What's a good read?
National Book Store invites everyone to join its Philippine Readers and Writers Festival, a three-day celebration of literature and culture, happening from August 2 – 4, 2019 at the Raffles Makati. Now on its sixth year, the Festival’s theme is Borderless: Bringing Stories from Asia to the World, an exploration of literature’s power to reach beyond borders and resonate with people across the world.
“This year, we have a fresh and exciting lineup of authors and speakers, as well as more meaningful experiences for all of the attendees and insightful conversations about the authors, books, and reading. And of course, we’re glad to be working with Raffles Makati once again to make this event a success,” says Xandra Ramos – Padilla, National Book Store’s managing director.
“Raffles is proud to have hosted and celebrated great authors in its different hotels worldwide. We are honored to host the PRWF, one of our flagship events and another milestone in our rich literary heritage,” says Monique Toda, Raffles and Fairmont Makati’s Director of Communication.
Admission is free, and the lineup of activities includes book signings, discussions, and panels about books, literature, and culture. There are also exclusive discounts on local and imported books, cool freebies and giveaways, and big raffle prizes. Each day of the Festival will feature a different set of talks and panel discussions: Day 1 is for students, teachers, and academics; Day 2 is for those interested in lifestyle and fiction; and Day 3 is for those who love young and children’s adult books.
This year’s top-billing authors are Viet Thanh Nguyen and Gina Apostol. Nguyen was born in Ban Me Thuot, Vietnam and came to the United States as a refugee in 1975 with his family. He is the Aerol Arnold Chair of English and Professor of English and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California.
His debut novel, The Sympathizer, won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, among many others. Set in 1975, it follows a North Vietnamese mole in the South Vietnamese army who ends up living in exile in the US. His other works include ‘The Refugees’, ‘The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives’, ‘Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War’, and ‘Race and Resistance: Literature and Politics in Asian America’.
Apostol is a novelist who was born in Manila, grew up in Tacloban, Leyte, and now lives in western Massachusetts and New York City. Her articles and short stories have appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Gettysburg Review, and other anthologies and journals.
Her third novel, ‘Gun Dealers’ Daughter’, won her the 2013 PEN/Open Book award. Her latest work, ‘Insurrecto’, was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a Publishers Weekly Top 10 Best Book of 2018, and BuzzFeed’s Best Fiction of 2018. It follows two women — a Filipino translator and an American filmmaker — who go on a road trip as they write a film script about a massacre during the Philippine-American War. Her other works include ‘Bibliolepsy’ and ‘The Revolution According to Raymundo Mata’.
Apart from them, a multitude of authors and artists will also be joining the festival. These include award-winning author Butch Dalisay; journalist, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter Ricky Lee; renowned historian AmbethOcampo; author and illustrator Jeremy Tankard; Filipina children’s book author Gail Villanueva; parenting and education expert Queena Lee Chua; and many others.
All events will be held at Raffles Makati, with registration starting at 9:00 AM every day. Only books purchased from NBS, NBS Express, and Powerbooks branches or online from www.nationalbookstore.com will be accommodated for the book signing events. The authors’ books will also be available at the venue.
This event is made possible in partnership with Visa and these participating publishers and publications: ABS-CBN Books, Adarna House, Anvil Publishing, ANC X, Ateneo De Manila University Press, CNN Life, Psicom, Scholastic, Summit Books, Tahanan Books, the University of the Philippines Press, University of Sto. Tomas Publishing House, Young Blood, and Young STAR.
For the latest updates, visit www.readersandwritersfestival.com and check the hashtags #GoReadWrite2019 and #PRWF2019 on social media. Connect with National Book Store — @nationalbookstore on Instagram and @nbsalerton Facebook, Twitter, Viber, and YouTube.
About Raffles Makati
Raffles Makati is an oasis of calm and elegance nestled in the most prestigious address of cosmopolitan Makati. The hotel is within walking distance to fashionable boutiques, exciting dining options that offer a myriad of cuisines, and museums and galleries. Raffles Makati offers emotional luxury to the well-travelled through its stylishly designed 32-suites. Bespoke Butler services, relaxing spa and fitness facilities, an open-air swimming pool, and the iconic Long Bar and Writers Bar are found in the hotel. Other culinary options include the vibrant all-day-dining Spectrum buffet, pastry-boutique Café Macaron, and the bustling Fairmont Lounge. The Raffles Makati is housed within a sleek 30-story tower that also includes the 280 Fairmont Makati and 237 Raffles Residences.
About National Book Store
For over 75 years, National Book Store has remained the category leader in books and supplies retail in the Philippines with over 240 stores nationwide. It is a partner in every Filipino’s education, creativity, productivity, and self-expression. It provides a vast selection of books, school and office supplies, and other educational and professional products. Shop online at www.nationalbookstore.com or call the delivery hotline 8888-NBS (627).