Edited by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, the book, Fiction by Filipinos in America, is a collection of short stories that includes writings by Philippine and Philippine American writers Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, Carlos Bulosan, Luis Cabalquinto, Virgina R. Cerenio, Juan C. Dionisio, Alberto S. Florentino, Ligaya Victorio Fruto, Jean Vengua Gier, N.V.M. Gonzalez, Erlinda Villamor Kravetz, Paulino Lim, Jr. Manuel R. Olimpo, Julia L. Palarca, Oscar Penaranda, Bienvenido N. Santos, Nadine Sarreal, Michelle Cruz Skinner, Samuel Tagatac, Linda Ty-Casper, Nenutzka Villamar, Marianne Villanueva, and Manuel A. Viray. First published in the Philippines in 1993, this 2020 US edition hopes to accommodate librarians, professors, teachers, and students interested in Philippine American literature, books which are still scarce in the US. This collection, which has been used by educators and cited as a valuable resource includes classic stories such as A Scent of Apples by Bienvenido N. Santos and The Romance of Magno Rubio by Carlos Bulosan.
Writing for World Literature Today, Professor Al Camus Palomar, praises the book saying: (Editor) Manguerra Brainard’s selection is a delight. Some of the stories are masterly, especially those written by such reliables as Carlos Bulosan, Linda Ty-Casper, N.V.M. Gonzalez, and Alberto S. Florentino. None is less than highly competent, and all are worth reading. Manguerra Brainard has done an excellent job of mixing critical judgement and personal taste.
Isagani R. Cruz wrote in Philippines Star: Definitely one of the most outstanding anthologies published [in 1993], this collection of stories by 23 Filipino writers who work or used to work in the United States is a must-read for all students of Philippine Literature.
The stories convey the history of Filipinos in America via fiction and the book is acknowledged an important addition to Philippine, Philippine-American, as well as Asian-American literature.
