Top 6 Fil-Am books to read for the Fourth of July

Books by Filipino American authors that will help get you in the mood for the 4th of July celebration. CONTRIBUTED

The Fourth of July in the United States is a celebration of the country’s independence. In the Philippines, it celebrates Philippine Republic Day, also known as Philippine-American Friendship Day.

READ about the first Fil-Am to portray Alexander Hamilton in the musical ‘Hamilton’

That date holds a different significance when it comes to relations between the two countries as it marks Philippine-American Friendship Day.

READ about the Filipino American Friendship Festival 2024 in San Diego  

According to the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, it is a day that “pays tribute to the long partnership between the two countries.”

For a day that can hold so much meaning for so many different people, it can serve as an opportunity to reflect on what these themes mean for each of us individually and for our loved ones, our families, communities and, yes, nations.

What are the different meanings of independence? How is freedom interpreted by different people? What is being a nation supposed to be like? Does contemplating or learning about these ideas have to be serious or can it be done in entertaining ways? Or both at the same time?

What songs, movies, TV shows, YouTube videos, TikToks, podcasts, video games, plays, musicals, photos, paintings, sculptures, architecture, fashion, food, dances, games, sports and other activities do you think can help us think or feel more about these holidays’ meanings?

In the meantime, here are some books with a mix of topics that can help you get in the mood for these holidays.

History of the Philippines: From Indios Bravos to Filipinos

Luis H. Francia

Begins with the pre-Westernized Philippines in the 16th century and continues through the 1899 Philippine-American War, the nation’s relationship with the United States’ controlling presence, culminating with its independence in 1946 and ongoing insurgencies.

The Filipino-American Kitchen: Traditional Recipes, Contemporary Flavors

Jennifer M. Aranas

Chef and teacher Jennifer Aranas takes readers on a gastronomic tour, from sweet and spicy to smoky and tangy, while transforming delicious native recipes into easy-to-make meals in this collection of over 100 recipes, which includes everything from appetizers to desserts. Innovative interpretations of recipes include Duck Adobo, Salmon Kilaw, Lamb Casoy, Ambrosia Shortcake, Hearty Paella, Sweet Halo-Halo Sundaes and more.

Fiction by Filipinos in America

Edited by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

A collection of short stories conveying the history of Filipinos in America via fiction. Includes “A Scent of Apples” by Bienvenido N. Santos and “The Romance of Magno Rubio” by Carlos Bulosan. Other writers include Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, Luis Cabalquinto, Virgina R. Cerenio, Juan C. Dionisio, Alberto S. Florentino, Ligaya Victorio Fruto, Jean Vengua Gier, N.V.M. Gonzalez, Erlinda Villamor Kravetz, Paulino Lim, Jr. Manuel R. Olimpo, Julia L. Palarca, Oscar Peñaranda, Bienvenido N. Santos, Nadine Sarreal, Michelle Cruz Skinner, Samuel Tagatac, Linda Ty-Casper, Nenutzka Villamar, Marianne Villanueva and Manuel A. Viray.

Halo-Halo: A poetic mix of culture, history, identity, revelation, and revolution

Justine Ramos

In this poetry collection, Ramos writes not only about her experiences with immigration but also about the gifts of humility, knowledge and a passion for advocacy she found along the way. She insists that change, revolution and growth are possible in unity.

Empire of Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History

Catherine Ceniza Choy

Choy combines extensive interviews with Filipino nurses across the United States and the perspectives of Philippine and American government and health officials. She contends that the origins of Filipino nurse migrations lie in the Americanized hospital training system during the early 20th century colonial occupation and how the culture of American imperialism continues to shape the reception of Filipino nurses in the United States.

Coming Full Circle: The Process of Decolonization Among Post-1965 Filipino Americans

Leny Mendoza Strobel

Strobel is a Professor of American Multicultural Studies and the Project Director of the Center for Babaylan Studies. Her book tackles the process of healing the colonized Filipino psyche through the recovery and re-imagination of Filipino identity and culture and developing new conceptualizations and frameworks about the Filipino American experience.  

Walter Ang is the author of Barangay to Broadway: Filipino American Theater. Available at Amazon, Bookshop and other online booksellers.