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Spiritual Register: News Columns La Vanguardia 1926–27
National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin translates the original Spanish texts of T. M. Kalaw’s commentaries and observations of the manners and ideas of his time via a daily column he was commissioned to write in the La Vanguardia, “Mi Página Diaria” (My Daily Page).
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1930
About the author
Teodoro M. Kalaw
15 books5 followersTeodoro Manguiat Kalaw (originally Teodoro Kalaw y Manguiat) was a Filipino attorney, journalist, legislator, government official, historian and librarian.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 10, 2016
Last week, when my friends and I met and decided to go to Fully Booked BGC, in the Filipiniana Section, I found Dietaro Espiritual or the Spiritual Register by T.M. Kalaw.
A bit of history: Theodoro Kalaw was a newspaperman, author, assemblyman and the first director of the National Library, and La Vanguardia, a successor of the anti-imperialist paper, El Renacinimiento, whose language was Spanish. With the help of Nick Joaquin, Kalaw's news columns had been translated to English.
His writings dated back to the pre-war era, that is to say, the American Occupation. Theodoro Kalaw presented the customs of the era and the democracy, said he, are inherent in every society. What I loved in this book is, his observations of the era are still prevalent to this day.
In one of his columns, Civic Duty, he pointed out the lack of civil duty of our countrymen. As an example to this is: a dog that has been dead in the middle of the road, and no one wants to remove it, for he is not the owner, or the smell is horrible. As I reflected, this disposition continues to this day; has been prevalent. As a result, crimes have gone worse. More so is the intolerance of the people to others' opinions. Mr. Kalaw put it: The tolerance is indispensable exercise of freedom. It is the complement of freedom.
The book is an easy read, only 176 pages, minus the comments, and two to three pages per column. Though sometimes prolix, as Nick Joaquin's style, I still find the book very good, yet lamentable. For it shows, as one reflects to this day, that we have not yet progressed for the past years. The only difference is, we have internet and smartphones.
I give it five stars for its great historical value. I wonder if Solidaridad has Kalaw's other writings, for I will buy it. Anyways, said Nick Joaquim, Happy Reading!
A bit of history: Theodoro Kalaw was a newspaperman, author, assemblyman and the first director of the National Library, and La Vanguardia, a successor of the anti-imperialist paper, El Renacinimiento, whose language was Spanish. With the help of Nick Joaquin, Kalaw's news columns had been translated to English.
His writings dated back to the pre-war era, that is to say, the American Occupation. Theodoro Kalaw presented the customs of the era and the democracy, said he, are inherent in every society. What I loved in this book is, his observations of the era are still prevalent to this day.
In one of his columns, Civic Duty, he pointed out the lack of civil duty of our countrymen. As an example to this is: a dog that has been dead in the middle of the road, and no one wants to remove it, for he is not the owner, or the smell is horrible. As I reflected, this disposition continues to this day; has been prevalent. As a result, crimes have gone worse. More so is the intolerance of the people to others' opinions. Mr. Kalaw put it: The tolerance is indispensable exercise of freedom. It is the complement of freedom.
The book is an easy read, only 176 pages, minus the comments, and two to three pages per column. Though sometimes prolix, as Nick Joaquin's style, I still find the book very good, yet lamentable. For it shows, as one reflects to this day, that we have not yet progressed for the past years. The only difference is, we have internet and smartphones.
I give it five stars for its great historical value. I wonder if Solidaridad has Kalaw's other writings, for I will buy it. Anyways, said Nick Joaquim, Happy Reading!
Displaying 1 of 1 review