Reviews for Humana Festival 2001: The Complete Plays

The average rating for Humana Festival 2001: The Complete Plays based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-05-10 00:00:00 Louie Escobar This book aims to provide a representative sampling of Bulosan's writings. It opens with a brilliant 45 page introduction by E. San Juan, Jr. Next is a collection of the best short stories of Bulosan. Read The Laughter of My Father . Certainly don't skip The Philippines is in the Heart . These are the short stories you should be reading. I recommend them more than America is in the Heart . You see Bulosan really masterfully working through the key themes of his writing here. And the introduction really gives you an appreciation for these stories. The next section contains a selection of oft quoted Bulosan essays. "Freedom from Want" is among the most notable as Bulosan was recruited to write in as an illustration for Rockwell's paintings of Roosevelt's four freedoms. You know the picture - rich wasp family does thanksgiving? Bulosan writes "our march to freedom is not completed until want is annihilated." This is followed by a section of fairly mediocre poetry. (Want some really good revolutionary poetry of a similar genre? Go get a collection from Hughes. Read it out loud.). Next we have a section called "Correspondence." First are a series of smart exceprts from random letters. This is convenient for the scholar who may only want to pluck a quote out. The context of these letters are not included. Then come a beautiful set of letters that Bulosan wrote to Dorothy Babb (sister of Sanora Babb). Then another notable letter he published entitled "Letter to a Filipino Woman." This is followed by an autobiographical sketch Bulosan composed of himself, a bibliography of his work, and a bibliography of criticism. This is a well put together collection that showcases the best of Bulosan.

Review # 2 was written on 2010-07-06 00:00:00 Craig Underly I'm slowly writing my responses here: An excerpt: I have taught one of these essays, "The Writer as Worker," for my Poets of Color class. I really appreciate Bulosan's thoughts on the publishing industry, and what it means for him to be a writer, what his social and political role is as a writer: "Why should I write about labor unions and their struggle? Because a writer is also a worker. He writes stories, for example, and sells them or tries to sell them. They are products of his brain. They are commodities. Then again, the writer is also a citizen; and as a citizen he must safeguard his civil rights and liberties. Life is a collective work and also a social reality. Therefore the writer must participate with his fellow man in the struggle to protect, to brighten, to fulfill life. Otherwise he has no meaning -- a nothing." The above excerpt is self-explanatory. I know of writers who disagree fervently with this, the social responsibility of the writer. It's coercive, I've heard some complain, to expect writers to engage the real world and its sociopolitical realities. I don't agree with these complainers, and indeed, only potential complaint would be when the social responsibility is fettered within limited sets of aesthetics. Ultimately, I applaud Bulosan for his very clear, even defiant statement. With "I Am Not A Laughing Man," it's this unapologetic anger at the world, or the reality of our multi-layered anger fueling our writing in such vital ways. Think Flavor Flav: "I got a right to be hostile; my people been persecuted!" Read more: