two complete Masses for voices and orchestra. After studying with several prominent musicians in the Philippines, San Pedro took advanced composition training with Bernard Wagenaar of the Netherlands. He also studied harmony and orchestration under Vittorio Giannini and took classes at Juilliard in 1947.
Kristian S. Cordero
Kristian Sendon Cordero (b. April, 1983 in Iriga City, Philippines) is Bikol’s youngest and most awarded creative writer in the region today. At an early age, Cordero has already carved his rightful place in the annals of Bikol’s growing literary tradition. writing fellow to two national workshops in 2003 (University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University) his literary works in three languages have received both local and national awards: three-time winner, HomeLife National Poetry Competition (second place 1999, 2005 and grand prize winner for 2004), grand prize winner for poetry in 2004 Premio Tomas Arejola Para Sa Literaturang Bikolnon, Sumagang Awards for Bikol Poetry and Campus Journalism (2003, Local Government of Iriga City), Outstanding Alumnus for Literature (2007, University of Saint Anthony, Iriga City), Melchor Villanueva Centennial Awards for Literature (2007, Naga College Foundation), and recently the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (2006, second prize, short fiction in Filipino) and the Madrigal Gonzales Best First Book Award for his first poetry collection Mga Tulang Tulala: Piling Tula sa Filipino, Bikol at Rinconada (Goldprint Publishing House, 2004, 2007).
Cordero’s literary works, book reviews and feature articles have appeared in various local and national newspapers, university referred literary journals, and avant-garde mediums. His poems are now subject for critical analysis and thesis dissertations in various universities in the region. Respected literary historians, critics and senior writers in the country are all in agreement of Cordero’s important contribution to contemporary Philippine writings.
Cordero’s literary works, book reviews and feature articles have appeared in various local and national newspapers, university referred literary journals, and avant-garde mediums. His poems are now subject for critical analysis and thesis dissertations in various universities in the region. Respected literary historians, critics and senior writers in the country are all in agreement of Cordero’s important contribution to contemporary Philippine writings.
Edgardo B. Maranan
EDGARDO B. MARANAN, Filipino writer, was born in Bauan, Batangas and grew up in Baguio City, Philippines. He is a poet, essayist, fictionist, playwright, writer of children’s stories, and translator. He was the Philippine fellow at the Iowa International Writing Program in 1985, National Fellow for Poetry of the UP Creative Writing Center in 1988, participant in the International Writers Residence at Lavigny, Switzerland in 2006, and delegate/panelist at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in Bali, Indonesia in 2007. At the age of 16, while a senior at St. Louis College high school in Baguio, he topped a national essay competition and won the right to represent the Philippines at the 1963 New York Herald Tribune World Youth Forum.
Bookmark Inc. of Manila has published some of his prize-winning children’s stories, together with their English versions written by the author himself: Ang Batang Nanaginip na Siya'y Nakalilipad and The Girl Who Dreamt She Could Fly; Ang Awit ni Pulaw and The Song of Pulaw; and Si Sabel, si Sabiong Lumba-lumba, at ang Hiwaga sa Laot and The Jinx, the Dolphin, and the Deep-Sea Mystery. His latest collection of mostly prize-winning poems, Passage: poems 1983-2006, also came out in 2007 under the Bookmark imprint. His other published works include Kudaman: Isang Epikong Palawan na Inawit ni Usuy (with Dr. Nicole Revel McDonald, published by Ateneo University Press), a translation into Filipino of a major Palawan epic, which won a National Book Award citation in 1992; Alab: mga tula and Agon: poems (University of the Philippines Press, 1982), and various short fiction, essays, children's stories, and translations appearing in journals, magazines, anthologies, as well as Philippine references and textbooks.
Back in his homeland after years of experiencing first hand the Filipino diaspora, he now makes a living as a freelance writer, and is an active member of the Baguio Writers Group. (Other literary bylines: Edgar B. Maranan, Ed Maranan, E.B. Maranan)
Bookmark Inc. of Manila has published some of his prize-winning children’s stories, together with their English versions written by the author himself: Ang Batang Nanaginip na Siya'y Nakalilipad and The Girl Who Dreamt She Could Fly; Ang Awit ni Pulaw and The Song of Pulaw; and Si Sabel, si Sabiong Lumba-lumba, at ang Hiwaga sa Laot and The Jinx, the Dolphin, and the Deep-Sea Mystery. His latest collection of mostly prize-winning poems, Passage: poems 1983-2006, also came out in 2007 under the Bookmark imprint. His other published works include Kudaman: Isang Epikong Palawan na Inawit ni Usuy (with Dr. Nicole Revel McDonald, published by Ateneo University Press), a translation into Filipino of a major Palawan epic, which won a National Book Award citation in 1992; Alab: mga tula and Agon: poems (University of the Philippines Press, 1982), and various short fiction, essays, children's stories, and translations appearing in journals, magazines, anthologies, as well as Philippine references and textbooks.
Back in his homeland after years of experiencing first hand the Filipino diaspora, he now makes a living as a freelance writer, and is an active member of the Baguio Writers Group. (Other literary bylines: Edgar B. Maranan, Ed Maranan, E.B. Maranan)
Melchor F. Cichon
Melchor F. Cichon is the Head librarian and concurrently Head of the Readers Services Section of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo. He is also a lecturer in management at the College of Management.
Cichon is a recipient of the 2006 Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Grants awarded by the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Institute (FLDCWI), Coordinating Center for Research and Publications of the University of San Agustin. His manuscript is titled Siniad-Siad nga Kaeangitan/Strips of Heaven, a collection of Aklanon haiku with English translations.
Melchor is a poet whose work has been recognized by the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, from which he received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas in 2001.
He has promoted Aklanon literature not just through his writing, but also by setting up a website. Now that blogging has become easier than managing a website, Cichon maintains several blogs including Events in My Life, Dawn to Dawn, Profile of Filipino Fisheries Scientists, Fisheries Librarian and Aklanon Literature.
Cichon is a recipient of the 2006 Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Grants awarded by the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Institute (FLDCWI), Coordinating Center for Research and Publications of the University of San Agustin. His manuscript is titled Siniad-Siad nga Kaeangitan/Strips of Heaven, a collection of Aklanon haiku with English translations.
Melchor is a poet whose work has been recognized by the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, from which he received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas in 2001.
