Re-reading Carlos Bulosan's Moving-On Memoir 'America Is In The Heart' in the Original English Version
I've read Carlos Bulosan's 'America Is In The Heart' in the original English lately, after I picked up a copy from one of my favorite thrift stores in Brooklyn months ago. I actually read it first many years ago in Tagalog (Nasa Puso Ang Amerika), and I don't recall much about the book (it reads very polemical in Tagalog). I even thought of it as a novel by this venerable writer from the Philippines, which, obviously, was a wrong assumption. It's a memoir; actually one of the best and most touching books of the genre I've read written in English. He should have been a US Citizen but because there were dominant bigots in power and in influential circles then (from both the US and the Philippines), he and other Philippine-born nationals were denied the basic right (think of it: the Philippines was a commonwealth of the US then, just like Puerto Rico, or even like Massachusetts---and draw your own conclusion).
You got to spare time to read this book, not because I'm recommending it as an awesome moving-on book for someone who's an immigrant in the US (or anywhere else outside of the Philippine archipelago shores), but because it's a very important book (despite its limitations, which is common in all other books, if you're just turned on or wired up by seeing defects from the start when reading a book). It details gruesome, cruel, pathetic but strangely very liberating threads of disturbing narratives from someone like Mr Bulosan, whose label as a writer is that of a poet in the US (it seems to me, and for probably for such reason, he's relegated to something unworthy by some who just feel envious of what he accomplished given the kind of life he had, which you won't dream for yourself nor your loved ones). And note that it ranks among the top 10,000 bestselling books on Amazon.com (which I'm aware of, because I sell books online, thru Amazon.com). This says a lot about the place of Mr Bulosan among bookreaders, and has critical implications on the general culture prevalent in the US (of which, you can draw your own conclusions, based on your experience and background as a book-reader) you may observe if you find yourself in this still-very powerful country in North America.
I can only wonder how far Mr Bulosan would have gone if he opted instead to stay in the East Coast, where there are more pronounced diverse options you'd encounter the minute you find yourself here (even if there's still racism plus all forms of prejudice you can imagine facing here). But there's no point in dwelling on what's seen on hindsight. And his memoir remains a strong, admirable testament on how he managed to move on, despite his being of peasant stock (I mean, what do you expect really from someone brought about from such a social background, --- some call it 'humble origins' although they don't know what that means exactly--- especially if you're from the Philippines during those periods, & even up to now, to some extent---I have my own share of relatives from all the social classes, thankfully!). He came into terms with his being an American, despite the denials he suffered from the government, despite the depravities he suffered, among other things you can find being described in the book. Strangely, he met a lot of others of goodwill and who helped him in their own special ways. He was provided hospitalization and care when he had to be in the hospital for 2 years, for example. Among many other experiences, these must have helped him manage the process of moving on, of being transplanted from a country that he didn't manage to ever visit again.
You got to spare time to read this book, not because I'm recommending it as an awesome moving-on book for someone who's an immigrant in the US (or anywhere else outside of the Philippine archipelago shores), but because it's a very important book (despite its limitations, which is common in all other books, if you're just turned on or wired up by seeing defects from the start when reading a book). It details gruesome, cruel, pathetic but strangely very liberating threads of disturbing narratives from someone like Mr Bulosan, whose label as a writer is that of a poet in the US (it seems to me, and for probably for such reason, he's relegated to something unworthy by some who just feel envious of what he accomplished given the kind of life he had, which you won't dream for yourself nor your loved ones). And note that it ranks among the top 10,000 bestselling books on Amazon.com (which I'm aware of, because I sell books online, thru Amazon.com). This says a lot about the place of Mr Bulosan among bookreaders, and has critical implications on the general culture prevalent in the US (of which, you can draw your own conclusions, based on your experience and background as a book-reader) you may observe if you find yourself in this still-very powerful country in North America.
I can only wonder how far Mr Bulosan would have gone if he opted instead to stay in the East Coast, where there are more pronounced diverse options you'd encounter the minute you find yourself here (even if there's still racism plus all forms of prejudice you can imagine facing here). But there's no point in dwelling on what's seen on hindsight. And his memoir remains a strong, admirable testament on how he managed to move on, despite his being of peasant stock (I mean, what do you expect really from someone brought about from such a social background, --- some call it 'humble origins' although they don't know what that means exactly--- especially if you're from the Philippines during those periods, & even up to now, to some extent---I have my own share of relatives from all the social classes, thankfully!). He came into terms with his being an American, despite the denials he suffered from the government, despite the depravities he suffered, among other things you can find being described in the book. Strangely, he met a lot of others of goodwill and who helped him in their own special ways. He was provided hospitalization and care when he had to be in the hospital for 2 years, for example. Among many other experiences, these must have helped him manage the process of moving on, of being transplanted from a country that he didn't manage to ever visit again.
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