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Leche
After thirteen years of living in the U.S., Vince returns to his birthplace, the Philippines. As he ventures into the heat and chaos of the city, he encounters a motley cast of characters, including a renegade nun, a political film director, arrogant hustlers, and the country’s spotlight-driven First Daughter. Haunted by his childhood memories and a troubled family history...more
Paperback, 361 pages
Published
April 12th 2011
by Coffee House Press
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I just finished Leche yesterday, and am planning on teaching this in Filipino American Literature at USF in the Fall.
Some quick thoughts: I like Linmark's portrayal of Manila, which is one of the principal characters in this novel. Manila is crazy, contradictory, it evades understanding, especially by our apparently ordered American minds. Linmark's "hero," is the balikbayan Vince, or Vicente. So this book is his hero journey through the morass of Manila, to try to figure himself out, as a Filip...more
Some quick thoughts: I like Linmark's portrayal of Manila, which is one of the principal characters in this novel. Manila is crazy, contradictory, it evades understanding, especially by our apparently ordered American minds. Linmark's "hero," is the balikbayan Vince, or Vicente. So this book is his hero journey through the morass of Manila, to try to figure himself out, as a Filip...more
There’s no reason why R. Zamora Linmark shouldn’t shoot for the Great Philippine Novel in his ambitious and wide-ranging new book, Leche, even if it’s told from the perspective of a balikbayan, returning to the Philippines after 13 years. The fact that there may be anywhere from 8.2 to 11 million Filipinos overseas – about 10 percent of the Filipino population – surely makes it an “authentic” Filipino stance from which to write. Two of the greatest chroniclers of the Filipino experience, N.V.M....more
A clever, iconoclastic writer takes on all the contradictions of Manila in the 1990s -- and does a fantastic job. Of all the collage novelists I've read in the past few years, I think Zamora Linmark uses the genre most effectively. His narrative is interspersed with post cards, lists (of Tourist Tips from travelers to the Philippines), dialogue from a TV talk show -- but it all works, and none of it seems forced. The different modes allow him to relate information that wouldn't quite fit into th...more
beautifully written, moving from fabulous to witty to hilarious to outrageous (in the sense of causing outrage) to philosophical. this book takes wordplay to the next level, the puns aren't just there to draw attention to themselves, they really are reshaping language, intervening in dominant narratives, opening up possibilities. there is also an awareness of history here which is incredibly smart, which really does show the dis/connection between the "capital H" and the close-up view of a life....more
At times Leche was quite funny and clearly ambitious, but it didn't really hold together at all. Ideas, characters, plots, revelations, etc. were picked up momentarily, then discarded forever a few pages later. Every character -- regardless of age, sex, gender, class, etc. -- spoke in the arch, allusive voice of a drag queen cliché. The tone toggled jerkily and inexplicably between high camp and didactic historian, with extended bouts of treacly sentimentality, but not in a way that seemed cleve...more
I really wanted to like this book. It started out really interesting me -- I am very fond of books with fast paced small sections, written from different perspectives and in different formats. Yet, I became confused and a bit bored about half way through, so I just gave up on it.
I often push through books anyways and find them eventually to have provided a good read -- but I borrowed this from the library, tried it several times over the three weeks, and just couldn't.
I often push through books anyways and find them eventually to have provided a good read -- but I borrowed this from the library, tried it several times over the three weeks, and just couldn't.
Leche channels all that I love in Dante, Swift, Fellini, Calvino, Cesaire, Burroughs, Pasolini, Wong, Acker, and Brocka's art. A landmark by Linmark, Leche is the novel about a native son's return to the Philippines I long hoped to see published in my lifetime. I've already packed it in my desert isle suitcase, right next to its prequel, Rolling the Rs. Yeah, folks--it's that GREAT.
Was excited to think that maybe this novel was a Filipino version of Amy Tan's novels. That it would give Americans a peek into Filipino culture through entertaining stories. Instead it is attempting to be a Filipino version of David Sedaris, however very disappointly unsuccessful. Am currently reading/skimming this book hoping that it gets better.
For someone who does not understand her own concept of home, this book greatly appealed to me. To be home in Manila and yet not, with its constant changes and surprises--both frustrating and endearing. It's a rollicking fun and bittersweet tour of Manila; one journey that will hopefully guide you in finding your own personal Manila, and self.
It's a good thing I kept reading this book. In the beginning I was afraid it was a "You know you're Filipino If" compilation of anecdotes being passed off as a novel but after the first few chapters I started to find it amusing and interesting. I don't often read Filipino literature but I'm glad I took the time to read this. I'm not one to take offense at people who portray the Philippines in a negative light - especially since most of the time it's the truth. So I found this quirky novel as a f...more
I have to admit, I knew nothing about the Philippines before reading this book. I enjoyed learning about the culture and liked the way the book was presented. The tone reminded me a little bit of Junot Diaz's /The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao/ (which I loved).
If you haven't been to the Phillipines or if you know nothing about the Philippines, don't read this book, it will make no sense. I am not offended by many things but was offended several times in this book. Parts were very interesting, but not a great way to spend my time. Disappointing.
This new novel by Filipino-American writer R. Zamora Linmark is part travelogue, part cultural guide, part historical guide to the Philippines.
Small snippets are amazing. A glimpse of a disaporic life, or beginners guide to de-colonization as the author said.
I wanted to love, but then I was still unable to get absorbed in this book.
I wanted to love, but then I was still unable to get absorbed in this book.
A missed opportunity.
http://luhathoughts.blogspot.com/2012...
http://luhathoughts.blogspot.com/2012...
Interesting story with lots of twists. Enjoyed a peek at Fillipino culture.
uncorrected galley. specialadvance reader's copy.
May 16, 2013
Dhen Ramos
marked it as to-read
want to know this.
Interesting immigrant story with cool views of the philippines but I just didn't really connect with the main character. Fairly abrupt ending too.
Finally done!
confusing, but interesting. i found the descriptions to be so realistic and enthralling that i was actually sweating. i had NO idea about the phillipines before this book, so i may have to read another just to be sure:)
SOB, I LOVE IT.
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May 17, 2013
Albert Mabalot
marked it as to-read
May 15, 2013
Mary Grace
added it
May 14, 2013
Vinx Bansale
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2013
David
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Maria Ella
marked it as wish-list
Recommended to Maria Ella by:
spot.ph "10 Pinoy Authors in the Intl Publishing Scene"
Shelves:
pinoy-publication
May 09, 2013
Jotham Paulino
added it
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R. Zamora Linmark is the author of Rolling The R’s, Prime Time Apparitions, The Evolution of a Sigh, and Leche, sequel to Rolling The R’s. A two-time Fulbright Scholar, he has received grants and fellowships from the U.S.-Japan Friendship Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, San Francisco Arts Commission, and twice from the Fulbright Foundation, in 1998, and as a Senior Scholar in 2005.
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