He has promoted Aklanon literature not just through his writing, but also by setting up a website. Now that blogging has become easier than managing a website, Cichon maintains several blogs including Events in My Life, Dawn to Dawn, Profile of Filipino Fisheries Scientists, Fisheries Librarian and Aklanon Literature.
Baybayin or Alibata
Baybayin or Alibata (known in Unicode as the Tagalog script) is a pre-Hispanic Philippine writing system that originated from the Javanese script Old Kawi. The writing system is a member of the Brahmic family (and an offshoot of the Vatteluttu alphabet) and is believed to be in use as early as the 14th century. It continued to be in use during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines up until the late 19th Century. The term baybayin literally means syllables. Closely related scripts are Hanunóo, Buhid, and Tagbanwa.
E. San Juan, Jr.
E. San Juan, Jr. is a Filipino cultural critic and public intellectual. His works span a broad spectrum of fields and disciplines, from cultural studies, comparative literary scholarship, ethnic and racial studies, postcolonial theory, semiotics to philosophical inquiries in historical materialism. His books and controversial articles have been widely quoted, referenced, and discussed. He is probably the first major Filipino intellectual with a wide international reputation, in the postmodern era.
San Juan contributed the entry for "Ethnicity" in volume 2 of Historisch-Kritisches Worterbuch des Marxismus edited by Wolfgang Fritz Haug (Berlin and Hamburg: Argument, 1997). His essays, translated into German, French, Italian, Chinese, and other languages, have been published in Das Argument, Marxismo Oggi, Chung-Wai Literary Monthly (Taiwan), L'Homme et la Societe, Weg und Ziel, Contemporary Monthly(Taiwan), and other venues. His pathbreaking essay, "Surrealism and Revolution," was translated into French and published by Professor Henri Behar of the Sorbonne in the online WebHis poems in Filipino have been translated into Russian, Chinese, Italian, German, and other languages.
Two significant contributions of San Juan to Philippine culture and literature are his translation into English of selected poems by Amado Hernández; and the re-discovery of Carlos Bulosan's writings, evidenced in his numerous anthologies of Bulosan's works; and his critical essays on Hernandez in "The Radical Tradition in Philippine Literature,"" ""Toward A People's Literature,"" "" Writing and National Liberation,"" "" The Philippine Temptation,"" ""After Postcolonialilsm,"" ""Hegemony and Strategies of Transgression,"" and "Only by Struggle".
San Juan contributed the entry for "Ethnicity" in volume 2 of Historisch-Kritisches Worterbuch des Marxismus edited by Wolfgang Fritz Haug (Berlin and Hamburg: Argument, 1997). His essays, translated into German, French, Italian, Chinese, and other languages, have been published in Das Argument, Marxismo Oggi, Chung-Wai Literary Monthly (Taiwan), L'Homme et la Societe, Weg und Ziel, Contemporary Monthly(Taiwan), and other venues. His pathbreaking essay, "Surrealism and Revolution," was translated into French and published by Professor Henri Behar of the Sorbonne in the online Web
Two significant contributions of San Juan to Philippine culture and literature are his translation into English of selected poems by Amado Hernández; and the re-discovery of Carlos Bulosan's writings, evidenced in his numerous anthologies of Bulosan's works; and his critical essays on Hernandez in "The Radical Tradition in Philippine Literature,"" ""Toward A People's Literature,"" "" Writing and National Liberation,"" "" The Philippine Temptation,"" ""After Postcolonialilsm,"" ""Hegemony and Strategies of Transgression,"" and "Only by Struggle".
Vicente Manansala
Vicente Silva Manansala (January 22, 1910- August 22, 1981) was a Philippine cubist painter and illustrator.
Manansala was born in Macabebe, Pampanga. From 1926 to 1930, he studied at the U.P. School of Fine Arts. In 1949, Manansala received a six-month grant by UNESCO to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Banff and Montreal, Canada. In 1950, he received a nine-month scholarship to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris by the French government.
Manansala developed transparent cubism, wherein the "delicate tones, shapes, and patterns of figure and environment are masterfully superimposed". A fine example of Manansala using this "transparent and translucent" technique is his composition, Kalabaw (Carabao).
Vicente Manansala, a National Artist of the Philippines in Visual Arts, was a direct influence to his fellow Filipino neo-realists: Malang, Angelito Antonio, Norma Belleza and Baldemor. The Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Lopez Memorial Museum (Manila), the Philippine Center (New York City) and the Singapore Art Museum are among the public collections holding work by Vicente Manansala.
Manansala was born in Macabebe, Pampanga. From 1926 to 1930, he studied at the U.P. School of Fine Arts. In 1949, Manansala received a six-month grant by UNESCO to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Banff and Montreal, Canada. In 1950, he received a nine-month scholarship to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris by the French government.
Manansala developed transparent cubism, wherein the "delicate tones, shapes, and patterns of figure and environment are masterfully superimposed". A fine example of Manansala using this "transparent and translucent" technique is his composition, Kalabaw (Carabao).
Vicente Manansala, a National Artist of the Philippines in Visual Arts, was a direct influence to his fellow Filipino neo-realists: Malang, Angelito Antonio, Norma Belleza and Baldemor. The Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Lopez Memorial Museum (Manila), the Philippine Center (New York City) and the Singapore Art Museum are among the public collections holding work by Vicente Manansala.
Tony DeZuniga
Tony DeZuniga (born 1941) is a Filipino comic-book artist best known for his work for DC Comics, where he co-created the characters Jonah Hex and Black Orchid, and Marvel Comics.
Tony DeZuniga began his comics career at the age of 16, as a letterer for a weekly magazine whose contributors included comic-book artists Alfredo Alcala and Nestor Redondo, who became mentors. DeZuniga received a Bachelor of Science degree in commercial art from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and in 1962 came to the United States to study at the graphic design in New York City, New York. He returned to his native country to work in advertising, and to freelance for Filipino comics.
Returning to New York City in the late 1960s, DeZuniga broke into American comic books under editor Joe Orlando at DC Comics, inking pencil art by Ric Estrada on a romance comics tale for Girl's Love Stories #153. DeZuniga's American-comics debut as a penciler came with a self-inked "Dr. Thirteen" story for Phantom Stranger #tk (April 1971).
DeZuniga worked for industry leaders Marvel and DC for 18 years, drawing such prominent Marvel characters as X-Men and Spider-Man, and He later became a videogame conceptual designer, spending a decade with the U.S. and Japan divisions of Sega. He has also done freelance work for McGraw Hill and the Scholastic Corporation, and for TSR's Dungeons & Dragons game.
