MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Pens, paintings, old typewriters, and centuries-old books from all over the world —these are just a few of the things in the world of Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr. Ph.D.
In the first episode of the National Book Development Board’s (NBDB) new “Show YourShelf” video series, the 68-year-old author tours viewers around his home library, which hosts a mix of volumes published in the 1500s-1600s, as well as several contemporary Filipino titles.
The Show YourShelf series spotlights the personal bookshelves of Filipino creatives, the premise being that the books one reads paints a portrait of who they are. Such was the case with Dr. Dalisay — his extensive library of adventure fiction, antiquarian books, short story collections, and poetry pointed to decades of experience as a fictionist, journalist, editor, screenwriter, and creative writing professor.
“Before I was a writer, I was a reader,” he said. “To write well, you read well. It’s not one of those intuitive things that comes out of intuitive genius. You really need to read to know how language works.”
“And you need to live. Because writing is much more than language — it’s really about living,” he added.
Advertising Filipino Titles
The video series also promotes Filipino trade books. Below is a list of the recommendations from Dr. Dalisay:
- Joy by Angelo R. Lacuesta
- Manila, My Manila by Nick Joaquin
- The Essential Manuel Arguilla Reader edited by Jose Dalisay Jr.
A spin-off challenge video will also be released on the same date. Dr. Dalisay was made to guess the plots of five Pinoy books based on the cover.
About Butch Dalisay and the National Book Development Board
Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr. Ph.D. has scored 16 Palanca awards across five genres. His earliest novel, Killing Time in a Warm Place (1992), captures the seven months he spent in prison during the Martial Law years. He wrote 14 screenplays for Lino Brocka, one of which was “Miguelito” (1985), starring Aga Muhlach, Gloria Romero, and Eddie Garcia. He has written over 700 speeches for former president Fidel V. Ramos. (Source: ANCX )
The NBDB is the book authority of the Philippines. The agency is at the forefront of developing the Philippine publishing industry, and safeguarding a vibrant culture of authorship and reading in our country. To learn more, check out booksphilippines.gov.ph/bookfair.
