The Thing About Hoarding Books on Philippine Mythology

Ever since I joined the #StrangeLit workshop and wrote Bloodline Maharlika, I’ve been on a quest to get my hands on every reference book pertaining to Philippine mythology, history, and folklore. Acquiring these books took effort not just on the financial side, but on the logistics aspect as well. I consider myself lucky if I find one in mint condition or wrapped in plastic. I had to actively look for them book stores, but most of the time I’d find them in a dusty, forgotten corner, abandoned and ignored with creased pages and torn covers. Sometimes I’d go out of my way to brick-and-mortar book shops and I’d find rare gems. And there are moments when I’d score the last copy in mainstream book stores.

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to get my hands on Maximo Ramos’s collection of his essential works. Any local mythology enthusiast worth his salt would know that Dr. Ramos is considered the Dean of Philippine Lower Mythology, and his books have been referenced by academics and fiction writers all over the country. Fellow author Chrissie Peria and Jordan Clark of The Aswang Project gave me a tip to head to Phoenix Publishing House along Quezon Avenue to get copies of the Ramos books . And true enough, the saleslady told me they’re just selling off the remaining stocks. This means the books will be collectors’ items and will not be reprinted. /cue panic buying 

Pretty effective sales talk, if you ask me.

Then today was the UP Press sale where they had a 50% markdown on all of their books for one day only. Everyone knows how pricey and invaluable the Damiana Eugenio books are, so I just closed my eyes and picked three of the most relevant and urgent ones I needed for the research I’m doing for the next Bloodline books. I think it was a worthwhile buy and I have two more Eugenio books to collect. UP Press will have another sale in December, but only for 20% off. I consider it a huge steal to have that half-price discount.

I may have splurged on these books, but I consider them as investments, maybe heirlooms even (haha). I’ve still to get my hands on more Gilda Cordero-Fernando books, but that’s for another day. I’ll probably be holed up in my room, deciding on which books to read first (or maybe read them simultaneously?). Who would’ve thought research could be this much fun?

Here’s a list of where I’ve bought my reference books:

1. National Book Store / Powerbooks – The Eastwood NBS branch had one last copy of the Treasury of Stories; Edgar Samar’s 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang is still available in NBS/Powerbooks or you can get them at the Adarna House showroom; The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo by Budjette Tan, et. al. is a recent publication that’s currently available in all NBS and Powerbooks branches.
2. Fully Booked – I found William Henry Scott’s Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino in Trinoma (only a few copies left)
3. University of the Philippines Press Book Store – for the Philippine Folk Literature collection by Damiana Eugenio and Samuel Tan’s A History of the Philippines
4. Mt. Cloud Bookshop – for Michael Tan’s Revisiting Usog, Pasma, Kulam (but since it’s a UP Press imprint, it could also be available at the campus book store), for a few William Henry Scott books
5. Manila International Book Fair – for The Soul Book (a super rare Pokemon that only appears during MIBF)
6. Phoenix Publishing House – for the Maximo Ramos collection
7. Ateneo University Press – for Scott’s Barangay (can also be found in MIBF)
8. artbooks.ph has a collection on of books Philippine history, theory, and criticism where you can find some of William Henry Scott’s books

[Edit]

Here’s the complete list of books:

• The Soul Book by Francisco R. Demetrio, S.J., Gilda Cordero-Fernando, and Fernando N. Zialcita
• Treasury of Stories by E. Arsenio Manuel and Gilda Cordero-Fernando
• 101 Kagila-Gilalas na Nilalang by Edgar Calabia Samar
• Revisiting Usog, Pasma, Kulam by Michael Tan
• A History of the Philippines by Samuel K. Tan
• Philippine Folk Literature Series by Damiana Eugenio
  • An Anthology
  • The Folktales*
  • The Proverbs*
  • The Legends
  • The Epics
  • The Myths
  • The Riddles*
  • The Folk Songs*
• Books by Maximo Ramos
  • Philippine Myths, Legends, and Folktales
  • Legends of Lower Gods
  • The Creatures of Midnight
  • The Aswang Complex in Philippine Folklore
  • Philippine Demonological Legends and Their Cultural Bearings
  • Boyhood in Monsoon Country
  • Tales of Long Ago in the Philippines
  • Patricia of the Green Hills and Other Stories and Poems*
  • Remembrance of Lents Past and Other Essays
  • Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology*
• Books by William Henry Scott
  • Barangay: 16th Century Philippine Culture and Society
  • Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino

* Book titles I have yet to acquire

P.S.: If you happen to spot any non-fiction books on Philippine mythology and folklore, I’d appreciate a shout-out! 🙂