Tony DeZuniga began his comics career at the age of 16, as a letterer for a weekly magazine whose contributors included comic-book artists Alfredo Alcala and Nestor Redondo, who became mentors. DeZuniga received a Bachelor of Science degree in commercial art from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and in 1962 came to the United States to study at the graphic design in New York City, New York. He returned to his native country to work in advertising, and to freelance for Filipino comics.
Returning to New York City in the late 1960s, DeZuniga broke into American comic books under editor Joe Orlando at DC Comics, inking pencil art by Ric Estrada on a romance comics tale for Girl's Love Stories #153. DeZuniga's American-comics debut as a penciler came with a self-inked "Dr. Thirteen" story for Phantom Stranger #tk (April 1971).
DeZuniga worked for industry leaders Marvel and DC for 18 years, drawing such prominent Marvel characters as X-Men and Spider-Man, and He later became a videogame conceptual designer, spending a decade with the U.S. and Japan divisions of Sega. He has also done freelance work for McGraw Hill and the Scholastic Corporation, and for TSR's Dungeons & Dragons game.
Carlo Vergara
Visconde Carlo San Juan Vergara or simply known as Carlo Vergara (born January 25, 1971) is a Filipino graphic designer and illustrator best known for creating the comic book character Zsazsa Zaturnnah.
The son of a tax lawyer and an English teacher, Vergara began to draw even before he started school. He considered drawing a hobby, and did not want it to be part of his profession. Though he had been accepted in the College of Architecture at the University of the Philippines, he opted to take Marketing Management at the De La Salle University, and graduated in 1990.
It was during his stay at the De La Salle when he won his first literary award from the university's annual awards for literature--Solitude bagged third place in the English poetry category. He was also an art staff of a university news publication The La Sallian. A few years after graduating, Vergara joined the university's theater organization, the Harlequin Theater Guild, where he acted in productions of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, Susan Glaspell's Trifles, Agatha Christie's Towards Zero, and Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero's Forever.
In 2002, Vergara produced his second graphic novel, Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah (The Spectacular Adventures of Zsazsa Zaturnnah), which was adapted into a musical and feature film in 2006. In the nominees list of the 30th Gawad Urian (an award-giving body composed on film critics), Vergara was cited along with Dinno Erece in the screenplay category.
He is currently employed full-time as art director for Real Living magazine, an interior design and decor periodical produced by Summit Publishing.
The son of a tax lawyer and an English teacher, Vergara began to draw even before he started school. He considered drawing a hobby, and did not want it to be part of his profession. Though he had been accepted in the College of Architecture at the University of the Philippines, he opted to take Marketing Management at the De La Salle University, and graduated in 1990.
It was during his stay at the De La Salle when he won his first literary award from the university's annual awards for literature--Solitude bagged third place in the English poetry category. He was also an art staff of a university news publication The La Sallian. A few years after graduating, Vergara joined the university's theater organization, the Harlequin Theater Guild, where he acted in productions of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, Susan Glaspell's Trifles, Agatha Christie's Towards Zero, and Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero's Forever.
In 2002, Vergara produced his second graphic novel, Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah (The Spectacular Adventures of Zsazsa Zaturnnah), which was adapted into a musical and feature film in 2006. In the nominees list of the 30th Gawad Urian (an award-giving body composed on film critics), Vergara was cited along with Dinno Erece in the screenplay category.
He is currently employed full-time as art director for Real Living magazine, an interior design and decor periodical produced by Summit Publishing.
Bienvenido Lumbera
Bienvenido Lumbera is a prizewinning poet, critic and dramatist from the Philippines.
He is a National Artist of the Philippines and a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communications. He won numerous literary awards, including the National Book Awards from the National Book Foundation, and the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.
At the height of Martial Law, Lumbera had taken on other creative projects. He began writing librettos for musical theater. Initially, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) requested him to create a musical based on Carlos Bulosan’s America Is in the Heart. Eventually, Lumbera created several highly-acclaimed musical dramas such as Tales of the Manuvu; Rama, Hari; Nasa Puso ang Amerika; Bayani; Noli me Tangere: The Musical; and Hibik at Himagsik Nina Victoria Laktaw. Sa Sariling Bayan: Apat na Dulang May Musika, an anthology of Lumbera's musical dramas, was published by De La Salle University-Manila Press in 2004. Lumbera authored numerous books, anthologies and textbooks such as: Revaluation; Pedagogy; Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology; Rediscovery: Essays in Philippine Life and Culture; Filipinos Writing: Philippine Literature from the Regions; and Paano Magbasa ng Panitikang Filipino: Mga Babasahing Pangkolehiyo.
Lumbera is now widely acknowledged as one of the pillars of contemporary Philippine literature, cultural studies and film, having written and edited numerous books on literary history, literary criticism, and film. He also received several awards citing his contribution to Philippine letters, most notably the 1975 Palanca Award for Literature; the 1993 Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts; several National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle; the 1998 Philippine Centennial Literary Prize for Drama; and the 1999 Cultural Center of the Philippines Centennial Honors for the Arts. He is currently the editor of Sanghaya (National Commission on Culture and the Arts), Professor at the Department of English in the School of Humanities of the Ateneo de Manila University, Emeritus Professor at the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature, College of Arts and Letters, U.P. Diliman, and Professor of Literature at De La Salle University-Manila. For a time, he also served as president of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), a national organization of more than 40,000 teachers and employees in the education sector.
He is a National Artist of the Philippines and a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communications. He won numerous literary awards, including the National Book Awards from the National Book Foundation, and the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.
At the height of Martial Law, Lumbera had taken on other creative projects. He began writing librettos for musical theater. Initially, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) requested him to create a musical based on Carlos Bulosan’s America Is in the Heart. Eventually, Lumbera created several highly-acclaimed musical dramas such as Tales of the Manuvu; Rama, Hari; Nasa Puso ang Amerika; Bayani; Noli me Tangere: The Musical; and Hibik at Himagsik Nina Victoria Laktaw. Sa Sariling Bayan: Apat na Dulang May Musika, an anthology of Lumbera's musical dramas, was published by De La Salle University-Manila Press in 2004. Lumbera authored numerous books, anthologies and textbooks such as: Revaluation; Pedagogy; Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology; Rediscovery: Essays in Philippine Life and Culture; Filipinos Writing: Philippine Literature from the Regions; and Paano Magbasa ng Panitikang Filipino: Mga Babasahing Pangkolehiyo.
