"...THE ENDURING POWER OF BOOK CLUBS" by RACHIELLE RAGASA SHEFFLER

From East to West: The Enduring Power of Book Clubs

By Rachielle Ragasa Sheffler

 

As Thanksgiving approached, I forced myself to find reasons to hope, despite the recent election. Like many, I struggled to understand what happened, and the shock and disbelief made me retreat. The computer keys remained silent, seeking inspiration but there was none.

 

On a Saturday afternoon in mid-November, I joined the Carlos Bulosan Book Club (CBBC) meeting via Zoom. I had planned to attend in person, but I was pressed for time with some family obligations. The meeting was held at the Echo Park Library in Los Angeles. I had been there before and gawked at the shelves laden with rows of books about the Philippines or Filipinos in the diaspora. I am sure other libraries would envy this collection.

 

For the event, CBBC partnered with Mara Coson from Exploding Galaxies, a publisher in the Philippines giving out-of-print books another life. Featured were two books shedding light on the wars that raged in the Philippines, The Three-Cornered Sun by Linda Ty-Casper and But for the Lovers by Wilfrido D. Nolledo. 

From “An Afternoon with Exploding Galaxies,” Nov. 16, 2024, sponsored by the Carlos Bulosan Book

 Club and Friends of the Echo Park Library of LA.  Seated: L-R. Cecilia Brainard, Blanca Nolledo, 

Velinda Rockello, Myrla Baldonado.  Standing: L-R James Castillo, Noel Alumit, Ruel Nolledo, 

Orlando Nolledo, Jaime Geaga, David Rockello

 

When asked to weigh in on the renewed interest in her book, Linda said, “I’m surprised that people are still interested.”

 

In a gentle voice, she described her love for history. “There were books about the Philippines that I’d never heard about and some were derogatory, and I said, ‘I should do something to confront that wrong message.’ My purpose in writing historical books is so we will remember our history so it will become part of our memory, our country’s memory, and that of the world. Otherwise, we will disappear. We have to remember the past to enter the future.”

 

At 93 years old, Linda Ty-Casper had just finished writing her memoir, which the Philippine American Literary House (PALH) will publish next year. 

 

Linda reflected on her upcoming memoir, “I think that is my last book, and I’m happy but I don’t think I can read it. It’s so painful to read about the people in my life who are no longer with me, but there is another life and I hope we all meet together there.”

 

My heart dropped. It was a gift listening to a woman face her waning years with full acceptance. Her strength inspired my flagging spirit.

 

Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard, founder of PALH and author of many books, recently republished Fundamentals of Creative Writing in August 2024. She revised and expanded the original volume, which she made available for free to aspiring writers like me during Covid. At the CBBC meeting, Cecilia describes writers as a tribe, connected in many ways.

 

Her comment made me think of the Boston Filipino American Club (BFAB). I’ve never been to Boston, and how I became a BFAB member is a tentacled story. I'm not sure who told me that good literary citizens must “stalk,” in a good way, their favorite writers. I took those words to heart, often bingeing on an author’s work. I follow them on social media, engage during events or meetings, buy their books, and request the library to purchase a copy.

 

I was researching our family tree when I discovered A Village in the Fields by Patty Enrado. The main character was from San Esteban, Ilocos Sur, my mother’s hometown. I discovered Patty’s lecture, Celebrating the Evolution of Filipino American Literature. She discussed books by category and in the illustrated section, mentioned Fe: A Traumatized Son’s Graphic Memoir by Bren Bataclan.

Bren and I hit it off, and he invited me to the monthly BFAB meetings. He directed me to the club’s website, and I recognized a few names, like Jhoanna Belfer who owns Bel Canto Books in Long Beach, and Grace Talusan, author of The Body Papers. Like many writers, Grace was accommodating with fangirl requests and I was pleasantly shocked when she responded to a question on writing about family. She offered to meet me by Zoom. Her generosity astounded me. She gave me tips on how to engage my family in oral interviews. Learning that I was from Baguio, she mentioned then Poet Laureate of Virginia, Luisa A. Igloria. I met Eileen Tabios through Luisa, and that’s how I came to write for The Halo-Halo Review.

 

The Halo Halo Review is a digital magazine published by Eileen Tabios, inventor of the hay(na)ku poetry form. She has a prolific repertoire of books encompassing prose, poetry and even a children's book. 

Eileen recently released a second novel, The Balikbayan Artist (Penguin Random House SEA). I suggested to Bren that BFAB consider it for one of their selections. I’m pleased to share that BFAB has chosen Eileen’s book for its March 2025 book club selection. I also introduced Eileen to Bren; Eileen then asked Bren to participate in the Post-Book Author Interviews and his feature is part of this issue. A book club can expand your experiences in so many—including unexpected—ways!

 

~

Some relevant links:

 

Boston Filipino American Club website:

https://www.bataclan.com/bfab.html

 

 

Carlos Bulosan Book Club website: 

https://carlosbulosanbookclub.org/

 

 

Exploding Galaxies' video of Linda Ty-Casper: 

https://youtu.be/QbHnmP2MQag?feature=shared

 

 

Writers Gina Apostol and Charlson Ong discuss But for the Lovers in an event hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design Manila in June 2023:

https://youtu.be/gDCw1ZA3Oak?feature=shared

 

 

The Balikbayan Artist by Eileen R. Tabios:

https://eileenrtabios.com/fiction/the-balikbayan-artist/ 

 

 

*****

 

Rachielle Ragasa Sheffler was born in Baguio City, Philippines. She immigrated to the United States in her early twenties and settled in Southern California with her big Filipino family. She belongs to the San Diego Writers, Ink, and International Memoir Writers Association. She was a featured writer in the Making Space, Taking Space AAPI Workshop enabled by a California Humanities grant. She contributes to The Halo-Halo Review, a magazine promoting works of Filipino authors in all genres. She launched her Substack as Baguio Girl with a series called The ABCs of Recovering Ilocano. Rachelle's works in progress are Born There: An Ilocano Family’s Migration Story and a memoir, Baguio Girl.

 

When not writing, Rachielle works as a clinical laboratory scientist.