A BEAUTIFUL WRITE UP BY PHILIPPINE LITERARY COLUMNIST ROSALINDA OROSA ======================= Titan Dave Boguslav .. SUNDRY STROKES By Rosalinda L. Orosa | Updated November 26, 2011 - 12:00am To be launched this afternoon at 5 at the Solidaridad Bookshop is the voluminous coffeetable book “The Life and the Manila Times of David T. Boguslav” edited and annotated by Marlies Hackett Mañeru, distinguished writer and grand niece of Boguslav, and her husband Luis Antonio Mañeru, eminent Spanish translator. Of epic proportions, the book contains these chapters: Manila Times History/Boguslav History/Journalism in the Philippines/Jews in Manila/Boguslavs Philippines/The San Francisco Peace Treaty/Sixth UN General Assembly (Paris, France)/The CIA in Manila/The Sternberg-Hackett Connection/Snippets/Southeast Asian Treaty Organization/The Hadji Kamlon Affaire/Correspondence/World War II/Carlos P. Romulo Papers/Philippine Economic Planning/US Policy in the Philippines/China Question/President Elpidio Quirino/President Ramon Magsaysay/Ninoy Aquino to President Noynoy Aquino/About the Authors. The table of contents indicates the books widely diverse topics and personalities in American and Filipino governance, politics, economics, finance, foreign relations, espionage, military affairs, etc. Dave, the Manila Times editor for four decades (1920-1960s) was an American Jew, and his views were those of an American who was fair, honest and thoroughly sympathetic toward Filipinos. More than this, as the Mañerus state in their preface, “the book — which celebrates Daves 115th birth anniversary — aims to give the reader a little peek into the life of a fascinating personality who had an ego, to be sure, but held it in check by strict principles to which he adhered such as fair play, honor and an almost fierce loyalty to a self-imposed journalistic oath to write the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, in the best possible way (i.e., honestly and tastefully).” The letters to and from Dave are riveting. What interests me most are letters written to cultural personalities coursed through Dave. Virginia Capotosto of the Manila Theater Guild writes to Jose Lardizabal in protest of a review he wrote. (I recall Capotosto writing me a similar letter.) What interests me even more are references to artists: dramatic soprano Kathy Sternberg, pianist Aida Sanz Gonzales, contralto Conchita Gaston, to name a few. Dave profusely thanks Executive Secretary J.V. Cruz for services rendered. This brings me to the shift, to the allusion to Filipino journalists who took over from Dave: Joe Bautista, Jose Luna Castro, E. A. Cruz, Jose Guevarra, etc. Summing up, the book sheds light on a most significant aspect not only of the history of journalism in the Philippines but also of Philippine history itself. Marlies Hackett Mañeru and Luis Antonio Mañeru have accomplished a gigantic task. Every Filipino interested in his country’s history should acquire a copy of the book.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 08:12:01 +0000
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