Lumbera is now widely acknowledged as one of the pillars of contemporary Philippine literature, cultural studies and film, having written and edited numerous books on literary history, literary criticism, and film. He also received several awards citing his contribution to Philippine letters, most notably the 1975 Palanca Award for Literature; the 1993 Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts; several National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle; the 1998 Philippine Centennial Literary Prize for Drama; and the 1999 Cultural Center of the Philippines Centennial Honors for the Arts. He is currently the editor of Sanghaya (National Commission on Culture and the Arts), Professor at the Department of English in the School of Humanities of the Ateneo de Manila University, Emeritus Professor at the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature, College of Arts and Letters, U.P. Diliman, and Professor of Literature at De La Salle University-Manila. For a time, he also served as president of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), a national organization of more than 40,000 teachers and employees in the education sector.
Arnold Arre
Arnold Arre (born on September 2, 1971 in Metro Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino comic book writer and artist. He has won National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle for his graphic novels The Mythology Class (1999), a four-part action-adventure miniseries that was re-released as a Special Collected Edition by Adarna House in 2005 and Trip to Tagaytay (2000), a one-shot future fiction short story. Both were released under his self-owned Tala Comics Publishing. His other titles include the romantic comedy After Eden (graphic novel) (2002), published by Adarna House, and the self-published Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat (2006). Aside from his comics work, Arnold has done numerous design and illustration jobs for various clients such as The San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts and Sony BMG Music Entertainment Philippines. He has also taken part in local and international group exhibits and has had a one-man fantasy-themed show, Mythos in 2000. Arnold resides in Quezon City and is married to graphic designer Cynthia Bauzon.
Alfredo Alcala
Alcala was born with a creative interest in designing. He was hooked on comic books in his early childhood, and his interest continued throughout his life. He was so compelled with art that he would start drawing pictures and begin posting them in his school's hallways. Alcala was so determined to pursue his career in art that he dropped out of school as a young teenager to do so. He first received his break by doing various commercials and painting signs. Later, he began working in an ironworker's shop, designing household materials like lamps and household furnitures.
Alcala became a star of the Filipino comics. He was so famous that a comic magazine named after him was published, the Alcala Komix Magazine. Alcala introduced himself to the American comic universe when he created the comic book Voltar in 1963 which was a major success. Alcala won numerous awards and became a worldwide attraction, which led him to work for DC Comics in the early 1970s, doing horror and fantasy titles. He also helped recruiting uprising Filipino artists such as Alex Niño. With his new found success in the United States came a plethora of assignments that made him moved to New York in 1976.
Alcala joined Warren Publishing in 1977 and would draw 39 stories for Warren from 1977 through 1981. His series Voltar would be reprinted in issues 2 through 9 of the magazine The Rook.
In the early 1980's, he moved on to take part in the art more suitable for his creative niche. Alcala went on to pencil popular comic books such as Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian. He also inked Don Newton's pencil artwork in Batman.
By 1990's, his booming career and popularity led him to different projects including drawing animations for films. Alcala also took part with the novel Daddy Cool written by the late Donald Goines, which featureed some of Alcala's artworks. He also worked on the Swamp Thing for DC, which marked his return to the comics business. His contributions spanned on several artistic genres including superheroes, horror, and fantasy.
Alcala became a star of the Filipino comics. He was so famous that a comic magazine named after him was published, the Alcala Komix Magazine. Alcala introduced himself to the American comic universe when he created the comic book Voltar in 1963 which was a major success. Alcala won numerous awards and became a worldwide attraction, which led him to work for DC Comics in the early 1970s, doing horror and fantasy titles. He also helped recruiting uprising Filipino artists such as Alex Niño. With his new found success in the United States came a plethora of assignments that made him moved to New York in 1976.
Alcala joined Warren Publishing in 1977 and would draw 39 stories for Warren from 1977 through 1981. His series Voltar would be reprinted in issues 2 through 9 of the magazine The Rook.
In the early 1980's, he moved on to take part in the art more suitable for his creative niche. Alcala went on to pencil popular comic books such as Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian. He also inked Don Newton's pencil artwork in Batman.
By 1990's, his booming career and popularity led him to different projects including drawing animations for films. Alcala also took part with the novel Daddy Cool written by the late Donald Goines, which featureed some of Alcala's artworks. He also worked on the Swamp Thing for DC, which marked his return to the comics business. His contributions spanned on several artistic genres including superheroes, horror, and fantasy.
Manuel Buising
Manuel Buising was born in Manila, Philippines on the May 4, 1951. He is a multi-awarded playwright, fictionist and komiks writer. He studied at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Education, Major in Filipino in 1972.
He was the official screenplay writer of Fernando Poe Jr. from 1990 until the actor died in 2005. In the same year, his work, "Niños Inocentes," which exposes how minors are used by pedophiles through cybersex or sex videos, often with the knowledge and consent of their own parents, won the teleplay category in Carlos Palanca Awards. He is no stranger to the Palanca awards, in fact, he was won numerous first place awards in various fields ranging from dramatic plays to short stories and even television plays. His previous accomplishments include first place in the 1988 for his short play "Tumbampreso" and another for his play "Kung Bakit may Nuno sa Punso" in the same year. In 1990, he bagged first prize for both his plays; "Patay-Bata" and "Lista sa Tubig". His other first prize winner is "P’wera Usog" during the 1989 awards. In all of his great works, he considered "Kung Bakit May Nuno sa Punso," which tackled the presence of American military bases in the country, his best work yet.
He was the official screenplay writer of Fernando Poe Jr. from 1990 until the actor died in 2005. In the same year, his work, "Niños Inocentes," which exposes how minors are used by pedophiles through cybersex or sex videos, often with the knowledge and consent of their own parents, won the teleplay category in Carlos Palanca Awards. He is no stranger to the Palanca awards, in fact, he was won numerous first place awards in various fields ranging from dramatic plays to short stories and even television plays. His previous accomplishments include first place in the 1988 for his short play "Tumbampreso" and another for his play "Kung Bakit may Nuno sa Punso" in the same year. In 1990, he bagged first prize for both his plays; "Patay-Bata" and "Lista sa Tubig". His other first prize winner is "P’wera Usog" during the 1989 awards. In all of his great works, he considered "Kung Bakit May Nuno sa Punso," which tackled the presence of American military bases in the country, his best work yet.
