Cebu

by Peter Bacho

Book Overview

This remarkable first novel follows the struggle of Ben Lucero, a young Filipino American priest who must come to terms with his bifurcated notion of home as well as his own religious commitment. Ben's first visit to the city of Cebu in the Philippines, for his mother's burial, becomes the occasion of his corruption when he is confronted with the manipulative wiles of two enigmatic women, his powerful Aunt Clara and her glamorous young business...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0295971320
• ISBN13: 9780295971322
• Release Date: September 1991
• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Intriguing read

This book captured my imagination and at the same time, reaffirmed my awe for older generations who have experienced and survived the bitterness of war. Having spent all of the first 18 years of my life in Cebu, I could say it captured its essence very well. Now, three years later after I left that Xanadu, I read "CEBU" and relive the memories of how most people attempted treading on that blurry line dividing blind faith and instinctive practicality without seeming to break a sweat, quite a feat for most people raised here in the U.S. This balance is especially captured by Aunt Clara, notably the most powerful character in the story, literally and figuratively. I would recommend it to almost anyone, the book gives you the freedom to relate to at least one character. Very intriguing.

Interesting to read...

Enjoyed reading this book. It does capture aspects of the Cebu and the Philippines which are very true. Having grown up in Cebu; and lived in Los Angeles for quite some time now, this book showed the big contrasts that exists. The book has a section describing the Road to Toledo; having taken that road in the 1960's, it brought back memories of how dangerous the road is. Loved the book. I highly recommend it.

A Perfect One-Man Boat

Peter Bacho beautifully articulates the emotional worlds of the deterritorialized Filipino American. With Fr. Ben Lucero's spiritual reconstruction, Bacho constantly explores and mediates between the warm comforts and cold mysteries of Philippine culture. In doing so, Bacho provides an intimate look into the distant, brash, and passionate demeanor of the Filipino psyche... If you believe 'home' stretches across the Pacific, then Cebu is a must-read.

laughing out loud

Peter Bacho's book made me laugh out loud. Not many books can do that. I'm not talking about a chuckle. I was laughing for a good few minutes. His dry sense of humor is just the right touch.