BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BY AWARD WINNING AUTHOR
WOMAN WITH HORNS AND OTHER STORIES by Philippine American writer Cecilia Manguerra Brainard introduces her first book to new readers. First published in 1987, the book collects a dozen stories that draw from historical and contemporary sources. Many of the stories explore the clash of Philippine culture with foreign influences that reached the archipelago during different historical periods. The title story "Woman with Horns" has become iconic among students in the Philippines, and there are several YouTube videos about the story.
The book has been praised by Katipunan as, "Beautifully written in the minimalist style yet never lacking color and clarity, Brainard's stories reach out from the deep centuries of folklore, superstition, religion, customs, geography, and history to bring them life into the present. But more than life itself, this book mirrors the unique ways in which the Filipino women searches for meaning."
The reception of this work of Philippine fiction has been extraordinary. Brainard's mythical place "Ubec" (Cebu backwards) was embraced by Cebuanos and "Ubec" has become part of their lexicon.
Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's is the author and editor of over twenty books, including three novels: When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Magdalena, and The Newspaper Widow. She edited Growing Up Filipino I and II, among many other books. She is also the author of her Selected Short Stories, which collects 39 of her best short fiction.
She has received a California Arts Council Fellowship, a Brody Arts Fund Fellowship, an Outstanding Individual Award from her birth city of Cebu, Philippines. Many of her books are used by educators in their classrooms.