Liwayway Arceo
Liwayway Arceo (1920-1999) was a multi-awarded Tagalog fictionist, journalist, radio scriptwriter and editor from the Philippines.
In 1999, Liwayway Arceo received a Philippine National Centennial Commission award for her prioneering and exemplary contributions in the field of literature.
Arceo was the author of well-received novels such as Canal de la Reina and Titser. She also published collections of short stories such as Ina, Maybahay, Anak at iba pa, Mga Maria, Mga Eva and Ang Mag-anak na Cruz. Most of her books were published by Ateneo de Manila University Press and The University of the Philippines Press.
Arceo's story Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa was placed second in the Japanese Imperial Government-sanctioned Pinakamabuting Maikling Katha ng 1943 (The Best Short Stories of 1943).
Arceo made her mark as a lead actress in a Japanese and Philippine film produced during World War II. The film Tatlong Maria was produced by two movie companies: X'Otic Pictures of the Philippines and Eiga Hekusa of Japan in 1944.
She also ventured into radio by Ilaw ng Tahanan, a long-running radio serial. Ilaw ng Tahanan became a television soap opera aired in RPN 9 during the late 1970s.
Arceo's short story Lumapit, Lumayo ang Umaga was later turned into an award-winning film by National Artist Ishmael Bernal in 1975. Filipina thespian Elizabeth Oropesa received a FAMAS Best Actress Award in 1976 for her role in the film.
Arceo received a Carlos Palanca for Short Story in Filipino (Filipino (Tagalog) Division) in 1962; a Japan Foundation Visiting Fellowship in 1992; a Gawad CCP for Literature given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1993; a Doctorate on Humane Letters, honoris causa, from the University of the Philippines in 1991; the Catholic Authors Award from the Asian Catholic Publishers in 1990, and the Gawad Balagtas Life Achievement Award for Fiction from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Writers Union of the Philippines or UMPIL) in 1998.
In 1999, Liwayway Arceo received a Philippine National Centennial Commission award for her prioneering and exemplary contributions in the field of literature.
Arceo was the author of well-received novels such as Canal de la Reina and Titser. She also published collections of short stories such as Ina, Maybahay, Anak at iba pa, Mga Maria, Mga Eva and Ang Mag-anak na Cruz. Most of her books were published by Ateneo de Manila University Press and The University of the Philippines Press.
Arceo's story Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa was placed second in the Japanese Imperial Government-sanctioned Pinakamabuting Maikling Katha ng 1943 (The Best Short Stories of 1943).
Arceo made her mark as a lead actress in a Japanese and Philippine film produced during World War II. The film Tatlong Maria was produced by two movie companies: X'Otic Pictures of the Philippines and Eiga Hekusa of Japan in 1944.
She also ventured into radio by Ilaw ng Tahanan, a long-running radio serial. Ilaw ng Tahanan became a television soap opera aired in RPN 9 during the late 1970s.
Arceo's short story Lumapit, Lumayo ang Umaga was later turned into an award-winning film by National Artist Ishmael Bernal in 1975. Filipina thespian Elizabeth Oropesa received a FAMAS Best Actress Award in 1976 for her role in the film.
Arceo received a Carlos Palanca for Short Story in Filipino (Filipino (Tagalog) Division) in 1962; a Japan Foundation Visiting Fellowship in 1992; a Gawad CCP for Literature given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1993; a Doctorate on Humane Letters, honoris causa, from the University of the Philippines in 1991; the Catholic Authors Award from the Asian Catholic Publishers in 1990, and the Gawad Balagtas Life Achievement Award for Fiction from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Writers Union of the Philippines or UMPIL) in 1998.
Teo Antonio
Teo Antonio (1946- ) is a very important Filipino poet. He was born in Sampaloc, Manila. He was educated at the University of Santo Tomas where he studied Fine Arts. Antonio is the son of Emilio Antonio, hari ng balagtasan (King of Balagtasan--a Filipino form of poetic joust) during the 1950s.
Antonio garnered numerous Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Poetry in 1973. 1975, 1976. 1986 and 1998. He also received top prizes during the Centennial Literary Contest for his epic poem Piping-Dilat in 1998 as well as National Book Awards from the Manila Critics' Circle in 1982, 1991 and 1992. He also received a grant as Philippine Representative to the World Poetry Reading Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1996.
Antonio received numerous other distinguished honors including the SEA Write Award from the King of Thailand in Bangkok (1995), Gawad Patnubay sa Kalinga para sa larangan ng panitikan from the City of Manila (1996), Dangal ng Lipi para sa sining at panulat from the Philippine Province of Bulacan (1997) and Gawad Alagad ni Balagtas (Lifetime Achievement Award) from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL)/Writers Union of the Philippines (2002).
Antonio garnered numerous Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Poetry in 1973. 1975, 1976. 1986 and 1998. He also received top prizes during the Centennial Literary Contest for his epic poem Piping-Dilat in 1998 as well as National Book Awards from the Manila Critics' Circle in 1982, 1991 and 1992. He also received a grant as Philippine Representative to the World Poetry Reading Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1996.
Antonio received numerous other distinguished honors including the SEA Write Award from the King of Thailand in Bangkok (1995), Gawad Patnubay sa Kalinga para sa larangan ng panitikan from the City of Manila (1996), Dangal ng Lipi para sa sining at panulat from the Philippine Province of Bulacan (1997) and Gawad Alagad ni Balagtas (Lifetime Achievement Award) from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL)/Writers Union of the Philippines (2002).
Jose Dalisay, Jr.
Jose Y. Dalisay Jr. has won numerous awards and prizes for fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction and screenplay. He was born in Romblon, Philippines on January 15, 1954.
He completed his primary education at La Salle Green Hills, Philippines in 1966 and his secondary education at the Philippine Science High School in 1970. He dropped out of college to work as a journalist after a period of imprisonment when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972. After his release as a political detainee, he also wrote scripts mostly for Lino Brocka, the National Artist of the Philippines for Theater and Film. Dalisay returned to school and earned his B.A. English degree, cum laude from the University of the Philippines in 1984. He later received an M.F.A. from the University of Michigan in 1988 and a Ph.D in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1991 as a Fulbright scholar.
Dalisay has also worked extensively as a professional editor. He served as Executive Editor of the ten-volume Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino People (Manila: Asia Publishing/Reader's Digest Asia[1], 1998). His clients have included the Asian Development Bank, the Ayala Foundation, SGV & Co., the National Economic and Development Authority, the Office of the (Philippine) President, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation, among others.
He completed his primary education at La Salle Green Hills, Philippines in 1966 and his secondary education at the Philippine Science High School in 1970. He dropped out of college to work as a journalist after a period of imprisonment when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972. After his release as a political detainee, he also wrote scripts mostly for Lino Brocka, the National Artist of the Philippines for Theater and Film. Dalisay returned to school and earned his B.A. English degree, cum laude from the University of the Philippines in 1984. He later received an M.F.A. from the University of Michigan in 1988 and a Ph.D in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1991 as a Fulbright scholar.
Dalisay has also worked extensively as a professional editor. He served as Executive Editor of the ten-volume Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino People (Manila: Asia Publishing/Reader's Digest Asia[1], 1998). His clients have included the Asian Development Bank, the Ayala Foundation, SGV & Co., the National Economic and Development Authority, the Office of the (Philippine) President, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation, among others.
Dionisio Deista Alejandro
Dionisio Deista Alejandro (1893-1972) was a Filipino Bishop of the Methodist Church, elected in 1944.
He was born 19 February 1893 in Quiapo, Manila, the Philippines. His ancestry was Filipino with slight admixture of Chinese. He was baptized in 1906 at the age of thirteen in San Isidro, Luzon by Bishop G.A. Miller, and was educated in the U.S. and the Philippines. He became a Member in Full Connection of the Philippine Islands Annual Conference in 1918. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Eveland and Elder by Bishops Stuntz and J.W. Robinson. Alejandro was the first delegate to the Central Conference of Southern Asia. Prior to his election to the Episcopacy he served as an evangelist, an educator, a pastor and an editor.
He was elected a Bishop during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Thus, he was not consecrated until 1946 (i.e., after liberation). He served the Manila Episcopal Area of the Philippines Central Conference of The Methodist Church. He was the Presiding Bishop of the Philippines and the Northern Philippines Annual Conferences.
He was born 19 February 1893 in Quiapo, Manila, the Philippines. His ancestry was Filipino with slight admixture of Chinese. He was baptized in 1906 at the age of thirteen in San Isidro, Luzon by Bishop G.A. Miller, and was educated in the U.S. and the Philippines. He became a Member in Full Connection of the Philippine Islands Annual Conference in 1918. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Eveland and Elder by Bishops Stuntz and J.W. Robinson. Alejandro was the first delegate to the Central Conference of Southern Asia. Prior to his election to the Episcopacy he served as an evangelist, an educator, a pastor and an editor.
He was elected a Bishop during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Thus, he was not consecrated until 1946 (i.e., after liberation). He served the Manila Episcopal Area of the Philippines Central Conference of The Methodist Church. He was the Presiding Bishop of the Philippines and the Northern Philippines Annual Conferences.
Lualhati Bautista
Lualhati Torres Bautista is one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the history of contemporary Philippine Literature. Her novels include Dekada '70, Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka Ginawa?, and Gapô.
Bautista was born in Santa Ana, Manila on December 30, 1946 to Esteban Bautista and Gloria Torres. She graduated from the Emilio Jacinto Elementary School in 1958 and from Torres High School in 1962. She was a journalism student. She has served as vice-president of the Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines and chair of the Kapisanan ng mga Manunulat ng Nobelang Popular. She became a national fellow for fiction of the University of the Philippines Creative Writing Center in 1986.
In addition to being a novelist, Lualhati Bautista is also a movie and television scriptwriter and a short story writer. Her first screenplay was Sakada (Seasonal Sugarcane Workers), a story written in 1972 that exposed the plight of Filipino peasants. Bautista has received recognition from the Philippines' Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa in 1987. Her award-winning screenplays include Bulaklak sa City Jail (1984), Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap (1984), Sex Object (1985). For screenplay writing, she has received recognition from the Metro Manila Film Festival (best story-best screenplay), Film Academy Awards (best story-best screenplay), Star Awards (finalist for best screenplay), FAMAS (finalist for best screenplay), and URIAN awards. Two of her short stories have also won the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, Tatlong Kuwento ng Buhay ni Juan Candelabra (Three Stories in the Life of Juan Candelabra), first prize, 1982; and Buwan, Buwan, Hulugan mo Ako ng Sundang (Moon, Moon, Drop Me a Sword), third prize, 1983. Bautista also authored the television dramas Daga sa Timba ng Tubig (The Mouse in the Bucket of Water) (1975) and Isang Kabanata sa Libro ng Buhay ni Leilani Cruzaldo (A Chapter in the Book of Life of Leilani Cruzaldo) (1987). The latter won best drama story for television from the Catholic Mass Media Awards.
Bautista was honored by the Ateneo Library of Women’s Writings on March 10, 2004 during the 8th Annual Lecture on Vernacular Literature by Women.
Bautista was born in Santa Ana, Manila on December 30, 1946 to Esteban Bautista and Gloria Torres. She graduated from the Emilio Jacinto Elementary School in 1958 and from Torres High School in 1962. She was a journalism student. She has served as vice-president of the Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines and chair of the Kapisanan ng mga Manunulat ng Nobelang Popular. She became a national fellow for fiction of the University of the Philippines Creative Writing Center in 1986.
In addition to being a novelist, Lualhati Bautista is also a movie and television scriptwriter and a short story writer. Her first screenplay was Sakada (Seasonal Sugarcane Workers), a story written in 1972 that exposed the plight of Filipino peasants. Bautista has received recognition from the Philippines' Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa in 1987. Her award-winning screenplays include Bulaklak sa City Jail (1984), Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap (1984), Sex Object (1985). For screenplay writing, she has received recognition from the Metro Manila Film Festival (best story-best screenplay), Film Academy Awards (best story-best screenplay), Star Awards (finalist for best screenplay), FAMAS (finalist for best screenplay), and URIAN awards. Two of her short stories have also won the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, Tatlong Kuwento ng Buhay ni Juan Candelabra (Three Stories in the Life of Juan Candelabra), first prize, 1982; and Buwan, Buwan, Hulugan mo Ako ng Sundang (Moon, Moon, Drop Me a Sword), third prize, 1983. Bautista also authored the television dramas Daga sa Timba ng Tubig (The Mouse in the Bucket of Water) (1975) and Isang Kabanata sa Libro ng Buhay ni Leilani Cruzaldo (A Chapter in the Book of Life of Leilani Cruzaldo) (1987). The latter won best drama story for television from the Catholic Mass Media Awards.
Bautista was honored by the Ateneo Library of Women’s Writings on March 10, 2004 during the 8th Annual Lecture on Vernacular Literature by Women.
Amado V. Hernandez
Amado Vera Hernandez (September 13, 1903-March 24, 1970) was a Filipino writer and labor leader who was known for his criticism of social injustices in the Philippines and was later imprisoned for his involvement in the communist movement. He was the central figure in a landmark legal case that took 13 years to settle.
He was born in Hagonoy, Bulacán but grew up Tondo, Manila, where he studied at the Manila High School and at the American Correspondence School.
While still a teenager, he began writing in Tagalog for the newspaper Watawat (Flag). He would later write a column for the Tagalog publication Pagkakaisa (Unity) and become editor of Mabuhay (Long Live).
His writings gained the attention of Tagalog literati and some of his stories and poems were included in anthologies, such as Clodualdo del Mundo's Parolang Ginto and Alejandro Abadilla's Talaang Bughaw.
In 1922, at the age of 19, Hernandez became a member of the literary society Aklatang Bayan which included noted Tagalog writers Lope K. Santos and Jose Corazon de Jesus.
In 1932, he married the Filipino actress Atang de la Rama. Both of them would later be recognized as National Artists: Hernandez for Literature, de la Rama for Theater, Dance and Music.
He was born in Hagonoy, Bulacán but grew up Tondo, Manila, where he studied at the Manila High School and at the American Correspondence School.
While still a teenager, he began writing in Tagalog for the newspaper Watawat (Flag). He would later write a column for the Tagalog publication Pagkakaisa (Unity) and become editor of Mabuhay (Long Live).
His writings gained the attention of Tagalog literati and some of his stories and poems were included in anthologies, such as Clodualdo del Mundo's Parolang Ginto and Alejandro Abadilla's Talaang Bughaw.
In 1922, at the age of 19, Hernandez became a member of the literary society Aklatang Bayan which included noted Tagalog writers Lope K. Santos and Jose Corazon de Jesus.
In 1932, he married the Filipino actress Atang de la Rama. Both of them would later be recognized as National Artists: Hernandez for Literature, de la Rama for Theater, Dance and Music.
Francisco Balagtas
Francisco Baltazar (April 2, 1788—February 20, 1862), known much more widely through his nom-de-plume Francisco Balagtas, was a prominent Filipino poet, and is widely considered as the Tagalog equivalent of William Shakespeare for his impact on Filipino literature. The famous epic, Florante at Laura, is regarded as his defining work.
Balagtas learned to write poetry from José de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw), one of the most famous poets of Tondo. It was Jose de la Cruz himself who personally challenged Balagtas to improve his writing.
In 1835, Kiko moved to Pandacan, where he met Maria Asuncion Rivera, who would effectively serve as the muse for his future works. She is referenced in Florante at Laura as 'Celia' and 'MAR'.
Balagtas' affections for Celia were challenged by the influential Mariano Capule. Capule won the battle for Celia when he used his wealth to get Balagtas imprisoned. It was here that he wrote Florante at Laura—In fact, the events of this poem were meant to parallel his own situation.
He wrote his poems in Tagalog, during an age when Filipino writing was predominantly written in Spanish.
Balagtas published Florante at Laura upon his release in 1838. He served as a Major Lieutenant after moving to Udyong, Bataan in 1840. It was here that he met Juana Tiambeng of Orion, Bataan, whom he would wed in 1842. Together, they had eleven children—five boys and six girls. However, seven of them died. It is important to note that upon his deathbed, he asked that none of his children become poets like him, who had suffered under his gift as well as under others. He even went as far as to tell them it would be better to cut their hands off than let them be writers.
Balagtas learned to write poetry from José de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw), one of the most famous poets of Tondo. It was Jose de la Cruz himself who personally challenged Balagtas to improve his writing.
In 1835, Kiko moved to Pandacan, where he met Maria Asuncion Rivera, who would effectively serve as the muse for his future works. She is referenced in Florante at Laura as 'Celia' and 'MAR'.
Balagtas' affections for Celia were challenged by the influential Mariano Capule. Capule won the battle for Celia when he used his wealth to get Balagtas imprisoned. It was here that he wrote Florante at Laura—In fact, the events of this poem were meant to parallel his own situation.
He wrote his poems in Tagalog, during an age when Filipino writing was predominantly written in Spanish.
Balagtas published Florante at Laura upon his release in 1838. He served as a Major Lieutenant after moving to Udyong, Bataan in 1840. It was here that he met Juana Tiambeng of Orion, Bataan, whom he would wed in 1842. Together, they had eleven children—five boys and six girls. However, seven of them died. It is important to note that upon his deathbed, he asked that none of his children become poets like him, who had suffered under his gift as well as under others. He even went as far as to tell them it would be better to cut their hands off than let them be writers.
Nicanor Tiongson
Nicanor Tiongson is a leading critic, creative writer and academic from the Philippines. He holds a Bachelor of Humanities degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, and M.A. and Ph. D in Philippine Studies from the University of the Philippines. A founding member of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, Tiongson is currently Professor of Film and Audiovisual Communication at the College of Mass Communications in U.P. Diliman.
Tiongson was a Visiting Professor at Osaka University of Foreign Studies in Japan; and Fulbright Visiting Professor at the University of California, Berkeley; University of Michigan; University of California, Los Angeles; and University of Hawaii at Manoa. Tiongson also received an Australian Cultural Award for his extensive research on Philippine culture , resulting in two pioneering works on Philippine drama: Kasaysayan at Estetika ng Sinakulo at Ibang Dulang Panrelihiyon sa Malolos and Kasaysayan ng Komedya sa Pilipinas.
Tiongson was vice-president and artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippnes (CCP) from 1986 to 1994. He conceptualized a new direction for the CCP, in 1986, and subsequently authored a comprehensive cultural development plan that has broadened the scope of the CCP Outreach Programs nationwide. He paved the way to give more opportunities and recognition for regional artists and arts organizations through productions, conferences, forum-lectures, publication and research. He continuously writes history and criticisms about local arts and culture that serve as reference materials of scholars, researchers, academicians, and young students of the present generation.
Tiongson was also the Philippine Director of Sangandaan 2003, a cultural commemoration that highlighted the arts and media produced by Filipinos, Americans and Filipino-Americans in the course of Philippine-U.S. relations from 1899 to 2002. The cultural events were commemorated in the Philippines on July 6-30, 2003 under the sponsorship of the University of the Philippines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the San Francisco State University, in collaboration with numerous public and private institutions in the Philippines such as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the National Historical Institute, the National Library, the National Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University-Manila, and in the United States such as the City College of San Francisco, and the University of San Francisco.
Tiongson was a Visiting Professor at Osaka University of Foreign Studies in Japan; and Fulbright Visiting Professor at the University of California, Berkeley; University of Michigan; University of California, Los Angeles; and University of Hawaii at Manoa. Tiongson also received an Australian Cultural Award for his extensive research on Philippine culture , resulting in two pioneering works on Philippine drama: Kasaysayan at Estetika ng Sinakulo at Ibang Dulang Panrelihiyon sa Malolos and Kasaysayan ng Komedya sa Pilipinas.
Tiongson was vice-president and artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippnes (CCP) from 1986 to 1994. He conceptualized a new direction for the CCP, in 1986, and subsequently authored a comprehensive cultural development plan that has broadened the scope of the CCP Outreach Programs nationwide. He paved the way to give more opportunities and recognition for regional artists and arts organizations through productions, conferences, forum-lectures, publication and research. He continuously writes history and criticisms about local arts and culture that serve as reference materials of scholars, researchers, academicians, and young students of the present generation.
Tiongson was also the Philippine Director of Sangandaan 2003, a cultural commemoration that highlighted the arts and media produced by Filipinos, Americans and Filipino-Americans in the course of Philippine-U.S. relations from 1899 to 2002. The cultural events were commemorated in the Philippines on July 6-30, 2003 under the sponsorship of the University of the Philippines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the San Francisco State University, in collaboration with numerous public and private institutions in the Philippines such as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the National Historical Institute, the National Library, the National Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University-Manila, and in the United States such as the City College of San Francisco, and the University of San Francisco.
Teodoro A. Agoncillo
Teodoro A. Agoncillo (November 9, 1912 – January 14, 1985) was one of the pre-eminent Filipino historians of the 20th century. He and his contemporary Renato Constantino were among the first Filipino historians who earned renown for promoting a distinctly nationalist point of view of Filipino history (nationalist historiography). He was also an essayist and a poet.
Born in Lemery Batangas, Agoncillio obtained a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of the Philippines in 1934 and a master's degree in the arts from the same university the following year. He earned his living as a linguistic assistant at the Institute of National Language and as an instructor at the Far Eastern University and the Manuel L. Quezon University. In 1956, he published his seminal work, Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan, a history of the 1896 Katipunan-led revolt against Spanish rule and its leader, Andres Bonifacio. He garnered acclaim for this book, as well as criticisms from more conservative historians discomforted by the work's nationalist, perhaps even Marxist bent.
Born in Lemery Batangas, Agoncillio obtained a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of the Philippines in 1934 and a master's degree in the arts from the same university the following year. He earned his living as a linguistic assistant at the Institute of National Language and as an instructor at the Far Eastern University and the Manuel L. Quezon University. In 1956, he published his seminal work, Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan, a history of the 1896 Katipunan-led revolt against Spanish rule and its leader, Andres Bonifacio. He garnered acclaim for this book, as well as criticisms from more conservative historians discomforted by the work's nationalist, perhaps even Marxist bent.
Ang Alibata o Baybayin
And Alibata: Ang sistema ng pagsulat ay ayon sa sistemang abugida na gumagamit ng pagpaparis ng katinig at patinig. Bawat titik, kung isulat sa payak na anyo, ay isang katinig na nagtatapos sa patinig na "A". Upang isulat ang isang katinig na nagtatapos sa ibang patinig, maaaring maglagay ng kudlit sa ibabaw (kung nais isama sa patinig na "E" o "I") o sa ilalim (kung nais isama sa patinig na "O" o "U"). Ang paglagay ng kudlit ay naaangkop lamang sa mga katinig, at hindi maaaring gawin sa mga patinig. May sariling mga marka ang mga patinig. Gayon pa man, may isang simbolo lamang para sa D o R dahil ang mga ito ay tinatawag na "allophones", na kung saan ang D ay maaaring may "initial", "final", "pre-consonantal" o "post-consonatal" na posisyon, at ang R naman ay may "intervocalic" na mga posisyon.
Sa orihinal na anyo, ang isang nagsosolong katinig (isang katinig na walang kasamang patinig) ay hindi maaaring isulat. Ito ay dahilan kung bakit ang Kastilang pari na si Francisco Lopez ay nagpasimula ng paggamit ng mga kudlit sa kanyang pagsasalin ng mga aklat sa katutubong wika. Noong 1620, nagsimulang gamitin ni Father Francisco Lopez ang kanyang sariling mga kudlit na nag-aalis ng mga patinig sa mga katinig. Ang ginamit niyang kudlit ay nasa anyong "+", bilang pag-ukoy sa Kristianismo. Ang simbolong "+" ay ginagamit din sa katulad na dahilan sa virama sa eskriptong Devanagari ng India.
Sa kasalukuyan, ang mga simbolo ng Baybayin ay nasa Unicode at kilala sa tawag na Tagalog Sign Virama.
Sa orihinal na anyo, ang isang nagsosolong katinig (isang katinig na walang kasamang patinig) ay hindi maaaring isulat. Ito ay dahilan kung bakit ang Kastilang pari na si Francisco Lopez ay nagpasimula ng paggamit ng mga kudlit sa kanyang pagsasalin ng mga aklat sa katutubong wika. Noong 1620, nagsimulang gamitin ni Father Francisco Lopez ang kanyang sariling mga kudlit na nag-aalis ng mga patinig sa mga katinig. Ang ginamit niyang kudlit ay nasa anyong "+", bilang pag-ukoy sa Kristianismo. Ang simbolong "+" ay ginagamit din sa katulad na dahilan sa virama sa eskriptong Devanagari ng India.
Sa kasalukuyan, ang mga simbolo ng Baybayin ay nasa Unicode at kilala sa tawag na Tagalog Sign Virama.
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